bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Establishment of a Novel Bladder Cancer Xenograft Model in Humanized Immunodeficient Mice
Authors: Gong Zhen , Xu Hanzi , Su Yiping , Wu Wangfei , Hao Lin , Han Conghui
Published: October 2015

Background/Aims: The aim of this study was to develop a novel model by transplanting human bladder cancer xenografts into humanized immunodeficient mice (SCID). Methods: The animals first underwent sublethal irradiation and then were subjected to simultaneous transplantation of human lymphocytes (5 × 107 cells/mouse i.p.) and human bladder cancer cells (3 × 106 cells/mouse s.c.). Results: The xenografts developed in all 12 mice that had received bladder cancer BIU-87 cells, and the tumor specimens were evaluated histologically. All 6 model mice expressed human CD3 mRNA and/or protein in the peripheral blood, spleens and xenografts. The mean proportion of human CD3+ cells was 19% with a level of human IgG 532.4µ/ml in the peripheral blood at Week 6 after transplant inoculation. The re-constructed human immune system in these mice was confirmed to be functional by individual in vitro testing of their proliferative, secretory and cytotoxic responses. Conclusion: The successful engraftment of the human bladder cancer xenografts and the establishment of the human immune system in our in vivo model described here may provide a useful tool for the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting at bladder cancer.
Endothelial Cell Autophagy in Atherosclerosis is Regulated by miR-30-Mediated Translational Control of ATG6
Authors: Zhang Tao , Tian Feng , Wang Jing , Jing Jing , Zhou Shan-Shan , Chen Yun-Dai
Published: October 2015

Background/Aims: Endothelial cell injury and subsequent death play an essential role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Autophagy of endothelial cells has a protective role against development of atherosclerosis, whereas the molecular regulation of endothelial cell autophagy is unclear. MicroRNA-30 (miR-30) is a known autophagy suppressor in some biological processes, while it is unknown whether this regulatory axis may be similarly involved in the development of atherosclerosis. Here, we aimed to answer these questions in the current study. Methods: We examined the levels of endothelial cell autophagy in ApoE (-/-) mice suppled with high-fat diet (HFD), a mouse model for atherosclerosis (simplified as HFD mice). We analyzed the levels of autophagy-associated protein 6 (ATG6, or Beclin-1) and the levels of miR-30 in the purified CD31+ endothelial cells from mouse aorta. Prediction of the binding between miR-30 and 3'-UTR of ATG6 mRNA was performed by bioinformatics analyses and confirmed by a dual luciferase reporter assay. The effects of miR-30 were further analyzed in an in vitro model using oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-treated human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). Results: HFD mice developed atherosclerosis in 12 weeks, while the control ApoE (-/-) mice that had received normal diet (simplified as NOR mice) did not. Compared to NOR mice, HFD mice had significantly lower levels of endothelial cell autophagy, resulting from decreases in ATG6 protein, but not mRNA. The decreases in ATG6 in endothelial cells were due to HFD-induced increases in miR-30, which suppressed the translation of ATG6 mRNA via 3′-UTR binding. These in vivo findings were reproduced in vitro on ox-LDL-treated HAECs. Conclusion: Upregulation of miR-30 by HFD may impair the protective effects of endothelial cell autophagy against development of atherosclerosis through suppressing protein translation of ATG6.
The Inhibition by Oxaliplatin, a Platinum-Based Anti-Neoplastic Agent, of the Activity of Intermediate-Conductance Ca2+-Activated K+ Channels in Human Glioma Cells
Authors: Huang Mei-Han , Huang Yan-Ming , Wu Sheng-Nan
Published: October 2015

Oxaliplatin (OXAL) is a third-generation organoplatinum which is effective against advanced cancer cells including glioma cells. How this agent and other related compounds interacts with ion channels in glioma cells is poorly understood. OXAL (100 µM) suppressed the amplitude of whole-cell K+ currents (IK); and, either DCEBIO or ionomycin significantly reversed OXAL-mediated inhibition of IK in human 13-06-MG glioma cells. In OXAL-treated cells, TRAM-34 did not suppress IK amplitude in these cells. The intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (IKCa) channels subject to activation by DCEBIO and to inhibition by TRAM-34 or clotrimazole were functionally expressed in these cells. Unlike cisplatin, OXAL decreased the probability of IKCa-channel openings in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 67 µM. No significant change in single-channel conductance of IKCa channels in the presence of OXAL was demonstrated. Neither large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels nor inwardly rectifying K+ currents in these cells were affected in the presence of OXAL. OXAL also suppressed the proliferation and migration of 13-06-MG cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. OXAL reduced IKCa-channel activity in LoVo colorectal cancer cells. Taken together, the inhibition by OXAL of IKCa channels would conceivably be an important mechanism through which it acts on the functional activities of glioma cells occurring in vivo.
Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis: Risk of Progression and Development of Symptoms
Authors: Singh Tarun D. , Kramer Christopher L. , Mandrekar Jay , Lanzino Giuseppe , Rabinstein Alejandro A.
Published: October 2015

