bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Embryonic Stem Cells Attenuate Viral Myocarditis in Murine Model
Authors: Wang Ju-Feng , Yang Yingke , Wang Guangwu , Min Jiangyong , Sullivan Matthew F. , Ping Peipei , Xiao Yong-Fu , Morgan James P.
Published: September 2018

We used mice to test our hypothesis that in response to viral invasion, stem cells may migrate into the heart and attenuate the effect of viral myocarditis. Male BALB/c mice were divided into three groups: mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell control, encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV), and EMCV + ES cells. After administration of ES cells via tail vein, mice were immediately inoculated with EMCV. Mice were sacrificed at different days after EMCV inoculation. Mortality was recorded. Inflammatory cell infiltration and necrosis (major pathological changes of viral myocarditis) were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining. ES cell migration and differentiation were identified by immunofluorescence. The survival rate in the EMCV + ES cell group (80%) was significantly increased (p < 0.05) over the EMCV-alone group (64%). Also, the incidence of inflammatory cell infiltration and myocardial lesions was lower in the EMCV + ES cell mice. Furthermore, the result of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and a-actinin analysis indicated that ES cells migrated into the heart and differentiated into myocytes after virus inoculation. In conclusion, ES cells significantly increased the survival of viral myocarditis mice and also decreased the necrosis and infiltration of inflammatory cells. These results demonstrated the ability of stem cells to mitigate the effects of viral infection on the heart and illustrated their potential therapeutic application to other mammalian species, including humans.
Neovascularization Induced by Autologous Bone Marrow Cell Implantation in Peripheral Arterial Disease
Authors: Esato Kensuke , Hamano Kimikazu , Li Tao-Sheng , Furutani Akira , Seyama Atsushi , Takenaka Hiroaki , Zempo Nobuya
Published: September 2018

Neovascularization has recently been used as a new treatment for severe ischemic disease. We tried to induce therapeutic neovascularization by autologous bone marrow cell implantation (BMCI) in eight selected patients with chronic peripheral arterial disease (PAD), in whom traditional treatments had failed. Improvement of subjective symptoms was seen in seven patients after treatment. Of three limbs with toe or finger ulceration, complete healing was achieved in two, while the other one became less severe after treatment. No relative toxicity was observed in any of the patients. BMCI might be a feasible treatment for selected patients with chronic PAD.
The Morphology of Islets within the Porcine Donor Pancreas Determines the Isolation Result: Successful Isolation of Pancreatic Islets can Now be Achieved from Young Market Pigs
Authors: Krickhahn Mareike , Bühler Christoph , Meyer Thomas , Thiede Arnulf , Ulrichs Karin
Published: September 2018

Clinical islet allotransplantation has become an increasingly efficient “routine ” therapy in recent years. Shortage of human donor organs leads to porcine pancreatic islets as a potential source for islet xenotransplantation. Yet it is still very difficult to isolate sufficient numbers of intact porcine islets, particularly from young market pigs. In the following study islets were successfully isolated from retired breeders [4806 ± 720 islet equivalents per gram organ (IEQ/g); n = 25; 2–3 years old; RB] and also from young hybrid pigs [2868 ± 260 IEQ/g; n = 65; 4–6 months old; HY] using LiberasePI and a modified version of Ricordi's digestion-filtration technique. As expected, isolations from RB showed significantly better results (p < 0.002). A retrospective histological analysis of almost all donor pancreases showed that the majority of organs from RB (80%) contained mainly large islets (diameter >200 μm), in contrast to only 35% of all pancreases from HY. Remarkably, the islet size in situ, regardless whether detected in RB or HY, strongly determined the isolation result. A donor organ with predominantly large islets resulted in significantly higher numbers of IEQs compared with a donor organ with predominantly small islets [RBLarge Islets: 5680 ± 3,318 IEQ/g n = 20); RBSmall Islets: 1353 ± 427 IEQ/g (n = 5); p < 0.02]. In addition, isolation results were strongly influenced by the quality of the LiberasePI batch, and therefore single batch testing is invariably required. Purification was performed using Ficoll or OptiPrep™ density gradient centrifugation manually or in the COBE cell processor. Although islet purity was highest when OptiPrep™ was used, final islet yields did not differ between the different purification methods. Our study demonstrates that islet size in situ is an extremely critical parameter for highly successful islet isolation; consequently, we are now performing a morphological screening of each donor organ prior to the isolation process. Under these conditions highly successful isolations can reliably be performed even from young market pigs.
Efficacy of the Oxygen-Charged Static Two-Layer Method for Short-Term Pancreas Preservation and Islet Isolation from Nonhuman Primate and Human Pancreata
Authors: Matsumoto Shinichi , Rigley Theodore H. , Qualley Sabrina A. , Kuroda Yoshikazu , Reems Jo Anna , Stevens R. Brian
Published: September 2018

