bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TWIST1 Polymorphisms Predict Survival in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Receiving First-Line Bevacizumab plus Oxaliplatin-Based Chemotherapy
Authors: Matsusaka Satoshi , Zhang Wu , Cao Shu , Hanna Diana L. , Sunakawa Yu , Sebio Ana , Ueno Masashi , Yang Dongyun , Ning Yan , Parekh Anish , Okazaki Satoshi , Berger Martin D. , Ichikawa Wataru , Mizunuma Nobuyuki , Lenz Heinz-Josef
Published: March 2016

The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important mechanism of resistance to angiogenesis inhibition. The ability of EMT pathway genetic variants to predict the efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy is unknown. We analyzed associations between functional SNPs in EMT-related genes and outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients undergoing first-line bevacizumab-based chemotherapy. A total of 220 mCRC patients were included in this study: 143 patients treated with first-line bevacizumab-based chemotherapy (bevacizumab cohort) and 77 patients treated with cetuximab-based chemotherapy (cetuximab cohort). SNPs in TWIST1 (rs2285682, rs2285681), ZEB1 (rs10826943, rs2839658), SNAIL (rs1543442, rs4647958), and E-cadherin (rs16260) genes were analyzed by PCR-based direct sequencing. Patients carrying a TWIST1 rs2285682 G allele had a significantly longer median progression-free survival (PFS) of 18.1 months and overall survival (OS) of 44.1 months compared with those with the T/T genotype, who had a median PFS of 13.3 months (HR, 0.57; P = 0.003) and OS of 29.2 months (HR, 0.53; P = 0.001) in the bevacizumab cohort. In multivariate analysis, associations between TWIST1 rs2285682 and PFS and OS remained significant. Among women, the G allele of TWIST1 rs2285682 (PFS HR, 0.39; P = 0.007; OS HR, 0.30; P = 0.001) and TWIST1 rs2285681 (PFS HR, 0.27; P < 0.001; OS HR, 0.25; P < 0.001) was associated with improved survival. No significant associations were found in the cetuximab cohort. Our findings suggest that TWIST1 polymorphisms are associated with survival in mCRC patients treated with first-line bevacizumab-based chemotherapy and may serve as clinically useful biomarkers for antiangiogenic therapy. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(6); 1405–11. ©2016 AACR.
Outcomes of Hepatic Resection in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Patients with Diabetes, Hypertension, and Dyslipidemia: Significance of Routine Follow-Up
Authors: Nishioka Takayoshi , Kubo Shoji , Tanaka Shogo , Wakasa Kenichi , Takemura Shigekazu , Kinoshita Masahiko , Hamano Genya , Kuwae Yuko , Shibata Toshihiko , Suehiro Shigefumi
Published: March 2016

Background: The outcomes of hepatic resection in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HT), and dyslipidemia (DL) (metabolic components) remain unclear. Methods: The outcomes of 43 ICC patients without known risk factors for ICC who underwent hepatic resection were retrospectively reviewed. These patients were divided into three groups: those followed-up for metabolic components at least every 6 months (follow-up group, n=16), those not followed-up for metabolic components (no follow-up group, n=14), and those without metabolic components (control group, n=13). Results: In the follow-up group, 13 (81%) patients were further examined for ICC during follow-up because of abnormal screening results, such as elevated serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) concentrations or detection of hepatic tumor on ultrasonography and/or computed tomography, whereas most patients in the other two groups exhibited ICC-related symptoms. No patient in the follow-up group exhibited lymph node metastasis, whereas 43% of those in the no follow-up group and 46% in the control group had lymph node metastasis (p=0.005 and 0.004 vs. the follow-up group, respectively). All 16 patients in the follow-up group were diagnosed as International Union Against Cancer pathologic stage I or II (early stage). There were no significant differences in the incidence of postoperative recurrence between the three groups; however, the incidence of extrahepatic recurrence was lower in the follow-up group than in the no follow-up group and the control group (13% vs. 78% vs. 63%, p=0.0232). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survivalrates in the follow-up group were better than those in the no follow-up and control groups (93/93/66% vs. 77/34/34% and 85/24/0%, p=0.034 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Routine measurement of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and/or CA19-9 levels and imaging examinations every 12 months (or 6 months, if possible) are recommended during follow-up for DM, HT, and DL to detect ICC at an early stage.
Risk Genes of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Asia: What Are the Most Important Pathways Affected?
Authors: Guo Changcun , Wu Kaichun
Published: March 2016

Genetic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and IBD is now recognized as a complex disease that results from interplay between genetic and environment factors. To date, over 160 IBD-susceptible loci have been identified using genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The risk genes identified in these studies are involved in various pathways in innate and adaptive immune response such as innate bacterial sensing, autophagy and interleukin-23 receptor/T-helper cell 17 pathway. It was initially believed that the genetic backgrounds of Asian IBD patients differ from that of other populations. Recent GWAS and meta-analysis found that there is pervasive sharing of risk loci between the East and West. Overlapping risk genes between populations of different ancestries indicate that pathways underlying the etiology of IBD may be common between Asia and other areas. However, the importance of individual pathways may be different in Asia from the Western countries. Identifying the most important pathways affected in Asian IBD patients may provide a better understanding of pathogenesis of IBD in Asia and improve the clinical management of the patients.
High Altitude Journeys, Flights and Hypoxia: Any Role for Disease Flares in IBD Patients?
Authors: Vavricka Stephan R. , Rogler Gerhard , Biedermann Luc
Published: March 2016