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the rate of progression of stenosis and development of symptoms in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (aCAS) treated with contemporary medical therapy over a prolonged time interval. Methods: This study is a retrospective review of consecutive patients diagnosed with moderate or severe aCAS at our institution between 2000 and 2001. Data were gathered from both carotid arteries for each patient excluding vessels operated within 1 year of diagnosis and occlusions. Multivariate analysis was performed to analyze factors associated with ipsilateral transient ischemic attack (TIA)/stroke. Results: We identified 214 patients (58.8% men; median age 70 years) and collected data on 349 vessels. Degree of stenosis was severe (>70%) upon diagnosis in 92 (26.4%) vessels. Median length of follow-up was 13 years (interquartile range 10-14), and mean number of time points for follow-up imaging were 8.1 ± 3.9. Progression of stenosis was observed in 237 (67.9%) vessels, and 72 (20.6%) patients developed symptoms ipsilateral to the stenosis (TIA in 14.4%, non-disabling stroke in 4%, disabling stroke in 2.2%). Median time to appearance of first symptom was 6 years (range 1-13). On multivariate analysis, degree of baseline stenosis, intracranial stenosis >50%, plaque ulceration, silent infarction and previous history of TIA/stroke were associated with ipsilateral TIA/stroke, but progression of stenosis was not. Conclusions: There was a substantial rate of progression of stenosis in patients with aCAS over time despite adequate medical therapy, but progression of stenosis did not increase the risk of ipsilateral TIA/stroke. Over long-term follow-up, 1 in 5 patients with aCAS developed ipsilateral TIA/stroke, though most events were either transient or non-disabling.
Bilateral Optic Pathway Ganglioglioma: The Fifth Case in the Literature
Authors: Karaaslan Burak , Uçar Murat , Kulduk Gamze , Börcek Alp Özgün , Baykaner M. Kemali
Published: October 2015

Gangliogliomas are mixed tumors which contain both glial and neuronal elements. The optic pathway is a very rare location for gangliogliomas, with less than 23 cases reported in the literature. Bilateral involvement of the entire optic pathway was reported in only 4 cases before. Because of similar radiological appearance of other pathological entities such as gliomas and craniopharyngiomas, histopathological diagnosis is essential. We report a ganglioglioma case that involved both optic pathways. A 12-year-old patient suffering from visual deterioration for 6 months was evaluated. After a visual field test and radiological examinations, a microsurgical biopsy procedure was performed. Pathological examination revealed dysplastic/neoplastic ganglion cells and neoplastic glial cells, and the diagnosis was a World Health Organization (WHO) grade 1 ganglioglioma. The patient is scheduled for adjuvant radiotherapy with the hope of prevention of progression.
The COMTp.Val158Met Polymorphism and Cognitive Performance in Adult Development, Healthy Aging and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Degen Christina , Zschocke Johannes , Toro Pablo , Sattler Christine , Wahl Hans-Werner , Schönknecht Peter , Schröder Johannes
Published: October 2015

Background: The impact of genetic polymorphisms on cognition is assumed to increase with age as losses of brain resources have to be compensated for. We investigate the relation of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)p.Val158Met polymorphism and cognitive capacity in the course of adult development, healthy aging and the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in two birth cohorts of subjects born between 1930 and 1932 or between 1950 and 1952. Methods: Thorough neuropsychological assessment was conducted in a total of 587 participants across three examination waves between 1993 and 2008. The COMT genotype was determined as a restriction fragment length polymorphism after PCR amplification and digestion with NlaIII. Results: Significant effects of the COMTp.Val158Met polymorphism were identified for attention and cognitive flexibility in the younger but not the older cohort. Conclusion: These results confirm the importance of the COMTp.Val158Met genotype on tasks assessing attention and cognitive flexibility in midlife but not in healthy aging and the development of MCI. Our findings suggest that the influence of COMT changes as a function of age, decreasing from midlife to aging.
Adsorption of Selected Antibiotics to Resins in Extracorporeal Blood Purification
Authors: Harm Stephan , Gruber Anna , Gabor Franz , Hartmann Jens
Published: October 2015

Background/Aims: Extracorporeal blood purification systems (EBS) use specific adsorbents for the elimination of toxins and cytokines. The aim of this study was to test different adsorbents for their ability to reduce antibiotics in parallel to extracorporeal blood purification therapy. Methods: The in vitro adsorption experiments were carried out in human plasma with a newly established hydrophobic resin (Amberchrom CG161c) and adsorbents commercially available and approved in the clinics. The concentration of antibiotic was chosen equivalent to the recommended therapeutic dosage applied intravenously and was measured in plasma using ELISA test kits and high-performance liquid chromatography methods. Results: The adsorbent that reduced all tested antibiotics in plasma close to the detection limit was the dia MARS AC250, which is an activated charcoal involved in the Molecular Adsorbents Recirculation System. Conclusion: For better antibiotic monitoring in sepsis treatment, further investigations have to be performed to determine the clearance rate of antibiotics by different EBS devices.
A Comparison between Clinical and Metabolic Features of Renal Calyceal Microlithiasis and Overt Urolithiasis in Different Pediatric Age Groups
Authors: Fahimi Daryoosh , Habibi Zoham Mojdeh , Sheikh Mahdi , Salabati Mirataollah , Ghazanfari Arash , Firouzi Mojdeh , Honarmand Malektaj
Published: October 2015