Previous reports indicate that the two-layer method (TLM) of human pancreas preservation is superior to University of Wisconsin solution (UW) when pancreata are preserved for extended periods (i.e., >24 h) prior to islet isolation. In this study, the efficacy of using the TLM for preserving pancreata for short periods (i.e., <13 h) was evaluated using both nonhuman primate and human pancreata preserved with a TLM kit precharged with oxygen. An oxygen precharged TLM (static TLM) was established and compared with the original TLM with continuous oxygen supply. For the static TLM, the perfluorochemical was fully oxygenated and the oxygen supply removed prior to pancreas preservation. In the primate model, pancreata were preserved by the static TLM, the original TLM, and UW for 5 h prior to islet isolation. In the human model, pancreata were preserved with the static TLM or the original TLM or UW for 4–13 h. Both primate and human pancreata were processed by intraductal collagenase injection and digestion followed by continuous density gradient purification to isolate islets. Islets were assessed for islet yield, purity, viability, and in vitro functionality. In the primate model, islet yield, viability, and in vitro functionality were significantly improved by both the static TLM and the original TLM with similar results. Postculture islet yields were 23,877 ± 3619 IE/g in the static TLM, 21,895 ± 3742 IE/g in the original TLM, and 6773 ± 735 IE/g in UW. In the human model, both the static TLM and the original TLM significantly increased islet yield compared with UW with postculture islet yields of 2659 ± 549 IE/g in the static TLM, 2244 ± 557 IE/g in the original TLM, and 1293 ± 451 IE/g in UW. Nonhuman primate and human pancreata stored in the static TLM, immediately upon procurement, yield isolated islets of a substantially higher quantity than when pancreata are stored in UW. Thus, the use of the static TLM should replace the use of UW for storage of pancreata during transport prior to islet isolation.
Innocuous Intracellular Ice Improves Survival of Frozen Cells
Authors: Acker Jason P. , Mcgann Locksley E.
Published: September 2018

Extensive efforts to avoid intracellular ice formation (IIF) during freezing have been central to current methods used for the preservation and long-term storage of cells and tissues. In this study, we examined the effect of intracellular ice formation on the postthaw survival of V-79W fibroblast and MDCK epithelial cells using convection cryomicroscopy and controlled-rate freezing. V-79W and MDCK cells were cultured as single attached cells or as confluent cell monolayers. Postthaw cell survival was assessed using three different indices: the presence of an intact plasma membrane, the ability to reduce alamarBlue, and the capacity to form colonies in culture. Regulating the isothermal nucleation temperature was used to control the incidence of IIF in the model systems. We report that the presence of intracellular ice in confluent monolayers at high subzero temperatures does not adversely affect postthaw cell survival. Further, we show that in the absence of chemical cryoprotectants, the formation of intracellular ice alone improves the postthaw survival of cultured V-79W fibroblast and MDCK epithelial cells. Improved long-term storage of cells and tissues will result by incorporating innocuous intracellular ice formation into current strategies for cryopreservation.
Gene Therapy: A Lipofection Approach for Gene Transfer into Primary Endothelial Cells
Authors: Young A. T. L. , Lakey J. R. T. , Murray A. G. , Moore R. B.
Published: September 2018

Despite the great potential of gene therapy to become a new treatment modality in future medicine, there are still many limitations to overcome before this gene approach can pass to the stage of human trial. The foremost obstacle is the development of a safe, efficient, and efficacious vector system for in vivo gene application. This study evaluated the efficacy of lipofection as a gene delivery vehicle into primary endothelial cells. Transfection efficiency of several lipid-based reagents (Effectene, Fugene 6, DOTAP) was examined at experimental temperatures of 37°C, 24°C, and 6°C. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were transfected with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) using precise amounts of DNA (Effectene, 0.2 μg; Fugene 6, 0.5 μg; DOTAP, 2.5 μg) and lipids (Effectene, 10 μl; Fugene 6, 6 μl; DOTAP, 15 μl) optimized in our laboratory. Duration of incubation in the DNA/lipid transfection mixture varied for each lipid transfectant as follows: 5 h for both Fugene 6 and DOTAP and 3 h for Effectene. Efficiency of transfection was quantified by microscopic evaluation of EFGP expression in a minimum of 100 cells per group. Transfection efficiencies achieved with these lipofection agents were 34 ± 1.3% (mean ± SEM), 33 ± 1.4%, and 18 ± 1.5% for Effectene, Fugene 6, and DOTAP, respectively, at 37°C. Transfection results were lower at 24°C with mean efficiencies of 26 ± 2.4% for Effectene, 14 ± 2.9% for Fugene 6, and 15 ± 3.2% for DOTAP. Furthermore, mean efficiencies at 6°C were 6 ± 0.5%, 8 ± 1.5%, and 6 ± 0.0% for Effectene, Fugene 6, and DOTAP, respectively. Efficiency of transfection appeared to be temperature dependent (ANOVA; p < 0.0001). In spite of a significant decrease (37°C vs. 24°C: p < 0.0001; 37°C vs. 6°C: p < 0.0001; 24°C vs. 6°C: p < 0.0115) in transfection efficiency at low temperatures, the successful in vitro gene manipulation renders lipofection a potential gene delivery strategy for in vivo gene therapy.
Pharmacological, Cell, and Gene Therapy Strategies to Promote Spinal Cord Regeneration
Authors: Blits Bas , Boer Gerard J. , Verhaagen Joost
Published: September 2018