The importance of environmental factors in the pathogenesis including their disease-modifying potential are increasingly recognized in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, largely driven by the perception that the prevalence and incidence of IBD are on the rise within the last few years, especially in non-western countries. One of those factors is believed to be hypoxia. The role of hypoxia as a modifying or even causative factor in the genesis and maintenance of inflammation has been increasingly elucidated in recent years. Hypoxia is believed to be a main inducing factor of inflammation. This has been studied in different animal experiments as well as in humans exposed to hypoxia. In several studies - mainly in mice - animals exposed to short-term hypoxia accumulated inflammatory cells in multiple organs and showed elevated cytokines in the blood. Comparable studies were performed in humans, mainly in healthy mountaineers. Recently, we reported on the association between IBD flare-up episodes and antecedent journeys to high-altitude region and aircraft travels. According to these findings, we concluded that flights and stays at high altitudes of >2,000 mg are a risk factor for increased disease activity in IBD. To evaluate the potential influence of hypoxia on the course of IBD on a biomolecular level and to test the effects of hypoxia under standardized conditions, we initiated a prospective and controlled investigation in both healthy controls and IBD patients in stable remission. The study participants underwent a 3-hour exposure to hypoxic conditions simulating an altitude of 4,000 m above sea level in a hyperbaric pressure chamber and clinical parameters as well as blood and stool samples were collected at several time points. The first results of this study are expected in the near future.
Iron Deficiency, Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin Deficiencies in Crohn's Disease: Substitute or Not?
Authors: Kruis Wolfgang , Phuong Nguyen G.
Published: March 2016

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by inflammatory reactions, complications, extraintestinal manifestations and a loss of intestinal functions, for example, failures of absorption and secretion. According to intestinal dysfunction, a wide array of pathogenetic pathways is existing leading to iron deficiency and numerous vitamins as well as trace element deficiencies. Complications, symptoms and signs of those deficiencies are common in IBD with varying degrees of clinical significance. This review focuses on selected micronutrients including iron, zinc, magnesium and some vitamins. Epidemiology with respect to IBD, pathophysiology, diagnosis and clinical aspects are addressed. Finally, some suggestions for treatment of deficient situations are discussed. In conclusion, some micronutrients have significant impact on complications and quality of life in IBD. Deficiencies may even influence the course of the disease. Those deficiencies should be thoroughly supplemented.
Practical Considerations and the Intestinal Microbiome in Disease: Antibiotics for IBD Therapy
Authors: Fedorak Richard N. , Ismond Kathleen P.
Published: March 2016

The inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, have been treated with a range of antibiotics for inducing and maintaining remission, as well as the prevention of post-operative symptoms. To date, many studies have been performed assessing the efficacy of antibiotics when used alone, in combination with other antibiotics, or as an adjunctive therapy to other pharmaceutical treatments. Literature evidence supporting the use of antibiotics in IBD can be ambiguous, especially when considering the potential role of dysbiosis in the gastrointestinal tract. The review considers the systemic effect of antibiotics and the evidence base for their efficacy in the treatment of IBD.
Anti-TNFs: Originators and Biosimilars
Authors: Mantzaris Gerassimos J.
Published: March 2016

In the last 20 years, the advent of anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) biologics has revolutionized the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but the cost of biologic therapy now constitutes a large proportion of all healthcare expenditures. Patent expiration has sparked the healthcare industry's interest in the production of biosimilar (BS) versions of first generation biologics (originators [ORGs]) for market sharing. Having no access to the production line of the ORG, the sponsor of a BS needs to develop his own manufacturing process to produce a highly similar version of the reference product. Similarity in structure, physicochemical properties, biologic activity, efficacy and safety must be demonstrated by a comprehensive comparability exercise that includes the most sensitive in vitro tests, models and clinical condition with pre-defined equivalence margins. Extrapolation of indications, inter-changeability and automatic substitution between BS and ORG depend on a legal framework that varies between different agencies. It is not, therefore, unexpected that marketing authorization by the European Medicines Agency and other regulatory agencies (but not Health Canada) of CT-P13 (Remsima™/Inflectra™) as infliximab (Remicade®) BSs for IBD by indication extrapolation has led to stormy discussions in the IBD community and beyond regarding the scientific adequacy of this decision. However, as we now have to live with BSs, we hope that the impeding automatic substitution in association with post-marketing pharmacovigilance, full traceability, registries and new studies will settle the controversy and will increase the confidence of physicians and patients. A universally adopted legal framework should be implemented because, as expected, the non-anti-TNFα BSs will be soon on the stage.
Personalizing IBD Therapy: The Asian Perspective
Authors: Yang Suk-Kyun
Published: March 2016