Introduction: This study assesses the differences in the presentations, complications and metabolic abnormalities of children with renal calyceal microlithiasis (RCM) and overt urolithiasis in different pediatric ages. Materials and Methods: A total of 465 children with urolithiasis were investigated retrospectively. Patients were categorized based on their ages to infancy, early childhood, middle childhood and adolescence. When the hyperechogenic spots on ultrasound imaging were <3 mm, they were considered RCM, and if they were ≥3 mm, they were considered overt urolithiasis. Results: Metabolic abnormalities were detected in 71%; hyperuricosuria in infants, hyperoxaluria in younger children and hypocitraturia in older children were the most common metabolic abnormalities. Hypercalciuria was the only metabolic abnormality that was significantly associated with overt urolithiasis in all pediatric ages (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.21-4.19). The clinical presentations were not significantly different between RCM and overt urolithiasis; however, complications such as urinary tract infection was significantly higher with overt urolithiasis in infancy (p = 0.01), early childhood (p = 0.02), middle childhood (p = 0.007) and adolescence (p = 0.01). Also, growth retardation was significantly higher with overt urolithiasis in infancy and early childhood (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Most children with urolithiasis have underlying urinary metabolic abnormalities that differ according to the child's age. Despite these differences, hypercalciuria is significantly associated with overt urolithiasis in all pediatric ages. Clinical and laboratory features cannot differentiate RCM and overt urolithiasis; however, complications are significantly higher with overt urolithiasis.
The Number of Endovascular Trophoblasts in Maternal Blood Increases Overnight and after Physical Activity: An Experimental Study
Authors: Schlütter Jacob Mørup , Kirkegaard Ida , Ferreira Anne Sigaard , Hatt Lotte , Christensen Britta , Kølvraa Steen , Uldbjerg Niels
Published: October 2015

Introduction: Fetal cells in maternal blood may be used for noninvasive prenatal diagnostics, although their low number is a challenge. This study's objectives were to evaluate whether physical activity, transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound scans of the uterus, as well as overnight or day-to-day variation affect the number of isolated fetal cells, more specifically the presumed endovascular trophoblast (pEVT). Material and Methods: In each of 3 different experiments, 10 normal singleton pregnant women (gestational age 10+4-14+4 weeks) participated. The number of pEVTs was assessed in 30-36 ml blood using specific markers for enrichment and identification. Results: The number of pEVTs increased overnight (p = 0.001) from a median of 1.5 to 3.5 and even further to a median of 6.0 after 30 min of physical activity (p = 0.04) but was not affected by transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound scans. Repeated sampling showed that the interindividual variation of pEVTs was higher than the intraindividual variation (p < 0.001). However, even in pregnant women with a consistently low number of pEVTs, isolation of the pEVTs for prenatal diagnoses was possible in all cases by doing 2 separate blood samplings a few days apart. Discussion: The number of pEVTs identified in maternal blood can be increased by presampling conditions or repeated sampling.
Chemotherapy in Premenopausal Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Partridge Ann H.
Published: October 2015

Evidence has long demonstrated that premenopausal women obtain the greatest benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy overall, with risk reduction increasing with decreasing age. The chemoendocrine effect of chemotherapy has only more recently been documented as impacting on outcomes for women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, and recent data have elucidated the optimal strategies for manipulating the menopausal status to improve disease outcomes, without necessarily including cytotoxic chemotherapy. Still, many premenopausal women will require adjuvant cytotoxic chemotherapy, and the effects of treatment on women diagnosed with breast cancer in the premenopausal setting can have important implications both on their breast cancer outcomes and on comorbidities and psychosocial outcomes. This article describes the most recent information and issues surrounding the indications, effects, and special considerations for adjuvant chemotherapy in premenopausal women with breast cancer, in an effort to inform their care.
Prolonged Survival in a Patient with a Pancreatic Acinar Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Ploquin Anne , Baldini Capucine , Vuagnat Perrine , Makhloufi Samira , Desauw Christophe , Hebbar Mohamed
Published: October 2015

Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) is a rare entity. Herein we present the case of a 50-year-old male patient with an unlimited mass on the pancreatic corpus and tail with peripancreatic effusion and multiple metastases in the liver and spleen. A liver biopsy showed a pancreatic ACC. The patient received 9 cycles of gemcitabine plus oxaliplatin (GEMOX regimen), which had to be stopped because of a persistent grade 2 neuropathy. A CT scan showed complete response after 14 years. At the age of 61 years, a localized prostatic cancer was diagnosed, treated by prostatectomy. The patient carried a BRCA2 mutation. None of the precedent case reports describe a chemosensibility to the GEMOX regimen. In spite of the lack of study in these patients, chemotherapy with oxaliplatin seems to be the most effective. Long survival can be expected.
Xanthelasma Is Associated with an Increased Amount of Epicardial Adipose Tissue
Authors: Akyüz Ali Rıza , Ağaç Mustafa Tarık , Turan Turhan , Şahin Sinan , Kul Selim , Korkmaz Levent , Erkuş Musluhittin Emre , Erkan Hakan , Çelik Şükrü
Published: October 2015