In this review, recent studies using pharmacological treatment, cell transplantation, and gene therapy to promote regeneration of the injured spinal cord in animal models will be summarized. Pharmacological and cell transplantation treatments generally revealed some degree of effect on the regeneration of the injured ascending and descending tracts, but further improvements to achieve a more significant functional recovery are necessary. The use of gene therapy to promote repair of the injured nervous system is a relatively new concept. It is based on the development of methods for delivering therapeutic genes to neurons, glia cells, or nonneural cells. Direct in vivo gene transfer or gene transfer in combination with (neuro)transplantation (ex vivo gene transfer) appeared powerful strategies to promote neuronal survival and axonal regrowth following traumatic injury to the central nervous system. Recent advances in understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern neuronal survival and neurite outgrowth have enabled the design of experiments aimed at viral vector-mediated transfer of genes encoding neurotrophic factors, growth-associated proteins, cell adhesion molecules, and antiapoptotic genes. Central to the success of these approaches was the development of efficient, nontoxic vectors for gene delivery and the acquirement of the appropriate (genetically modified) cells for neurotransplantation. Direct gene transfer in the nervous system was first achieved with herpes viral and E1-deleted adenoviral vectors. Both vector systems are problematic in that these vectors elicit immunogenic and cytotoxic responses. Adeno-associated viral vectors and lentiviral vectors constitute improved gene delivery systems and are beginning to be applied in neuroregeneration research of the spinal cord. Ex vivo approaches were initially based on the implantation of genetically modified fibroblasts. More recently, transduced Schwann cells, genetically modified pieces of peripheral nerve, and olfactory ensheathing glia have been used as implants into the injured spinal cord.
Making Stem Cell Lines Suitable for Transplantation
Authors: Hodges Helen , Pollock Kenneth , Stroemer Paul , Patel Sara , Stevanato Lara , Reuter Iris , Sinden John
Published: September 2018

Human stem cells, progenitor cells, and cell lines have been derived from embryonic, fetal, and adult sources in the search for graft tissue suitable for the treatment of CNS disorders. An increasing number of experimental studies have shown that grafts from several sources survive, differentiate into distinct cell types, and exert positive functional effects in experimental animal models, but little attention has been given to developing cells under conditions of good manufacturing practice (GMP) that can be scaled up for mass treatment. The capacity for continued division of stem cells in culture offers the opportunity to expand their production to meet the widespread clinical demands posed by neurodegenerative diseases. However, maintaining stem cell division in culture long term, while ensuring differentiation after transplantation, requires genetic and/or oncogenetic manipulations, which may affect the genetic stability and in vivo survival of cells. This review outlines the stages, selection criteria, problems, and ultimately the successes arising in the development of conditionally immortal clinical grade stem cell lines, which divide in vitro, differentiate in vivo, and exert positive functional effects. These processes are specifically exemplified by the murine MHP36 cell line, conditionally immortalized by a temperature-sensitive mutant of the SV40 large T antigen, and cell lines transfected with the c-myc protein fused with a mutated estrogen receptor (c-mycERTAM), regulated by a tamoxifen metabolite, but the issues raised are common to all routes for the development of effective clinical grade cells.
Derivation of Functional Dopamine Neurons from Embryonic Stem Cells
Authors: Kim Dae-Sung , Kim Ji Young , Kang Minkyung , Cho Myung Soo , Kim Dong-Wook
Published: September 2018

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the selective degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. Pharmacological treatment of PD has been a prevailing strategy. However, it has some limitations because its effectiveness gradually decreases and side effects develop. As an alternative, cell transplantation therapy has been tried. Although transplantation of fetal ventral mesencephalic cells looks promising for the treatment of PD in some cases, ethical and technical problems in obtaining large numbers of human fetal brain tissues also lead to difficulty in its clinical application. Our recent studies showed that a high yield of DA neurons could be derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells and they efficiently induced behavioral recovery in a PD animal model. Here we summarize methods for generation of functional DA neurons from ES cells for application to PD models.
Embryonic Substantia Nigra Grafts Show Directional Outgrowth to Cografted Striatal Grafts and Potential for Pathway Reconstruction in Nonhuman Primate
Authors: Sladek J. R. , Bjugstad K. B. , Collier T. J. , Bundock E. A. , Blanchard B. C. , Elsworth J. D. , Roth R. H. , Redmond D. E.
Published: September 2018

Transplantation of embryonic dopamine (DA) neurons has been tested as a therapy for Parkinson's disease. Most studies placed DA neurons into the striatum instead of the substantia nigra (SN). Reconstruction of this DA pathway could serve to establish a more favorable environment for control of DA release by grafted neurons. To test this we used cografts of striatum to stimulate growth of DA axons from embryonic SN that was implanted adjacent to the host SN in African green monkeys. Embryonic striatum was implanted at one of three progressive distances rostral to the SN. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed DA neuron survival and neuritic outgrowth from the SN grafts at 12–36 weeks after grafting. Each animal showed survival of substantial numbers of DA neurons. Most fibers that exited SN grafts coursed rostrally. Striatal grafts showed evidence of target-directed outgrowth and contained dense patterns of DA axons that could be traced from their origin in the SN grafts. A polarity existed for DA neurites that exited the grafts; that is, those seen caudal to the grafts did not appear to be organized into a directional outflow while those on the rostral side were arranged in linear profiles coursing toward the striatal grafts. Some TH fibers that reached the striatal grafts appeared to arise from the residual DA neurons of the SN. These findings suggest that grafted DA neurons can extend neurites toward a desired target over several millimeters through the brain stem and caudal diencephalon of the monkey brain, which favors the prospect of circuit reconstruction from grafted neurons placed into appropriate locations in their neural circuitry. Further study will assess the degree to which this approach can be used to restore motor balance in the nonhuman primate following neural transplantation.
Biocompatibility of PEG-Based Hydrogels in Primate Brain
Authors: Bjugstad K. B. , Redmond D. E. , Lampe K. J. , Kern D. S. , Sladek J. R. , Mahoney M. J.
Published: September 2018