Background: All patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) share common therapeutic goals, such as complete mucosal healing and improved long-term outcomes (e.g., reduction in hospitalization, surgery and mortality). However, because IBD patients have diverse features in terms of severity, phenotypes, clinical courses and responses to therapy, therapeutic options for achieving these goals differ among patients, from no therapy to early introduction of combination therapy with anti-TNF and immunosuppressive agents. Key Messages: By personalizing IBD therapy, we may be able to maximize management efficacy, minimize the risk of adverse events and ultimately decrease costs. The initial steps of personalized therapy involve the selection of the right patients by predicting the clinical course of IBD and the subsequent selection of the right therapy by predicting the response to therapy. The next step of personalized therapy involves the adjustment of therapy through therapeutic response evaluation and therapeutic drug monitoring. Notably, current recommendations on personalized IBD therapy are mainly based on results derived from Western populations. However, Asian patients with IBD are different from Western patients in many respects, including clinical characteristics, therapeutic response and prognosis, probably due to differences in environmental and genetic backgrounds. In addition, the healthcare systems and sociocultural backgrounds of Asian countries are not the same as those of Western countries. Therefore, personalized IBD therapy for Asians may differ from that for Westerners in some aspects. Conclusions: This review discusses the current progress of personalized IBD therapy and its application from the Asian perspective.
Mineralocorticoid Antagonists in the Treatment of Central Serous Chorioretinopathy: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Kapoor Kapil G. , Wagner Alan L.
Published: March 2016

Background and Objective: Overaction of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) pathways has been implicated in the pathophysiology of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). The purpose of this study was to evaluate MR antagonists in the treatment of CSCR. Study Design and Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all CSCR patients at one center treated with spironolactone or eplerenone (50 mg p.o. b.i.d.) or observation. Patients were followed at monthly intervals with examination and optical coherence tomography. Results: 32 patients (12 eplerenone, 12 spironolactone, 8 observation) were enrolled in the study. Both MR antagonists demonstrated statistically significant visual acuity improvement and subretinal fluid reduction at 1, 2, and 3 months compared to baseline (p < 0.05). 58.3% of patients had complete resolution of subretinal fluid at 2 months on MR antagonists, compared to 12.5% under observation (p < 0.05). Photodynamic therapy was used to treat refractory subretinal fluid past 6 months in 1/24 (4.2%) on MR antagonists and 2/8 (25%) patients under observation. There was no difference in efficacy between eplerenone and spironolactone. Spironolactone exhibited increased side effects (8/12, 75%) compared to eplerenone (3/12, 25%; p < 0.05). Conclusions: This data supports the use of MR antagonists in CSCR and suggests an accelerated improvement compared to observation. Prospective randomized trials are needed to better elucidate the precise role of MR antagonists in the management of CSCR.
Adding Glucagon-Stimulated GH Testing to the Diagnostic Fast Increases the Detection of GH-Sufficient Children
Authors: Hawkes Colin P. , Grimberg Adda , Dzata Vivian E. , De Leon Diva D.
Published: March 2016

Background/Aims: The evaluation of children with unexplained hypoglycemia may include a diagnostic fast. However, low growth hormone (GH) concentration during hypoglycemia is not specific to GH deficiency (GHD). The aim of this study was to determine if serial GH measurement following glucagon administration, in the setting of a diagnostic fast, would increase the number of children identified as not having GHD. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of children who had serial GH measurements performed after glucagon administration at the end of a diagnostic fast. Glucagon was administered at the end of the fasting study, and GH was measured every 30 min for 210 min. Results: Of the 29 children in this series, only 3 (10%) had GH concentrations >7 ng/ml at the end of the fast, which increased by 16 (55%) after serial GH testing. The percentages of samples with GH concentrations >7 ng/ml were: 10% at baseline, and 25, 39, 41, 41, 33, 43, and 0% every 30 min thereafter. Conclusion: Additional GH measurements after glucagon administration following a diagnostic fast can improve the identification of children without GHD and thereby save them unnecessary GH stimulation testing and potential GH treatment.
Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Tumor Seeding along Percutaneous Nephrostomy Track: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Schwartzmann Ivan , Pastore Antonio Luigi , Saccà Antonino , Territo Angelo , Pisano Francesca , Maruccia Serena , Breda Alberto , Palou Joan
Published: March 2016

Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUC) account for 5-10% of all transitional cells neoplasms. Kidney-sparing treatment should be considered for low grade (LG) UTUC and for imperative conditions. Percutaneous approach may have a role in LG tumors not manageable endoscopically. Tumor seeding along nephrostomy track is a rare report. We describe the case of a 73-year-old male, with a history of high-grade UC of the left renal pelvis. A CT scan showed the thickening of left renal pelvic wall, and percutaneous biopsy was performed. The patient underwent laparoscopic left nephroureterectomy. Seven months later, he was admitted for left flank pain due to a mass along the percutaneous track site. Mass en-bloc resection was performed, and histopathology finding demonstrated undifferentiated carcinoma, compatible with UTUC metastasis. The percutaneous approach should be considered to be the possible cause of tumor seeding. Multimodal therapy seems mandatory, as highlighted in our outcomes, with 5 years of recurrence free survival.
Blockade of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha: A Role for Adalimumab in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Refractory to Anti-Angiogenesis Therapy
Authors: Fernández-Vega Beatriz , Fernández-Vega Álvaro , Rangel Carlos Mario , Nicieza Javier , Villota-Deleu Eva , Vega José A. , Sanchez-Avila Ronald M.
Published: March 2016