Objective: In the present study, we aimed to compare the amount of epicardial adipose tissue in subjects with and without xanthelasma. Subjects and Methods: Fifty-two subjects with xanthelasma and 52 age- and gender-matched control subjects were enrolled in this study. Epicardial adipose tissue was assessed by measuring epicardial fat thickness (EFT) with echocardiography. Participants were dichotomized according to median EFT, which was 4 mm. The group with EFT >4 mm was defined as the supramedian group. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated by weight (kilograms) divided by height (meters) squared. Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to find independent factors associated with supramedian EFT (>4 mm). Results: Subjects with xanthelasma had higher BMI (31.2 ± 5.6 vs. 28.6 ± 5.7, p = 0.01) and higher levels of total cholesterol (216 ± 54 vs. 181 ± 42 mg/dl, p < 0.001), LDL cholesterol (142 ± 45 vs. 115 ± 36 mg/dl, p = 0.003) and triglycerides (median, 154 vs. 101 mg/dl, p = 0.01) than control subjects. EFT was significantly higher in subjects with xanthelasma than in controls (5.04 ± 2.02 vs. 3.81 ± 2.03 mm, p = 0.002). In the conditional logistic regression analysis, the presence of xanthelasma (OR, 3.55; 95% CI, 1.43-8.78, p = 0.006) and lower HDL cholesterol level (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.92-0.99, p = 0.023) were independently associated with supramedian EFT. Conclusion: The amount of epicardial adipose tissue found in subjects with xanthelasma was higher than in subjects without xanthelasma. In addition, the presence of xanthelasma was independently associated with supramedian EFT.
Long-Term Suppression of Atrial Fibrillation by Botulinum Toxin Injection Into Epicardial Fat Pads in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Pokushalov Evgeny , Kozlov Boris , Romanov Alexander , Strelnikov Artem , Bayramova Sevda , Sergeevichev David , Bogachev-Prokophiev Alexander , Zheleznev Sergey , Shipulin Vladimir , Lomivorotov Vladimir V. , Karaskov Alexander , Po Sunny S. , Steinberg Jonathan S.
Published: October 2015

Background—

Animal models suggest that the neurotransmitter inhibitor, botulinum toxin, when injected into the epicardial fat pads can suppress atrial fibrillation inducibility. The aim of this prospective randomized double-blind study was to compare the efficacy and safety of botulinum toxin injection into epicardial fat pads for preventing atrial tachyarrhythmias.

Methods and Results—

Patients with history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and indication for coronary artery bypass graft surgery were randomized to botulinum toxin (Xeomin, Merz, Germany; 50 U/1 mL at each fat pad; n=30) or placebo (0.9% normal saline, 1 mL at each fat pad; n=30) injection into epicardial fat pads during surgery. Patients were followed for 1 year to assess maintenance of sinus rhythm using an implantable loop recorder. All patients in both groups had successful epicardial fat pad injections without complications. The incidence of early postoperative atrial fibrillation within 30 days after coronary artery bypass graft was 2 of 30 patients (7%) in the botulinum toxin group and 9 of 30 patients (30%) in the placebo group (
P
=0.024). Between 30 days and up to the 12-month follow-up examination, 7 of the 30 patients in the placebo group (27%) and none of the 30 patients in the botulinum toxin group (0%) had recurrent atrial fibrillation (
P
=0.002). There were no complications observed during the 1-year follow-up.

Conclusions—

Botulinum toxin injection into epicardial fat pads during coronary artery bypass graft provided substantial atrial tachyarrhythmia suppression both early as well as during 1-year follow-up, without any serious adverse events.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01842529.
Estrogen Metabolite 16α-Hydroxyestrone Exacerbates Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptor Type II–Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Through MicroRNA-29–Mediated Modulation of Cellular Metabolism
Authors: Chen Xinping , Talati Megha , Fessel Joshua P. , Hemnes Anna R. , Gladson Santhi , French Jaketa , Shay Sheila , Trammell Aaron , Phillips John A. , Hamid Rizwan , Cogan Joy D. , Dawson Elliott P. , Womble Kristie E. , Hedges Lora K. , Martinez Elizabeth G. , Wheeler Lisa A. , Loyd James E. , Majka Susan J. , West James , Austin Eric D.
Published: October 2015

Background—

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a proliferative disease of the pulmonary vasculature that preferentially affects women. Estrogens such as the metabolite 16α-hydroxyestrone (16αOHE) may contribute to PAH pathogenesis, and alterations in cellular energy metabolism associate with PAH. We hypothesized that 16αOHE promotes heritable PAH (HPAH) via microRNA-29 (miR-29) family upregulation and that antagonism of miR-29 would attenuate pulmonary hypertension in transgenic mouse models of Bmpr2 mutation.

Methods and Results—

MicroRNA array profiling of human lung tissue found elevation of microRNAs associated with energy metabolism, including the miR-29 family, among HPAH patients. miR-29 expression was 2-fold higher in Bmpr2 mutant mice lungs at baseline compared with controls and 4 to 8-fold higher in Bmpr2 mice exposed to 16αOHE 1.25 μg/h for 4 weeks. Blot analyses of Bmpr2 mouse lung protein showed significant reductions in peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor-γ and CD36 in those mice exposed to 16αOHE and protein derived from HPAH lungs compared with controls. Bmpr2 mice treated with anti–miR-29 (20-mg/kg injections for 6 weeks) had improvements in hemodynamic profile, histology, and markers of dysregulated energy metabolism compared with controls. Pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells derived from Bmpr2 murine lungs demonstrated mitochondrial abnormalities, which improved with anti–miR-29 transfection in vitro; endothelial-like cells derived from HPAH patient induced pluripotent stem cell lines were similar and improved with anti–miR-29 treatment.