Degradable polymers have been used successfully in a wide variety of peripheral applications from tissue regeneration to drug delivery. These polymers induce little inflammatory response and appear to be well accepted by the host environment. Their use in the brain, for neural tissue reconstruction or drug delivery, also could be advantageous in treating neurodegenerative disorders. Because the brain has a unique immune response, a polymer that is compatible in the body may not be so in the brain. In the present study, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based hydrogels were implanted into the striatum and cerebral cortex of nonhuman primates. Four months after implantation, brains were processed to evaluate the extent of astrogliosis and scaring, the presence of microglia/macrophages, and the extent of T-cell infiltration. Hydrogels with 20% w/v PEG implanted into the brain stimulated a slight increase in astrocytic and microglial/macrophage presence, as indicated by a small increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and CD68 staining intensity. This increase was not substantially different from that found in the sham-implanted hemispheres of the brain. Staining for CD3+ T cells indicated no presence of peripheral T-cell infiltration. No gliotic scarring was seen in any implanted hemisphere. The combination of low density of GFAP-positive cells and CD68-positive cells, the absence of T cells, and the lack of gliotic scarring suggest that this level of immune response is not indicative of immunorejection and that the PEG-based hydrogel has potential to be used in the primate brain for local drug delivery or neural tissue regeneration.
A challenging redox neutral Cp*Co(III)-catalysed alkylation of acetanilides with 3-buten-2-one: synthesis and key insights into the mechanism through DFT calculations
Authors: Kenny Andrew , Pisarello Alba , Bird Arron , Chirila Paula G , Hamilton Alex , Whiteoak Christopher J
Published: September 2018

Traditional, established palladium cross-coupling procedures are widely applied in complex molecule synthesis; however, there is a significant disadvantage in the requirement for pre-functionalised substrates (commonly halides/triflates). Direct C–H activation protocols provide the opportunity for a novel approach to synthesis, although this field is still in its relative infancy and often transferability between substrate classes remains unresolved and limitations not fully understood. This study focuses on the translation of an established Cp*Co(III)-catalysed alkylation of benzamides to related acetanilides using 3-buten-2-one as coupling partner. The developed procedure provides a wide substrate scope in terms of substituted acetanilides, although the optimised conditions were found to be more forcing than those for the corresponding benzamide substrates. Interestingly, density functional theory (DFT) studies reveal that the major impediment in the mechanism is not the C–H activation step, but instead and unexpectedly, effective competition with more stable compounds (resting states) not involved in the catalytic cycle.
Myofascial Massage for Chronic Pain and Decreased Upper Extremity Mobility After Breast Cancer Surgery
Authors: Massingill, LMT, MLD, CST, KT, NMT Jeanne , Jorgensen, LMT Cara , Dolata, MBA Jacqueline , Sehgal, MD Ashwini R.
Published: September 2018

Background: Chronic localized pain and decreased upper extremity mobility commonly occur following breast cancer surgery and may persist despite use of pain medication and physical therapy.Purpose: We sought to determine the value of myofascial massage to address these pain and mobility limitations.Setting: The study took place at a clinical massage spa in the U.S. Midwest. The research was overseen by MetroHealth Medical Center’s Institutional Review Board and Case Center for Reducing Health Disparities research staff.Participants: 21 women with persistent pain and mobility limitations 3–18 months following breast surgery.Research Design: We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial where intervention patients received myofascial massages and control patients received relaxation massages.Intervention: Intervention participants received 16 myofascial massage sessions over eight weeks that focused on the affected breast, chest, and shoulder areas. Control participants received 16 relaxation massage sessions over eight weeks that avoided the affected breast, chest, and shoulder areas. Participants completed a validated questionnaire at the beginning and end of the study that asked about pain, mobility, and quality of life.Main Outcome Measures: Outcome measures include change in self-reported pain, self-reported mobility, and three quality-of-life questions.Results: At baseline, intervention and control participants were similar in demographic and medical characteristics, pain and mobility ratings, and quality of life. Compared to control participants, intervention participants had more favorable changes in pain (-10.7 vs. +0.4, p < .001), mobility (-14.5 vs. -0.8, p < .001), and general health (+29.5 vs. -2.5, p = .002) after eight weeks. All intervention and control participants reported that receiving massage treatments was a positive experience.Conclusions: Myofascial massage is a promising treatment to address chronic pain and mobility limitations following breast cancer surgery. Further work in several areas is needed to confirm and expand on our study findings.
The Double Dust Envelopes of R Coronae Borealis Stars
Authors: Montiel Edward J. , Clayton Geoffrey C. , Sugerman B. E. K. , Evans A. , Garcia-Hernández D. A. , Kameswara Rao N. , Matsuura M. , Tisserand P.
Published: September 2018