Aims: To report a case of wet age-related macular degeneration (wet-AMD) refractory to intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy in a patient who showed visual and anatomical improvement and stabilization after starting a subcutaneous treatment course with adalimumab, an anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) drug, for concomitant Crohn's disease. Methods: Observational case report of a female patient. Ophthalmological evaluation was performed by slit lamp and ophthalmoscopy (posterior pole and anterior segment). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was determined, and imaging was performed by fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Intravitreal therapies used and treatment with anti-TNF-α were recorded. Results: A 64-year-old woman with wet-AMD was treated with fourteen intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (0.5 mg) for a period of 40 months with intervals of 1-6 months. She initially showed a good visual and anatomical response to periodic anti-VEGF treatment but during check visits, anatomical and functional responses deteriorated. At the 40-month follow-up, the patient had developed Crohn's disease, and her rheumatologist started treatment with adalimumab (40 mg subcutaneously every 2 weeks). During the 25 months of treatment with adalimumab, the patient did not require any additional intravitreal anti-VEGF treatments because her BCVA, clinical, and OCT findings improved and remained stable. Conclusions: We described a case of a patient with wet-AMD refractory to anti-VEGF therapy, which clinically benefited from subcutaneous adalimumab therapy. Treatment with subcutaneous anti-TNF-α in combination with anti-VEGF therapy avoids the high cost and risks related to multiple intravitreal anti-VEGF injections with good functional and anatomic outcomes.
A new heat shock protein 70 gene (HSC70) and its expression profiles in response to cadmium stress and after different post-moulting times in Exopalaemon carinicauda (Holthuis, 1950) (Decapoda, Palaemonidae)
Authors: Gao Huan , Li Zhihui , Lai Xiaofang , Xue Bei , Yan Binlun , Cheng Hanliang , Pan Qian
Published: March 2016

In this study, the full-length cDNA sequence (GenBank accession number AGF80339.1) encoding a novel heat shock protein HSP70 family member (Heat shock cognate 70, EcHSC70) was cloned from the ridgetail white prawn,Exopalaemon carinicauda(Holthuis, 1950) [currently also as:Palaemon carinicaudaHolthuis, 1950].EcHSC70full-length cDNA consists of 2452 bp, containing an open reading frame (ORF) of 1935 bp, and it encodes a 650-amino-acid protein with a theoretical size of about 71 kDa and a predicted isoelectric point of 5.32. Phylogenetic analysis showed that EcHSC70 can be categorized together with the known HSP70 family members reported in other crustaceans. Tissue-expression analysis revealed thatEcHSC70was constitutively expressed in all of the tested tissues, with a significantly increased expression in the gill post-moulting. Moreover, the relative mRNA level ofEcHSC70tended to increase in the early stages of post-moulting (from 0 to 5 min), suggesting that EcHSC70 might take part in the recovery ofE. carinicaudaafter moulting. In addition, under different levels of cadmium stress,EcHSC70tended to be significantly expressed only after 24 h of cadmium exposure, and was more inducible by low concentrations of cadmium, as opposed to high concentrations.
Statolith diameter as an alternative measure of size in the mysid, Neomysis nigra Nakazawa, 1910 (Mysida)
Authors: Bae Jae-Yong , Choi Jung-Hwa , Park Won-Gyu
Published: March 2016

Total length, and the length of carapace and telson, are generally used to measure the size of mysid crustaceans. However, this method may not be as accurate for measuring these animals, since mysids commonly bend their abdomen when they are collected and preserved. Besides, the fragile carapace of mysids may result in less accurate outputs in such size measurements. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between carapace length and statolith diameter in Mysida. The carapace length and statolith diameter were measured in 1199 individuals of Neomysis nigra Nakazawa, 1910. The statolith diameter was significantly correlated with carapace length. It is suggested that the statolith diameter of mysids could be used as an alternative measurement for characterizing body size in these crustaceans.
Review of Acantholaimus Allgén, 1933 (Nematoda: Chromadoridae), a genus of marine free-living nematodes, with a tabular key to species
Authors: Miljutin Dmitry M. , Miljutina Maria A.
Published: March 2016

Acantholaimus(Nematoda: Chromadoridae) is considered to be one of the most abundant and species-rich genera of deep-sea free-living nematodes and has a world-wide distribution. To date, 50Acantholaimusspecies are known globally, although in all the oceans many more undescribed species have been recorded. Local species diversity of the genus is often very high and may amount to several dozen species in one deep-sea locality. The present review summarises data on morphology (with illustrations), taxonomy, ecology, and biology of this genus. An emended genus diagnosis, a list of species with their known locations, and a tabular key to species are provided.Acantholaimus ewensisPlatt & Zhang, 1982 n. syn. is proposed as a junior synonym ofA. polydentatusGerlach, 1951.
Time to Activate the Temporary Protection Directive
Authors: Ineli-Ciger Meltem
Published: March 2016