Conclusions—

16αOHE promotes the development of HPAH via upregulation of miR-29, which alters molecular and functional indexes of energy metabolism. Antagonism of miR-29 improves in vivo and in vitro features of HPAH and reveals a possible novel therapeutic target.
Dialysis Requiring Acute Kidney Injury in Acute Cerebrovascular Accident Hospitalizations
Authors: Nadkarni Girish N. , Patel Achint A. , Konstantinidis Ioannis , Mahajan Abhimanyu , Agarwal Shiv Kumar , Kamat Sunil , Annapureddy Narender , Benjo Alexandre , Thakar Charuhas V.
Published: October 2015

Background and Purpose—

The epidemiology of dialysis requiring acute kidney injury (AKI-D) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) admissions is poorly understood with previous studies being from a single center or year.

Methods—

We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to evaluate the yearly incidence trends of AKI-D in hospitalizations with AIS and ICH from 2002 to 2011. We also evaluated the trend of impact of AKI-D on in-hospital mortality and adverse discharge using adjusted odds ratios (aOR) after adjusting for demographics and comorbidity indices.

Results—

We extracted a total of 3 937 928 and 696 754 hospitalizations with AIS and ICH, respectively. AKI-D occurred in 1.5 and 3.5 per 1000 in AIS and ICH admissions, respectively. Incidence of admissions complicated by AKI-D doubled from 0.9/1000 to 1.7/1000 in AIS and from 2.1/1000 to 4.3/1000 in ICH admissions. In AIS admissions, AKI-D was associated with 30% higher odds of mortality (aOR, 1.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.12–1.48;
P
<0.001) and 18% higher odds of adverse discharge (aOR, 1.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.37;
P
<0.001). Similarly, in ICH admissions, AKI-D was associated with twice the odds of mortality (aOR, 1.95; 95% confidence interval, 1.61–2.36;
P
<0.01) and 74% higher odds of adverse discharge (aOR, 1.74; 95% confidence interval, 1.34–2.24;
P
<0.01). Attributable risk percent of mortality was high with AKI-D (98%–99%) and did not change significantly over the study period.

Conclusions—

Incidence of AKI-D complicating hospitalizations with cerebrovascular accident continues to grow and is associated with increased mortality and adverse discharge. This highlights the need for early diagnosis, better risk stratification, and preparedness for need for complex long-term care in this vulnerable population.
Endovascular Therapy Is Effective and Safe for Patients With Severe Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Broderick Joseph P. , Berkhemer Olvert A. , Palesch Yuko Y. , Dippel Diederik W.J. , Foster Lydia D. , Roos Yvo B.W.E.M. , van der Lugt Aad , Tomsick Thomas A. , Majoie Charles B.L.M. , van Zwam Wim H. , Demchuk Andrew M. , van Oostenbrugge Robert J. , Khatri Pooja , Lingsma Hester F. , Hill Michael D. , Roozenbeek Bob , Jauch Edward C. , Jovin Tudor G. , Yan Bernard , von Kummer Rüdiger , Molina Carlos A. , Goyal Mayank , Schonewille Wouter J. , Mazighi Mikael , Engelter Stefan T. , Anderson Craig S. , Spilker Judith , Carrozzella Janice , Ryckborst Karla J. , Janis L. Scott , Simpson Kit N. ,   for the IMS III and MR CLEAN Investigators
Published: October 2015

Background and Purpose—

We assessed the effect of endovascular treatment in acute ischemic stroke patients with severe neurological deficit (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, ≥20) after a prespecified analysis plan.

Methods—

The pooled analysis of the Interventional Management of Stroke III (IMS III) and Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Endovascular Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Netherlands (MR CLEAN) trials included participants with an National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of ≥20 before intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) treatment (IMS III) or randomization (MR CLEAN) who were treated with intravenous tPA ≤3 hours of stroke onset. Our hypothesis was that participants with severe stroke randomized to endovascular therapy after intravenous tPA would have improved 90-day outcome (distribution of modified Rankin Scale scores), when compared with those who received intravenous tPA alone.

Results—

Among 342 participants in the pooled analysis (194 from IMS III and 148 from MR CLEAN), an ordinal logistic regression model showed that the endovascular group had superior 90-day outcome compared with the intravenous tPA group (adjusted odds ratio, 1.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.20–2.66). In the logistic regression model of the dichotomous outcome (modified Rankin Scale score, 0–2, or functional independence), the endovascular group had superior outcomes (adjusted odds ratio, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.09–3.56). Functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score, ≤2) at 90 days was 25% in the endovascular group when compared with 14% in the intravenous tPA group.

Conclusions—

Endovascular therapy after intravenous tPA within 3 hours of symptom onset improves functional outcome at 90 days after severe ischemic stroke.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00359424 (IMS III) and ISRCTN10888758 (MR CLEAN).
Against Culturism: Reconsidering Stalin on Nation and Class
Authors: Boer Roland
Published: October 2015

This article argues that the key to Stalin’s early theoretical work on the national question may be read as an attack on culturism – the propensity to identify an intangible ‘culture’ (often with religious factors) as the basis for collective identity. Although his criticism is directed at a number of social democratic organisations at the turn of the twentieth century, it also has pertinence for today due to the persistence of culturist assumptions. Two factors are important in his criticism. The first is to define ‘nation’ in order to sideline the culturist position, although his own definition is not without its problems. The second tackles the question of the structure of the state: does one begin with ‘national culture’ or with class? Stalin proposes that class is the determining factor, which then enables a very different approach to ‘national culture’. The unexpected result is that the unity provided by a focus on the workers and peasants produces both new levels of cultural diversity and enables a stronger approach to ensuring such diversity. The approach undertaken in this article pays careful attention to Stalin’s theoretical and philosophical arguments as they appear in his written texts.
Русский оппозиционный внепарламентский национализм: все цвета спектра?
Authors: Sergeev Sergey Alexeevich
Published: October 2015