The study of extended, cold dust envelopes surrounding R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars began with their discovery by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite. RCB stars are carbon-rich supergiants characterized by their extreme hydrogen deficiency and their irregular and spectacular declines in brightness (up to 9 mag). We have analyzed new and archival Spitzer Space Telescope and Herschel Space Observatory data of the envelopes of seven RCB stars to examine the morphology and investigate the origin of these dusty shells. Herschel, in particular, has revealed the first-ever bow shock associated with an RCB star with its observations of SU Tauri. These data have allowed the assembly of the most comprehensive spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of these stars with multiwavelength data from the ultraviolet to the submillimeter. Radiative transfer modeling of the SEDs implies that the RCB stars in this sample are surrounded by an inner warm (up to 1200 K) and an outer cold (up to 200 K) envelope. The outer shells are suggested to contain up to 10−3
M
⊙ of dust and have existed for up to 105 years depending on the expansion rate of the dust. This age limit indicates that these structures have most likely been formed during the RCB phase.
The SPLASH and Chandra COSMOS Legacy Survey: The Cross-power between Near-infrared and X-Ray Background Fluctuations
Authors: Li Yanxia , Cappelluti Nico , Arendt Richard G. , Hasinger Günther , Kashlinsky Alexander , Helgason Kari
Published: September 2018

We study the source-subtracted near-infrared and X-ray background fluctuations of the COSMOS field using data from the Spitzer SPLASH program (∼1272 hr) and Chandra COSMOS Legacy Survey (4.6 Ms). The new auto-power spectra of the cosmic infrared and X-ray background fluctuations reach maximum angular scales of ∼3000″ and ∼5000″, respectively. We measure the cross-power spectra between each infrared and X-ray band and calculate the mean power above 20″. We find that the soft X-ray band is correlated with 3.6 and 4.5 μm at ∼4σ significance level. The significance between hard X-ray and the 3.6 μm (4.5 μm) band is ∼2.2σ (∼3.8σ). The combined infrared (3.6 + 4.5 μm) data are correlated with the X-ray data in soft ([0.5–2] keV), hard ([2–7] keV), and broad ([0.5–7] keV) bands at ∼5.6σ, ∼4.4σ, and ∼6.6σ levels, respectively. We compare the new measurements with existing models for the contributions from known populations at z < 7, which are not subtracted. The model predictions are consistent with the measurements, but we cannot rule out contributions from other components, such as Direct Collapse Black Holes (DCBH). However, the stacked cross-power spectra, combining other available data, show excess fluctuations about an order of magnitude on average at ∼4σ confidence at scales within ∼300″. By studying the X-ray SED of the cross-power signal, assuming no significant variation from the infrared, we find that its shape is consistent with DCBHs.
Impact of the Galactic Disk and Large Magellanic Cloud on the Trajectories of Hypervelocity Stars Ejected from the Galactic Center
Authors: Kenyon Scott J. , Bromley Benjamin C. , Brown Warren R. , Geller Margaret J.
Published: September 2018

We consider how the gravity of the Galactic disk and the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) modifies the radial motions of hypervelocity stars (HVSs) ejected from the Galactic center (GC). For typical HVSs ejected toward low (high) Galactic latitudes, the disk bends trajectories by up to 30° (3°–10°). For many lines of sight through the Galaxy, the LMC produces similar and sometimes larger deflections. Bound HVSs suffer larger deflections than unbound HVSs. Gravitational focusing by the LMC also generates an overdensity of a factor of two along the line of sight toward the LMC. With large enough samples, observations can detect the non-radial orbits and the overdensity of HVSs toward the LMC. For any Galactic potential model, the tangential velocity in the Galactic rest frame provides an excellent way to detect unbound and nearly bound HVSs within 10 kpc of the Sun. Similarly, the radial velocity in the rest frame isolates unbound HVSs beyond 10–15 kpc from the Sun. Among samples of unbound HVSs, measurements of the radial and tangential velocities serve to distinguish GC ejections from other types of high-velocity stars.
Extensive karyotype variability of African fish genus Nothobranchius (Cyprinodontiformes)
Authors: Krysanov Eugene , Demidova Tatiana
Published: September 2018

Karyotypes of 65 species of the genus Nothobranchius Peters, 1868 were reviewed and of those 35 examined first time. The results of present study have shown that fishes of the genus Nothobranchius possessed highly diverse karyotypes. The diploid chromosome number (2n) ranged from 16 to 50. The most frequent 2n was 2n = 36 (in 35 species) while the second one 2n = 38 (in 13 species). Proportion of biarmed chromosomes varied from 0 to 95% between species. Diploid chromosome number variability apparently exists as a result of chromosomal fusions or fissions and extensive karyotypic formula alterations promoting by inversions. Multiple sex chromosomes of system X1X1X2X2/X1X2Y type were found only in karyotypes of 5 species. The extensive karyotype variability, unusual for teleosts, of genus Nothobranchius can be likely associated with the characteristics of its life cycle and inhabiting under unstable environment of East African savannah temporal pools.
A rapid and sensitive method for the control of selected regulated and emerging mycotoxins in beer
Authors: Rozentale I. , Bogdanova E. , Bartkevics V.
Published: September 2018