The number of refugees and migrants arriving by sea in Europe is on the rise. According to unhcr, more than one million refugees and migrants arrived in Europe by sea in 2015, whereas more than 3700 people lost their lives while trying to reach the European shores. As a response to the migration crisis, the eu has adopted a number of policies as proposed by the European Commission in the Ten point Action Plan on Migration and the European Agenda on Migration. This was followed by adoption of the second implementation package of the Agenda and initiation of eu-Turkey Joint Action Plan on migration management. In the light of the increasing number of refugees and migrants arriving in Europe by sea, this article examines the policies adopted by the eu in 2015 to cope with the migration crisis in Europe, whether the Council Directive 2001/55/ec of 20 July 2001 on Minimum Standards for Giving Temporary Protection (Temporary Protection Directive) can be implemented to cope with the arrival of the mixed flows and the reason why this Directive can play a key role in solving the migration crisis. Through evaluation of these issues, this article argues that the Temporary Protection Directive should be part of the eu response to the migration crisis as it would provide crucial benefits to both Member States as well as persons seeking refuge in the eu.
Towards a Contextual Conception of Social Integration in eu Immigration Law. Comments on P & S and K & A
Authors: Thym Daniel
Published: March 2016

Integration policy instruments disclose how European societies define themselves in response to migration. Pre-departure civic integration tests are emblematic of a new focus on social cohesion and have been a bone of contention in political and academic circles. That is why the ecj’s long-awaited verdicts on Dutch integration requirements for spouses and long-term residents are a milestone in the construction of an EU immigration policy. This contribution critically analyses the rationale and implications of the P & S and K & A rulings at different levels starting with doctrinal ambiguities on the part of judges when interpreting secondary legislation. On this basis, it relates the outcome of both cases to the broader constitutional context in terms of human rights, the doctrine of individual statutory rights and non-discrimination guarantees – together with a contextual outlook on factors influencing the reorientation of integration policies.
Court of Justice of the eu Rules Collective and Inaccessible Electrical Metres Discriminate against Roma: chez Razpredelenie Bulgaria ad v. Komisia za zashtita ot diskriminatsia (C-83/14)
Authors: Cahn Claude
Published: March 2016

The judgment of 16 July 2015 is ecj’s first substantive ruling in a case concerning racial discrimination against Roma. This is noteworthy, given the centrality of Roma to the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights in the area of discrimination (on the European Court of Human Rights, Roma and racial discrimination, see C. Cahn (2015), ‘Triple Helix: The Jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, Roma and Racial Discrimination’, in: Claude Cahn, Human Rights, State Sovereignty and Medical Ethics, Leiden: Brill Nijhoff, pp. 106–148.). The ecj ruling in the chez case is important for a number of reasons, including for recognizing that the ban on discrimination by association applies also to cases of indirect discrimination. Its most significant contribution however is its reflections on the role of stigma in driving discrimination based on racial or ethnic origin. Also of note is its rejection of a number of approaches used in national law – in Bulgaria and elsewhere – as incompatible with European Union anti-discrimination law. The judgment is among the most important ecj rulings to date on discrimination. The current article discusses some of the noteworthy aspects of the case.
Eisenhower’s Mutual Security Program: Taiwan as a ‘Strategic Bargain’
Authors: Setzekorn Eric
Published: March 2016

Upon entering office in January 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower faced the challenge of satisfying the seemingly incompatible requirements of ensuring u.s. national security, especially in politically unstable East Asia, while limiting military spending. He adopted a robust policy of military aid, defense support, and security partnerships to limit American costs, while presenting a credible military force posture. This article examines the place the Mutual Security Program (msp) occupied in Eisenhower’s strategic policies and the role American military aid and advising played in developing a defensive military force on Taiwan. This case study provides compelling evidence of how Eisenhower’s mutual security program of allied “army building,” focusing on the development of military institutions, particularly military education, was an essential, but underappreciated, counterpart to the “New Look” strategic program. In particular, u.s. support for Taiwan during the Eisenhower administration was a key “strategic bargain,” where it could create a low-cost deterrent capability without the deployment of u.s. combat forces, and develop durable government institutions in allied Asian nations.
Topic-Continuity and Topic-Shift Effects in Spanish Discourse
Authors: Zulaica-Hernández Iker
Published: March 2016

Differences in use among referring expressions are usually explained on the basis of the cognitive accessibility of their antecedents, where antecedent accessibility has been operationalized differently in the literature; i.e. as a grammatical role, as syntactic prominence or as antecedent distance. On these grounds, it has been proposed that personal pronouns prefer topical antecedents whereas demonstratives prefer non-topical antecedents. This paper investigates the referring properties of Spanish demonstratives and direct object personal pronouns with the aim to unveil their differences and similarities. My analysis shows that these two expressions are very similar referentially when a narrow view of discourse context is considered. However, important differences show up when a broader notion of context is thrown into the picture; i.e. contexts that extend beyond the immediate previous sentence and beyond the immediate local topic of discourse. Based on my corpus evidence and on previous research on the pragmatic interpretation of referring expressions, I claim that direct object personal pronouns and demonstrative noun phrases crucially differ in the way they contribute to discourse coherence; the former playing the role of topic continuity markers and the latter focalising referents that reintroduce suspended or declining topics and marking (sub)-topic shifts in the discourse.
On the Importance of the Multimodal Approach to Discourse Markers
Authors: Hata Kazuki
Published: March 2016