This article examines various types of Russian oppositional extra-parliamentary natio- nalism from the 1990s to the 2010s, such as imperial national conservatism, monarchy- Black Hundreds nationalism, revolutionary nationalism, Russian Nazism, and National Democrats. It analyzes major Russian oppositional nationalist organizations as well as their transformations and evolution. The author gives particular attention to revolutionary nationalism (National Bolshevism) and National Democracy.
Is the Rule of Law an Antidote for Religious Tension? The Promise and Peril of Judicializing Religious Freedom
Authors: Schonthal Benjamin , Moustafa Tamir , Nelson Matthew , Shankar Shylashri
Published: October 2015

Although “rule of law” is often regarded as a solution for religious conflict, this article analyzes the role of legal processes and institutions in hardening boundaries and sharpening antagonisms among religious communities. Using case studies from Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, and Pakistan, we highlight four specific mechanisms through which legal procedures, structures, and instruments can further polarize already existing religious conflicts. These mechanisms include the procedural requirements and choreography of litigation (Sri Lanka), the strategic use of legal language and court judgments by political and socioreligious groups (India), the activities of partisan activists who mobilize around litigation (Malaysia), and the exploitation of “public order” laws in contexts framed by antagonism targeting religious minorities (Pakistan).
대소동에 처한 주체: 공황장애에 관한 한 라캉학파 정신분석가의 견해 (The Subject In An Uproar: A Lacanian Perspective on Panic Disorder)
Authors: 스트루베 글렌 , 반휴을 스티즌 , Strubbe Glenn , Vanheule Stijn
Published: October 2015

공황장애에 관한 라캉학파적 지향을 갖는 한 치료를 위해서 자크 라캉의 불안 이론에서 원칙들을 추론한다. 이런 류의 라캉학파적 접근은 프로이트의 실제 신경증(actual neuroses)에 관한 이론과 연관이 있으며, 또한 공황-집중 정신역동적 정신치료(PFPP)에서 취하는 접근과도 어떤 점에서는 비견될 만하다. 공황에 대한 라캉학파의 개념에서는 억압된 자료(재료) 및 상징화가 안 된 정신 상태들, 양자가 공황의 기저에 놓여있다는 생각을 견지하고 있다. 공황 발작을 겪고 있는 사람들은 기표들 (signifiers), 신체적 흥분 그리고/또는 너무 실재(Real)로 남아있는 존재론적 질문에 의해 압도되어 있다. 정신분석적 치료는 그러한 실재(계) 요소들을 위해서 하나의 이름을 창조해내는 것을 목표로 한다. 라캉이 정신분석적인 접근의 기본으로 자리매김한 세 개의 명부들(상징계, 상상계, 실재계)과 이러한 임상적 작업을 실행하기 위한 치료 원칙들을 논의한다. 공황장애를 가진 젊은 여성 한 명의 사례 연구가 제시되며, 이를 통해서 단기 라캉학파적 지향을 갖는 치료(48회기)가 어떻게 진행되었는지와 너무 실재(Real)로 다가온 정신적 경험들을 환자가 어디서 명명을 하고 그 상징적 위치를 발견하게 되었는지를 예시한다. 이 치료를 통해서, 환자는 회피적-방어적인 기능 방식 및 분리와 관련되어 그녀가 지속적으로 느꼈던 어려움을 극복하였다.
Overcoming O
Authors: Soffer-Dudek Nir
Published: October 2015

Bion guides us to eschew memory, desire, and understanding in order to become one with O—the ultimate reality of the analytic moment. However, his directions are valid only to the extent that such a meta-reality actually exists. Otherwise there is nothing to unite with and no reason to shun memory or desire. The present work inquires whether we may provide Bion’s technique with a less speculative philosophy, specifically Dewey’s pragmatist theory of aesthetics. It begins with reviewing the similarities between the two writers’ methods, highlighting their shared emphasis on openness to the unknown. Yet listening to their intonations reveals that they actually convey opposite ideas as to what this “unknown” may be. Whereas Dewey sanguinely portrays the possibilities of the “ yet-unknown,” Bion emphasizes the dread of our inescapable encounter with the unknow able. This dread is embodied in his concept of O. Thus, rather than being merely a metaphysical speculation, O communicates Bion’s conviction that fear forms the core of our existence. Banishing O from the counseling room may indeed aid his method in becoming accessible to a wider audience; at the same time, however, doing so might also deprive it of the very context that gives it meaning.
Psychodynamic Treatment for Separation Anxiety in a Treatment Nonresponder
Authors: Busch Fredric N. , Milrod Barbara L.
Published: October 2015