A fast method using automated online solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled to liquid-chromatography/high resolution mass spectrometric (LC-HRMS) detection for the determination of 12 mycotoxins in beer was developed and fully validated according to the performance criteria set in the European Union (EU) guidelines. Mycotoxin detection was achieved by full-scan HRMS with electrospray ionisation in positive ion mode within 13 min. No significant matrix interferences were observed. The lowest limits of detection (LODs) were achieved for emerging mycotoxins (beauvericin and enniatins) and ochratoxin A at levels between 0.01 and 0.02 μg/l, while the overall LODs were in the range of 0.01-0.30 μg/l. The elaborated method showed good performance in the analysis of beer samples with good linearity (R2>0.999), intra-day and inter-day precision at the levels of <12% and <13%, respectively, and recoveries in the range of 80-119%. Finally, this fully automated, sensitive, and reliable online SPE-HPLC-HRMS method was successfully applied for the analysis of 25 Latvian beers and the obtained results were comparable or even better than those obtained using the well-established Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe, the QuEChERS, methodology.
Contrast Sensitivity After Wavefront-Guided and Wavefront-Optimized PRK and LASIK for Myopia and Myopic Astigmatism
Authors: Ryan Denise S. , Sia Rose K. , Rabin Jeff , Rivers Bruce A. , Stutzman Richard D. , Pasternak Joseph F. , Eaddy Jennifer B. , Logan Lorie A. , Bower Kraig S.
Published: September 2018

PURPOSE:

To compare contrast sensitivity among participants undergoing wavefront-guided or wavefront-optimized photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) or LASIK for the treatment of myopia or myopic astigmatism 12 months after surgery.

METHODS:

In a prospective, randomized clinical trial, 215 participants with myopia ranging from −0.50 to −7.25 diopters (D) and less than −3.50 D of manifest astigmatism electing to undergo either LASIK or PRK were randomized to receive wavefront-guided or wavefront-optimized treatment. Corrected Super Vision Test (Precision Vision, La Salle, IL) high contrast and small letter contrast sensitivity, uncorrected postoperative contrast sensitivity function, and uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity were measured preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively.

RESULTS:

There was a significant difference within each of the four groups over time when measuring high contrast visual acuity (
P
< .001) and small letter contrast sensitivity (
P
< .001), with the most significant decrease occurring 1 month postoperatively. However, there were no significant differences when comparing the four groups for high contrast sensitivity (
P
= .22) or small letter contrast sensitivity (
P
= .06). The area under the logarithm of contrast sensitivity function did not differ significantly over time (
P
= .09) or between groups (
P
= .16). A pairwise comparison of preoperative to 12-month CDVA showed a significant improvement in all groups (
P
< .017). The change in CDVA was also significantly different between groups as determined by one-way analysis of variance (
P
= .003).

CONCLUSIONS:

Wavefront-guided and wavefront-optimized PRK and LASIK procedures maintained high contrast, small letter contrast sensitivity, and contrast sensitivity function 12 months postoperatively. Although the recovery period for visual performance was longer for PRK versus LASIK, there was no significant difference in treatment type or treatment profile at 12 months postoperatively.

[
J Refract Surg.
2018;34(9):590–596.]
Rate of Unplanned Vitrectomies in Femtosecond Laser–Assisted Cataract Surgery Compared to Conventional Phacoemulsification
Authors: Song Christian , Baharozian Connor J. , Hatch Kathryn M. , Grassett Graham C. , Talamo Jonathan H.
Published: September 2018

PURPOSE:

To assess the rate of unplanned vitrectomies with femtosecond laser–assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) compared to conventional phacoemulsification at a single, high-volume, multi-surgeon ambulatory surgical center.

METHODS:

Retrospective, comparative study of phacoemulsification cases performed in a community-based ambulatory surgical center. A chart review of 2,480 consecutive FLACS procedures performed by 30 surgeons and 36,865 consecutive conventional phacoemulsification surgeries performed by 47 surgeons was conducted. The rate of unplanned vitrectomies was evaluated. In eyes with unplanned vitrectomy, the rates of posterior capsule tear, anterior capsule tear, and zonular dehiscence were analyzed. The unplanned vitrectomy rates between early and late FLACS cases were compared using thresholds of greater than 10, 20, and 50 cases.

RESULTS:

There were 230 (0.62%) and 16 (0.65%) unplanned vitrectomies in the conventional phacoemulsification and FLACS groups, respectively (
P
= .89). Of the cases requiring unplanned vitrectomy, posterior capsule tear, anterior capsule tear, and zonular dehiscence rates (conventional phacoemulsification vs FLACS) were 70.9% versus 56.3%, 8.3% versus 12.5%, and 20.9% versus 31.3%, respectively (
P
= .35). The difference in unplanned vitrectomy rates between early and late cases did not reach statistical significance in any threshold group.

CONCLUSIONS:

FLACS had a rate of unplanned vitrectomy comparable to conventional phacoemulsification. There was no statistically significant difference in unplanned vitrectomy rates between early and late FLACS cases suggesting a short learning curve.

[
J Refract Surg.
2018;34(9):610–614.]
Bilateral Non-tuberculous Mycobacterial Keratitis After Small Incision Lenticule Extraction
Authors: Liu Hsin-Yu , Chu Hsiao-Sang , Chen Wei-Li , Hu Fung-Rong , Wang I-Jong
Published: September 2018

PURPOSE:

To report a case of bilateral non-tuberculous mycobacterial keratitis after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) that was successfully treated with oral and topical fortified antibiotics.

METHODS:

Case report and literature review.

RESULTS:

An otherwise healthy 21-year-old woman presented with culture-proven bilateral
Mycobacterium abscessus
keratitis 8 days after undergoing SMILE, showing multiple white stromal infiltrates in the interface in both eyes. Progressive, diffuse flap edema followed by pocket abscess, exudation in the anterior chamber, granulation tissue formation in the pocket, intrastromal neovascularization, and eventually partial resolution of corneal opacity were noted after topical and oral antibiotic treatment for 6 months. Her corrected distance visual acuity was 20/32 and 20/50 in the right and left eyes, respectively, 12 months after initial presentation.