Discourse markers (DMs) are pragmatic devices, which operate beyond the traditional word or phrase classification and have little to no effect on the propositional meaning. They have significant functions with regard to organising ongoing discourse by linking discourse segments, illustrating the current discourse structure to the interlocutors. Recent studies have discovered that DMs are truly multifunctional and thus play communicative roles at different dimensions simultaneously, ranging from managing discourse by denoting the speaker’s attitude, monitoring turn-taking activities to prompting the shared-knowledge between interlocutors. Nevertheless, few attentions have been paid on the fact that human communication is multimodal, wherein discourse includes both spoken language and gestures. Most DM studies predominantly investigate the use of DMs in text-based frameworks and therefore do not do justice to the non-linguistic DM functions, which are not easily amenable to text descriptions. The goal of this paper is to draw attention to this gap from the pragmatic perspective on DMs, demonstrating the importance of multimodal approaches to the study area.
A review of the genus Kanakia Distant, 1892 (Insecta: Hemiptera, Cicadoidea, Cicadidae) from New Caledonia
Authors: DELORME QUENTIN , MILLE CHRISTIAN , JOURDAN HERVÉ
Published: March 2016

Among New Caledonian cicada taxa, the endemic genus Kanakia Distant, 1892 appears as the most spectacular one, especially because of the large size of its species (length up to 50 mm for males). Recent new specimen collections helped to clarify the taxonomy of this spectacular genus. According to morphological characteristics, we were able to redefine and to split the present genus into three distinct genera: Kanakia Distant, 1892, Pseudokanakia Delorme gen. nov. and Panialna Delorme gen. nov. These two new genera are monotypic and have been respectively established from revision of Kanakia flavoannulata (Distant 1920) and Kanakia parva Boulard 1991. Also, the type species, Kanakia typica Distant, 1892, appears to be a complex of cryptic species. New acoustic and morphological observations allowed us to redefine K. typica and to describe four new species in this complex: Kanakia paniensis Delorme sp. nov., Kanakia rana Delorme sp. nov., Kanakia salesnii Delorme sp. nov. and Kanakia fuscocosta Delorme sp. nov. Kanakia gigas Boulard 1988 is also briefly discussed and the female is described. An identification key of the Kanakia species and allied genera is also provided.
Synemon ignita sp. nov., a new sun moth species from southern Australia (Lepidoptera, Castniidae)
Authors: KALLIES AXEL , EDWARDS TED , YOUNG ANDY , DOUGLAS FABIAN
Published: March 2016

Sun moths (Castniidae) constitute a family of day-flying moths that due to their slim bodies, broad and often richly coloured wings and clubbed antennae closely resemble butterflies. However, despite this superficial similarity, sun moths are not related to butterflies but belong to the diverse cossoid assemblage of lepidopterous families (Edwards et al. 1998). Until recently, Castniidae were assigned to the superfamily Sesioidea (Minet 1991). A molecular study by Mutanen et al. (2010), however, failed to find support for a close relationship of Sesiidae and Castniidae, resulting in the inclusion of both families in a larger concept of Cossoidea (Nieukerken et al. 2011). In contrast, Heikkil et al. (2015) who added considerable morphological data to DNA, recovered Sesioidea as monophyletic, with Sesiidae, Castniidae and Brachodidae as constituent families, yet with low support values. Thus, although the monophyly of Castniidae is well supported, the systematic position of this family is unresolved.
New additions to the leafhopper genus Salka Dworakowska (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae) from Hainan and Henan Provinces of China
Authors: SONG YUE-HUA , LI ZI-ZHONG
Published: March 2016

The leafhopper genus Salka Dworakowska, 1972 belongs to the Typhlocybinae tribe Erythroneurini with Zygina nigricans Matsumura, 1932 as its type species. The known species of this genus are distributed in the Oriental and Palearctic regions. Recently, it was reviewed by Zhang et al. (2009), Ohara (2012) and Song & Li (2012). Seventy-eight species are known, including 36 species from China. In this present work, two new species from China are described and illustrated. All specimens examined are deposited to the collection of the Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, China (GUGC).
On the genera Selwynia Borradaile, 1903, and Gandoa Kammerer, 2006,
with descriptions of two new species from Papua New Guinea and French
Polynesia (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Aphanodactylidae)
Authors: NG PETER K. L. , RAHAYU DWI LISTYO
Published: March 2016

The taxonomy of the Indo-West Pacific aphanodactylid crabs Selwynia sibogae (Tesch, 1918) and S. edmondsoni (Rathbun, 1932) is discussed on the basis of the types, and both species are redescribed and figured. Two new species from Papua New Guinea and French Polynesia respectively, are described and compared with congeners. All are symbionts in polychaete tubes. A key to the genus Selwynia is also provided. The poorly known genus Gandoa Kammerer, 2006, is redescribed on the basis of the rediscovered the type species, Voeltzkowia zanzibarensis Lenz, 1905. The lectotype female of Pinnixa brevipes H. Milne Edwards, 1853, is examined and shown to be a senior subjective synonym of G. zanzibarensis.
Species of the genus Arthrobrachus Solier, 1849 (Coleoptera: Melyridae)
distributed to the East of the Andes
Authors: ESTRADA PATRICIA M.
Published: March 2016