Separation anxiety, long an area of interest for psychoanalysts, has been included in DSM-5 among general “anxiety disorders” that span across age groups. The syndrome of separation anxiety has been shown to correlate with nonresponse to treatments for anxiety and mood disorders (Milrod et al. 2014). It is therefore of public health importance to develop targeted treatments for this syndrome. Some psychoanalysts have suggested that brief psychoanalytic interventions may be of particular value in addressing separation anxiety. Our clinical work with patients with anxiety disorders with high levels of separation anxiety indicates that they have such intense anger and ambivalence in fraught intimate relationships that they feel stuck and helpless, almost eliminating more positive feelings. This ambivalence and associated unconscious conflicts inevitably emerge in the therapeutic relationship and can threaten to disrupt treatment efforts. We propose a set of focused psychodynamic psychotherapeutic interventions to address separation anxiety, developed as part of Panic-Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy–eXtended Range (PFPP-XR; Busch et al. 2012). We present a case from our research study of treatment nonresponders with anxiety disorders and separation anxiety. The patient was successfully treated with PFPP-XR in a 21-session treatment.
Working for Free in the VIP
Authors: Mears Ashley
Published: October 2015

Why do workers participate in their own exploitation? This article moves beyond the situational production of consent that has dominated studies of the labor process and outlines the relational production of labor’s surplus value. Using a case of unpaid women who perform valuable work for VIP nightclubs, I present ethnographic data on the VIP party circuit from New York, the Hamptons, Miami, and Cannes, as well as 84 interviews with party organizers and guests. Party promoters, mostly male brokers, appropriate surplus value from women in four stages: recruitment, mobilization, performance, and control. Relational work between promoters and women, cemented by gifts and strategic intimacies, frames women’s labor as leisure and friendship, and boundary work legitimizes women’s work as distinct from sexual labor. When boundaries, media, and meanings of relationships do not appropriately align, as in relational mismatches, women experience the VIP party less as leisure and more as work, and they are less likely to participate. My findings embed the labor process in a relational infrastructure and hold insights for explaining why people work for free in culture and technology sectors of the post-Fordist economy.
Internal quality control in point-of-care testing: where’s the evidence?
Authors: Holt Helen , Freedman Danielle B
Published: October 2015

ISO 22870 standards require protocols for performance of internal quality control for all point-of-care testing devices and training of users in its theory and practice. However, the unique setting of point-of-care testing (i.e. processes conducted by non-scientific users) means that laboratory internal quality control programmes do not easily translate to point-of-care testing. In addition, while the evidence base for internal quality control within the laboratory has been increasing, the equivalent literature surrounding point-of-care testing is very limited. This has led to wide variation in what is considered acceptable practice for internal quality control at the point of care. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that internal quality control is an area of deficiency in point-of-care testing. Internal quality control protocols used at point-of-care testing should be defined based on risk management. The protocol will therefore be dependent on analyser complexity and availability of inbuilt system checks, the risk associated with release of an incorrect patient result as well as frequency of use. The emphasis should be on designing an effective internal quality control protocol as opposed to the inherent tendency of introducing high-frequency quality control. Typically a simple pass or fail criterion is used for internal quality control in point-of-care testing based on whether internal quality control results fall within assigned ranges. While simply taught, such criteria can require broad internal quality control ranges to decrease the probability of false rejection (also reducing the probability of error detection). Customized internal quality control ranges, two-tier acceptance systems and assay-specific internal quality control can be used to improve error detection rates.
Consistency and reliability of untrained consumers' perceptions of fabric hand of men's suiting
Authors: Xue Z , Zeng X , Koehl L , Shen L
Published: October 2015

The current study is aimed to analyze the consistency and reliability of untrained consumers' perception of fabric hand. A group of untrained assessors are recruited to evaluate the fabric hand of a number of suit fabrics through free sorting and rating experiments. Two statistical methods have been used to measure the consistency between the sorting and rating data of the assessors in replicated sessions. According to the types of data obtained from different evaluation procedures, different multidimensional scaling techniques are applied to investigate the tactile dimensions, and further on the assessors' preference regarding the total hand of the samples for the end-use of men's suit. It is found that simple sorting and rating procedures are efficient methods for acquiring consistent sensory results from untrained assessors on a relatively large number of textile products, and that multidimensional scaling is an effective technique for interpreting the obtained non-descriptive sensory data.
‘We have nothing better than testimony’: History and memory in French war narratives
Authors: Aubert Nathalie
Published: October 2015

Art and testimony are often yoked together by the real-life violence of war. The First World War represents a moment in the French literary field which saw an explosion of war narratives. The legitimacy of some of these narratives was questioned after the war by Jean Norton Cru, who examined their validity as testimonies in a book significantly entitled Témoins. Following Ricœur’s claim that historical discourse is, in any case, ‘metaphorical’, I argue that in fact these texts provoke an extension or revision of historical meaning and understanding, expressing a dynamic interrelation between the prefigured field of discursive forms and the fluctuating field of material happenings, and as such act as testimonies. They also, more widely, contribute to what Ricœur has called an ‘ethics of memory’.
The Effects of Accruals Quality on Audit Hours and Audit Fees
Authors: Cho Myojung , Ki Eunsun , Kwon Soo Young
Published: October 2015