CONCLUSIONS:

This is the first report of successful medical management of bilateral non-tuberculous mycobacterial keratitis after SMILE. The manifestations are different from and even more difficult to treat than those of keratitis after LASIK.

[
J Refract Surg.
2018;34(9):633–636.]
Análisis energético de viviendas en la comunidad extremeña
Authors: Montalbán Pozas B.
Published: September 2018

El consumo energético del parque de viviendas español debe ser analizado para promover políticas adecuadas de rehabilitación urbana y reducir las emisiones de CO2. Debido a que las tipologías edificatorias varían considerablemente de una zona a otra se requiere establecer una diferenciación previa según el territorio. En este sentido, este estudio desarrolla una metodología para analizar el parque residencial extremeño, y realiza el examen de un conjunto de viviendas de distinto periodo y tipo constructivo. Se han utilizado simulaciones energéticas, encuestas y datos de facturas, y se aportan indicadores de demanda y consumo. Los valores obtenidos demuestran que las viviendas unifamiliares consumen, de media anual, entre 100 y 200kWh/m2, mientras que las plurifamiliares reducen sus valores entre 60 y 150kWh/m2, siendo los valores más altos los que pertenecen al periodo constructivo de 1940 a 1980. Además de ello se observa una mayoría de viviendas del conjunto en situación de pobreza energética.
Red Fox Ancestry and Connectivity Assessments Reveal Minimal Fur Farm Introgression in Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Authors: Cross Patrick R. , Sacks Benjamin N. , Luikart Gordon , Schwartz Michael K. , Van Etten Keith W. , Crabtree Robert L.
Published: September 2018

Rocky Mountain red foxes Vulpes vulpes macroura potentially encounter other red fox Vulpes vulpes lineages at lower elevations, which may include nonindigenous red foxes derived from fur farms. Introgression from nonindigenous red foxes could have negative evolutionary consequences for the rare Rocky Mountain red fox subspecies. Red foxes at high elevations in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem exhibit lighter coat colors than those at lower elevations, potentially indicating that they represent the indigenous subspecies and that gene flow across the elevational gradient is restricted. We collected tissue samples across a 1,750-m elevation range and examined mitochondrial DNA sequences and nuclear DNA microsatellite genotypes to assess the ancestry and genetic population structure of red foxes in the northern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. We also used reference samples from fur farm red foxes and indigenous red foxes of the western United States to assess the extent of nonindigenous introgression across the ecosystem. We found little overlap in the elevational distribution of maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA haplotypes: above 1,600 m, we only found indigenous Rocky Mountain haplotypes (n = 4), whereas below 1,600 m, we found haplotypes not indigenous to the Rocky Mountains (n = 5) that were associated with fur farms or indigenous to the Great Plains. In contrast, biparentally inherited microsatellite variation showed little population structure across the elevational gradient. Despite this evidence of nuclear gene flow across the elevational gradient, we found little fur farm introgression in the microsatellite genotypes. It is possible that long-standing nuclear (but apparently not mitochondrial) gene flow between Rocky Mountain red foxes and indigenous red foxes on the Great Plains explained the low nuclear differentiation of these populations. Importantly, our results suggested that high elevations of the northern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem remained free of significant fur farm introgression. Mitonuclear discordance could reflect sex-biased dispersal, which we hypothesize could be the effect of elevational differences in reproductive phenology.
Is your boy's voice 'changing'
Authors: Curry E. Thayer
Published: September 2018

No abstract available.
Tongue troubles
Authors: Van Renen S. B.
Published: September 2018

No abstract available.
Hurwitz numbers for real polynomials
Authors: Itenberg Ilia , Zvonkine Dimitri
Published: September 2018

We consider the problem of defining and computing real analogs of polynomial Hurwitz numbers, in other words, the problem of counting properly normalized real polynomials with fixed ramification profiles over real branch points.We show that, provided the polynomials are counted with an appropriate sign, their number does not depend on the order of the branch points on the real line. We study generating series for the invariants thus obtained, determine necessary and sufficient conditions for the vanishing and nonvanishing of these generating series, and obtain a logarithmic asymptotic for the invariants as the degree of the polynomials tends to infinity.
Non-arithmetic ball quotients from a configuration of elliptic curves in an Abelian surface
Authors: Deraux Martin
Published: September 2018

We construct some non-arithmetic ball quotients as branched covers of a quotient of an Abelian surface by a finite group, and compare them with lattices that previously appear in the literature. This gives an alternative construction, which is independent of the computer, of some lattices constructed by the author with Parker and Paupert.
Argentine Tango (ca. 1890s–Present)
Authors: Savigliano Marta Elena
Published: September 2018

Tango often evokes images of men and women caught in a dangerous dance, where obscure desires (forbidden liaisons, betrayal, revenge, jealousy) become spectacularly stylised. Depictions of tangos in theatre and narrative cinema, tango choreographies conceived for the stage, tango portrayals and metaphors in advertisement and literary fiction, and to some extent tango lyrics have contributed to this worldwide well-established cliché.