The species of the genus Arthrobrachus Solier, 1849 distributed in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay have been revised. The morphological study of specimens and the review of the type material have resulted in a new combination: Arthrobrachus flavomarginatus (Blanchard, 1843) n. comb. (from Astylus Laporte, 1836), and four new synonymies: Arthrobrachus rufitarsis Philippi & Philippi, 1864 = A. obscuripes Pic, 1927 n. syn.; Arthrobrachus flavomarginatus (Blanchard, 1843) = A. xanthurus (Blanchard, 1843) n. syn. = A. boucardi Pic, 1919 n. syn. = A. lajoyei Pic, 1919 n. syn. Three species described by Steinheil (1874), Arthrobrachus depressus, Arthrobrachus testaceolimbatus and Arthrobrachus testaceus are considered as incertae sedis and Arthrobrachus quadrilineatus Steinheil, 1874 is transferred to Astylus Laporte, 1836 as A. steinheili nomen novum. Four new species of Arthrobrachus have been described: A. antonioi n. sp., A. eloisae n. sp., A. solervicensi n. sp. and A. armandoi n. sp. Distributional data and a key to the species are provided.
Taxonomy, phylogeny, and distribution of Bronchocela rayaensis (Squamata: Agamidae) on the Thai-Malay Peninsula
Authors: GRISMER L. LEE , WOOD PERRY L. JR , AOWPHOL ANCHELEE , COTA MICHAEL , MURDOCH MATHEW L. , AGUILAR CÉSAR , GRISMER MARTA S.
Published: March 2016

An integrative taxonomic analysis used to identify a new population of Bronchocela from Phuket Island, Thailand indicates it is conspecific with B. rayaensis from the Langkawi Archipelago of northwestern Peninsular Malaysia. An additional specimen photographed from Khura Buri District, Phang-nga Province is also considered to be B. rayaensis and represents a northern range extension of 295 km from the Langkawi Archipelago.
Baculentulus kulsarinae sp. nov. from Thailand (Protura: Acerentomata, Acerentomidae)
Authors: LIKHITRAKARN NATDANAI , NAKAMURA OSAMI , WIROONRAT WASSANA , SUTTIPRAPAN PIYAWAN
Published: March 2016

Proturan fauna of Thailand has so far been poorly known, only two contributions being hitherto published. Imadaté (1965) recorded 26 species from around the country and Nakamura and Likhitrakarn (2009) reported eight species including three new species from Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, Chiang Mai Province.
Of postfeminist girls and fireflies: Consuming Rome in Un giorno speciale
Authors: Hipkins Danielle
Published: March 2016

For Pasolini the extinction of the firefly symbolized the disappearance of any popular resistance into the homogeneity of consumer culture. However, Francesca Comencini revitalizes the symbolic potential of the firefly for Rome through an engagement with the Italian postfeminist girl in her 2012 film Un giorno speciale. Made in the wake of the Berlusconi scandals, the film mobilizes a familiar set of dichotomies to express nostalgia for the clarity of a second-wave feminist vision: margins and center, authenticity and artifice, rebellion and conformity, agency and coercion. However, in blending more popular cultural forms with familiar apocalyptical readings of the cityscape, the film also marks significant shifts in interpretations of the cityscape and its association with the body politic through the degraded female figure. Recognition of the ambiguities of postfeminist culture, expressed through the motif of ‘girl power,’ reframes spatial dichotomies of artifice and authenticity. The film puts questions of branding and performance at the center of the debate about Italy’s future. Rome emerges as a postmodern cityscape (Trentin, 2013), in which the girl can nonetheless embody intermittently the symbolic potential of the elusive ‘firefly.’
“I Wouldn’t Take My Chances on the Street”
Authors: von Lampe Klaus , Kurti Marin , Johnson Jacqueline , Rengifo Andres F.
Published: March 2016

Objectives:

This article examines the decision-making of consumers of illegal goods and services, using the illegal cigarette market in the South Bronx as a case study.

Methods:

Sixty-seven adult smokers residing in the South Bronx (New York City) were purposively recruited and placed into 13 focus groups stratified by gender and age to discuss their purchasing patterns of cigarettes.

Results:

Our participants routinely buy and consume illicit cigarettes. They prefer to purchase these illicit cigarettes in legitimate stores rather than from street vendors. In their decision-making, our participants are guided by various concerns, including reliable access to illicit cigarettes, minimal exposure to the police, the ability to purchase cigarettes on credit, reduced risk of being sold low-quality cigarettes (i.e., stale, counterfeit), and the chance to successfully complain in case of poor product quality.