We investigate whether auditors take into account accruals quality, a proxy for the cash flow risk associated with earnings, by adjusting audit hours and audit fees. Accruals quality tells investors about the mapping of accounting earnings into cash flows. Poor accruals quality weakens this mapping and thus increases this cash flow risk. We find a negative relationship between accruals quality and audit hours/fees, indicating that auditors increase their audit efforts by modifying audit procedures and substantive tests and charge higher fees for the increased cash flow risk. In addition, we find that both innate accruals quality and discretionary accruals quality are negatively related to audit hours and fees but that innate accruals quality is more likely to influence audit hours and fees than discretionary accruals quality. The results indicate that auditors incorporate the cash flow risk associated with accruals quality but that their response varies according to the source of accruals quality.
Interdisciplinary Strategies for Treating Oral Aversions in Children
Authors: Edwards Sarah , Davis Ann McGrath , Ernst Linda , Sitzmann Brenda , Bruce Amanda , Keeler David , Almadhoun Osama , Mousa Hayat , Hyman Paul
Published: October 2015

Oral aversion is a frequent diagnosis in the pediatric population. For a minority of children, feeding challenges rise to the level of requiring clinical evaluation and intervention. Determining the best evaluation and treatment plan can be challenging, but there is a consensus that treatment for children with a severe oral aversion involves an interdisciplinary approach. Within the team model, multiple strategies have demonstrated effectiveness, including sensorimotor skill building, behavioral modification, hunger provocation, and sensory integration therapy. This tutorial reviews the diagnostic and treatment process for a child with oral aversion, including identification of an underlying etiology, the medical and behavioral evaluation, and formulation of a treatment plan.
Knowledge bases, regional innovation systems, and Korea's solar PV industry
Authors: Gress Douglas R
Published: October 2015

In order to more firmly align the study of Korean regional innovation systems (RIS) with contemporary place-based inquiry into innovation processes, this research deploys a knowledge base and RIS perspective to explore firms’ motivations to innovate and spatial variability in firms’ use of innovation-supporting infrastructure and external technical support. Results, on the basis of a survey of Korean solar photovoltaic firms, parallel expectations of firms with a synthetic knowledge base and indicate that firms are active in multiple ‘regional networked innovation systems’. This suggests a move away from Korea's historically dirigiste system toward an approach which is more balanced among regions. Concerning RIS research, wider applications derived from the study include suggestions to further integrate firm-level analyses in order to unearth shortcomings associated with policy, to deploy knowledge base considerations to identify possible policy mismatch, and to include multispatial demand support considerations for innovative activity, particularly for nascent industries.
Propranolol for the treatment of anxiety disorders: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Steenen Serge A , van Wijk Arjen J , van der Heijden Geert JMG , van Westrhenen Roos , de Lange Jan , de Jongh Ad
Published: October 2015

The effects of propranolol in the treatment of anxiety disorders have not been systematically evaluated previously. The aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials, addressing the efficacy of oral propranolol versus placebo or other medication as a treatment for alleviating either state or trait anxiety in patients suffering from anxiety disorders. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria. These studies concerned panic disorder with or without agoraphobia (four studies, total n = 130), specific phobia (two studies, total n = 37), social phobia (one study, n = 16), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (one study, n = 19). Three out of four panic disorder trials qualified for pooled analyses. These meta-analyses found no statistically significant differences between the efficacy of propranolol and benzodiazepines regarding the short-term treatment of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. Also, no evidence was found for effects of propranolol on PTSD symptom severity through inhibition of memory reconsolidation. In conclusion, the quality of evidence for the efficacy of propranolol at present is insufficient to support the routine use of propranolol in the treatment of any of the anxiety disorders.
Parenting and Adolescent Self-Regulation Mediate Between Family Socioeconomic Status and Adolescent Adjustment
Authors: Farley Julee P. , Kim-Spoon Jungmeen
Published: October 2015

Using two waves of longitudinal data, we utilized the family stress model of economic hardship to test whether family socioeconomic status is related to adolescent adjustment (substance use and academic achievement) through parental knowledge and adolescent self-regulation (behavioral self-control and delay discounting). Participants included 220 adolescent (55% male, [Formula: see text]age = 13 years at Wave 1, [Formula: see text]age = 15 years at Wave 2) and primary caregiver dyads. Results of Structural Equation Modeling revealed significant three-path mediation effects such that low family socioeconomic status at Wave 1 is associated with low parental knowledge at Wave 1, which in turn was related to low academic performance and high substance use at Wave 2 mediated through low adolescent behavioral self-control at Wave 2. The results illustrate how parental knowledge, influenced by family economic status, may play an important role in the development of adolescent behavioral self-control and adjustment.
Examination of the “CSI Effect” on Perceptions of Scientific and Testimonial Evidence in a Hong Kong Chinese Sample
Authors: Hui Cora Y. T. , Lo T. Wing
Published: October 2015

Television is a powerful medium through which to convey information and messages to the public. The recent proliferation of forensic science and criminal justice information throughout all forms of media, coupled with raised expectations toward forensic evidence, has led some to suspect that a “CSI effect” ( Crime Scene Investigation effect) is taking place. The present study contributes to the literature addressing the CSI effect in two ways. First, it examines whether the CSI effect exists in the Chinese population of Hong Kong. Second, using a mock-jury paradigm, it empirically examines a more integrative perspective of the CSI effect. It was found that, although the amount of media coverage involving forensic evidence does influence participants’ perception of legal evidence to some degree, such a perception does not affect participants’ legal decision making. Viewers of forensic dramas were not more likely to convict the defendant when forensic evidence was presented and not less likely to convict when only testimonial evidence was presented. The only significant predictor of the defendant’s culpability when scientific evidence was presented was participants’ ratings of the reliability of scientific evidence. Results from the present study lend no support to the existence of the CSI effect in Hong Kong.