To Argentines and Uruguayans, and specially to the rioplatenses (inhabitants of the harbour cities of Buenos Aires and Montevideo), tango is a modernist, urban cultural complex that expresses a worldview of conflicting national dislocations, tense racial and ethnic miscegenations, and class struggles, as well as gender and sexual tensions.
Guy, Edna (1907–1983)
Authors: Paris Carl
Published: September 2018

Edna Guy was a major figure in establishing African-American modern dance in the 1930s. Grounded in the technique of her mentor Ruth St. Denis, Guy was at the forefront of a movement that attempted to realise the ideals of the Harlem Renaissance in dance. Along with Hemsley Winfield, Alison Burroughs, and Charles Williams, she sought to elevate the image of Black people through their art. Particularly significant is her organization of the First Negro Dance Recital in America (1931) with Hemsley Winfield and the Negro Dance Evening (1937) with Alison Burroughs. Guy’s legacy is marked by her determination to, as she put it, ‘do beautiful’ as a Black woman, and create a space for Black representation within the modernist project.
Humphrey, Doris (1895-1958)
Authors: Main Lesley
Published: September 2018

In the history of modern dance, Doris Humphrey’s significance traverses performance, choreography, pedagogy, and advocacy for the emerging art form in mid-century America. Her explorations of natural movement drew on principles she identified as ‘fall and recovery’, the yielding and resistance to the gravitational pull of the body. Humphrey’s predominant concern was the creation of ensemble dances, with signature works such as New Dance and Passacaglia coming out of residencies at the Bennington Summer School of the Dance. Her choreographic emphases lay in design, form, structure and lyricism alongside fluid musical dancing. The Humphrey-Weidman Company, which she co-directed with Charles Weidman, performed extensively in New York City and nationally between 1928 and 1946, bringing this new form of dance to the American people. From 1946 until her death in 1958, Humphrey served as artistic director of the Jose Limón Dance Company. John Martin, dance critic of the New York Times, said of her, ‘Doris Humphrey is an enduring part of the dance in America, as the granite under the soil is enduring. We can turn nowhere in the art without finding her’.
Physical Culture
Authors: Vertinsky Patricia
Published: September 2018

The obsession with physical culture apparent throughout the tense and formative modernist movement extended well beyond sport, games, and purposive exercise through gymnastics, body building, and posture exercises to a wide range of holistic health practices and a variety of dance and expressive activities disseminated across the globe. Scholars have shown how an extended community of North American and European actors, dancers, physical educators, and physical culture teachers at the turn of the 20th century created a spectrum of ‘body cultures’ that responded and contributed to social modernity and artistic modernism. These occurred within multiple contexts, including theatre, dance, fashion, medicine, labour, sport, and exercise, and collectively crafted and visualized a ‘modern’ body, ready for work, play, and self-expression.
Rock ’n Roll Dance
Authors: Malnig Julie
Published: September 2018

Rock ’n roll dance was a major American dance form that became prominent in the 1950s and soon thereafter spread to the UK. The dance was performed to a new musical style that was a combination of country, gospel, and rhythm and blues, and was associated with both black and white musicians, including Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Bill Haley. Rock ’n roll dance was also a cultural phenomenon that galvanised a large, primarily white, youth culture. The dances themselves, which were disseminated nationally through the modern invention of television, were mostly of African-American origin and displayed a new configuration of body movement involving pelvic and hip rotations, greater use of the arms and torso, and call and response patterns. The Twist was one of the most iconic solo dances of the era, while popular line dances included the Madison, Stroll, and Hand Jive.
Sacharov, Alexander (1886–1963) and Von Derp, Clotilde (born von der Planitz) (1892–1974)
Authors: Veroli Patrizia
Published: September 2018

Alexander Sacharov and Clotilde von Derp formed one of the most celebrated dancing couples of the early 20th century. Born into different cultural contexts and trained in different techniques, they managed to join their individual talents into a performance style that was widely admired by their contemporaries. Sacharov was the first male modern dancer in Europe, while von Derp was among the early female modern dancers in the wake of Isadora Duncan’s 1904 path-breaking recital in Berlin. Their career spanned from 1910 until the 1950s, and reached its apex in the late 1910s and 1920s. Both believed in a dance subjected to the imperatives of music, and their dances made references to ancient Greece, to commedia dell’arte, and to the Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo eras. Indebted to symbolist aesthetics, their signature works eschewed showy mannerisms in favour of subtle and fluid expression, vibrant musicality, and vivid theatricality. (Alexander, a painter as well as dancer and choreographer, designed their costumes.) Touring across Europe, the Americas, and East Asia, Sacharov and von Derp participated in the global circulation of dance modernism.
Ziegfeld Follies (1907–1931)
Authors: Schweitzer Marlis
Published: September 2018

Named after its founder, Broadway impresario Florenz Ziegfeld (1867–1932), and inspired by the Folies Bergères in Paris, the Ziegfeld Follies (1907–1931) remains one of the most celebrated American revues of the 20th century. Its brisk pace, ripped-from-the-headlines content, popular songs, and innovative designs, combined with its regimented display of beautiful, young, white female bodies made it a distinctly modern entertainment form. Each instalment of the Follies offered a series of acts, ranging from solos and comedy routines to full-company dance numbers and fashion spectacles. In keeping with the revue format, the theme and narrative varied from year to year, but the show consistently offered a rapid-fire ‘revue’ or review of current events, hit Broadway plays, technological innovations, and other modern developments.