Conclusions:

Consumers make rational decisions to purchase illicit cigarettes within the constraints they face as a result of their socioeconomic position. They base their decisions on a set of factors of which the lowest retail price is not a primary concern.
PhenoWorld: addressing animal welfare in a new paradigm to house and assess rat behaviour
Authors: Castelhano-Carlos Magda J , Baumans Vera , Sousa Nuno
Published: March 2016

The use of animals is essential in biomedical research. The laboratory environment where the animals are housed has a major impact on them throughout their lives and influences the outcome of animal experiments. Therefore, there has been an increased effort in the refinement of laboratory housing conditions which is explicitly reflected in international regulations and recommendations. Since housing conditions affect behaviour and brain function as well as well-being, the validation of an animal model or paradigm to study the brain and central nervous system disorders is not complete without an evaluation of its implication on animal welfare. Here we discuss several aspects of animal welfare, comparing groups of six rats living in the PhenoWorld (PhW), a recently developed and validated paradigm for studying rodent behaviour, with standard-housed animals (in cages of six rats or pair-housed). In this study we present new data on home-cage behaviour showing that PhW animals have a clearer circadian pattern of sleep and social interaction. We conclude that, by promoting good basic health and functioning, together with the performance of natural behaviours, and maintaining animals’ control over some of their environment but still keeping some physical and social challenges, the PhW stimulates positive affective states and higher motivation in rats, which might contribute to an increased welfare for animals living in the PhW.
Political Conflict and Spiritual Battle
Authors: Sarmet Moreira Smiderle Carlos Gustavo , Belchior Mesquita Wania Amelia
Published: March 2016

A new interpretation of Evangelical actors’ increasing participation in Brazilian political and electoral contests is that elements of Pentecostalism predispose a believer to see the world as the site of an eternal struggle between God and Satan. The belief in demons that have territorial jurisdictions, known as territorial spirits, is one aspect of this theology. The cognitive universe of this belief induces the Evangelical voter to make electoral decisions on the basis of religious premises. It teaches the voter to conceive, without much reflection, the spiritual battle and the electoral game as territorial disputes.

Uma nova interpretação para a crescente participação de atores evangélicos nas disputas político-eleitorais do Brasil é que elementos pentecostais predispõem a fazer a leitura do mundo como sendo resultado da disputa desde sempre travada entre Deus e o Diabo. Importante aspecto desta teologia é a crença em demônios dotados de jurisdição territorial, referidos como espíritos territoriais. O universo cognitivo onde prospera esta crença torna o eleitor evangélico propenso a tomar decisões eleitorais a partir de premissas religiosas. Embora nem sempre de modo reflexivo, tal crença leva o fiel a conceber batalha espiritual e jogo eleitoral como disputas por territórios.
Infant Parenteral Nutrition Remains a Significant Source for Aluminum Toxicity
Authors: Hall Amanda R. , Arnold Chris J. , Miller Grant G. , Zello Gordon A.
Published: March 2016

Background: Aluminum toxicity is associated with anemia, impaired bone metabolism, neurologic defects, and parenteral nutrition (PN)–associated liver disease. This element is a ubiquitous contaminant of PN components, especially in infant formulations. We assessed the current levels of aluminum contamination in infant PN at a level III neonatal intensive care unit. Materials and Methods: Thirty samples of PN prepared in the same hospital for infants aged <30 days (mean [SD] weight, 1.54 [0.71] kg) were collected from discarded solution. Each sample was analyzed for aluminum content via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The components of PN (from label) and measured aluminum content were then compared using linear regression and 1‐way analysis of variance. Results: The mean (SD) aluminum contamination of infant PN was 14.02 (6.51) mcg/kg/d. Only 3 samples were <5 mcg/kg/d. Aluminum levels and infant weight were not associated. Linear regression revealed a significant correlation between aluminum and both calcium gluconate (P < .0001) and phosphate (P = .05), with a trend between aluminum and potassium (P = .07). Conclusions: Aluminum contamination in infant PN remains almost 3 times higher than the advised maximum exposure (<5 mcg/kg/d, Food and Drug Administration 2004). Unexpectedly, an association between infant weight and aluminum exposure was not apparent, likely due to the homogeneity of our population. Isolating the source of aluminum contamination is difficult, as multiple components appear to be involved. Calcium gluconate is likely still a major contributor, but further investigations into individual components are warranted to promote the reduction of aluminum in infant PN.
Dermal Exposure to Cumene Hydroperoxide
Authors: Rider Cynthia V. , Chan Po , Herbert Ron A. , Kissling Grace E. , Fomby Laurene M. , Hejtmancik Milton R. , Witt Kristine L. , Waidyanatha Suramya , Travlos Greg S. , Kadiiska Maria B.
Published: March 2016

Cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) is a high production volume chemical that is used to generate phenol and acetone. Dermal exposure to CHP was hypothesized to result in systemic tissue toxicity, production of free radicals, and consequent decrease in plasma antioxidant levels. To evaluate the hypothesis and characterize the toxicity of CHP, male and female B6C3F1/N mice and F344/N rats were exposed to varying doses of CHP applied topically for 14 or 90 days. No significant changes in survival or body weight of mice and rats were observed following 14 days of exposure. However, 90 days of CHP exposure at the high dose (12 mg/kg) triggered a significant decrease (−15%) in the body weight of the male rat group only. Irritation of the skin was observed at the site of application and was characterized by inflammation and epidermal hyperplasia. In treated animals, histology of liver tissue, free radical generation, and antioxidant levels in blood plasma were not significantly changed as compared to the corresponding controls. Consistent with the lack of systemic damage, no increase in micronucleated erythrocytes was seen in peripheral blood. In conclusion, topical CHP application caused skin damage only at the application site and did not cause systemic tissue impairment.