bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Normal Uptake of 11C-Acetate in Pancreas, Liver, Spleen, and Suprarenal Gland in PET
Authors: Malkowski Bogdan , Wareluk Pawel , Gorycki Tomasz , Skrobisz Katarzyna , Studniarek Michal
Published: September 2017

Purpose. C11-Acetate is radiotracer being considered an alternative to 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose. Evaluation of C11-acetate biodistribution in human parenchymal organs is described. Methods and Materials. 60 consecutive patients referred to C11-acetate PET CT suspected of renal or prostate cancer relapse with negative results (no recurrent tumor) were included in the study. Acquisition from the base of skull to upper thigh was made 20 min after i.v. injection of 720 MBq of C11-acetate. The distribution was evaluated by measuring the uptake in pancreas (uncinate process and body separately), liver, spleen, and left suprarenal gland. Clinical data of included patients showed no abnormalities in these organs. Results. Biodistributions of C11-acetate radiotracer were compared in different organs. Standardized uptake values of 11C-acetate were significantly higher in pancreatic parenchyma (SUV mean 6,4) than in liver (SUV mean 3,3), spleen (SUV mean 4,5), or suprarenal gland (SUV mean 2,7) tissues. No significant difference was found between pancreatic head (SUV mean 6,4) and body (SUV mean 5,9) uptake. In case of all aforementioned organs, there were no differences either between both sexes or between formerly diagnosed tumors (renal and prostate). Conclusions. Evaluation of C11-acetate uptake differences in parenchymal organs will allow establishing normal patterns of distribution. High pancreatic uptake may be used in quantitative assessment of organ function in diffuse nonneoplastic pathology.
Remodeling the Human Adult Stem Cell Niche for Regenerative Medicine Applications
Authors: Bardelli Silvana , Moccetti Marco
Published: September 2017

The interactions between stem cells and their surrounding microenvironment are pivotal to determine tissue homeostasis and stem cell renewal or differentiation and regenerationin vivo. Ever since they were postulated in 1978, stem cell niches have been identified and characterized in many germline and adult tissues. Comprehensive studies over the last decades helped to clarify the critical components of stem cell niches that include cellular, extracellular, biochemical, molecular, and physical regulators. This knowledge has direct impact on their inherent regenerative potential. Clinical applications demand readily available cell sources that, under controlled conditions, provide a specific therapeutic function. Thus, translational medicine aims at optimizingin vitroorin vivothe various components and complex architecture of the niche to exploit its therapeutic potential. Accordingly, the objective is to recreate the natural niche microenvironment during cell therapy process development and closely comply with the requests of regulatory authorities. In this paper, we review the most recent advances of translational medicine approaches that target the adult stem cell natural niche microenvironment for regenerative medicine applications.
Oxidative Stress Regulation on Endothelial Cells by Hydrophilic Astaxanthin Complex: Chemical, Biological, and Molecular Antioxidant Activity Evaluation
Authors: Zuluaga M. , Barzegari A. , Letourneur D. , Gueguen V. , Pavon-Djavid G.
Published: September 2017

An imbalance in the reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis is involved in the pathogenesis of oxidative stress‐related diseases. Astaxanthin, a xanthophyll carotenoid with high antioxidant capacities, has been shown to prevent the first stages of oxidative stress. Here, we evaluate the antioxidant capacities of astaxanthin included within hydroxypropyl‐beta‐cyclodextrin (CD‐A) to directly and indirectly reduce the induced ROS production. First, chemical methods were used to corroborate the preservation of astaxanthin antioxidant abilities after inclusion. Next, antioxidant scavenging properties of CD‐A to inhibit the cellular and mitochondrial ROS by reducing the disturbance in the redox state of the cell and the infiltration of lipid peroxidation radicals were evaluated. Finally, the activation of endogenous antioxidant PTEN/AKT, Nrf2/HO‐1, and NQOI gene and protein expression supported the protective effect of CD‐A complex on human endothelial cells under stress conditions. Moreover, a nontoxic effect on HUVEC was registered after CD‐A complex supplementation. The results reported here illustrate the need to continue exploring the interesting properties of this hydrophilic antioxidant complex to assist endogenous systems to counteract the ROS impact on the induction of cellular oxidative stress state.
Downscaling of Open Coarse Precipitation Data through Spatial and Statistical Analysis, Integrating NDVI, NDWI, Elevation, and Distance from Sea
Authors: Ezzine Hicham , Bouziane Ahmed , Ouazar Driss , Hasnaoui Moulay Driss
Published: September 2017

This study aims to improve the statistical spatial downscaling of coarse precipitation (TRMM 3B43 product) and also to explore its limitations in the Mediterranean area. It was carried out in Morocco and was based on an open dataset including four predictors (NDVI, NDWI, DEM, and distance from sea) that explain TRMM 3B43 product. For this purpose, four groups of models were established based on different combinations of the four predictors, in order to compare from one side NDVI and NDWI based models and the other side stepwise with multiple regression. The models that have given rise to the best approximations and best fits were used to downscale TRMM 3B43 product. The resulting downscaled and calibrated precipitations were validated by independent RGS. Aside from that, the limitations of the proposed approach were assessed in five bioclimatic stages. Furthermore, the influence of the sea was analyzed in five classes of distance. The findings showed that the models built using NDVI and NDWI have a high correlation and therefore can be used to downscale precipitation. The integration of elevation and distance improved the correlation models. According to R2, RMSE, bias, and MAE, the study revealed that there is a great agreement between downscaled precipitations and RGS measurements. In addition, the analysis showed that the contribution of the variable (distance from sea) is evident around the coastal area and decreases progressively. Likewise, the study demonstrated that the approach performs well in humid and arid bioclimatic stages compared to others.
Automated Flow Cytometry: An Alternative to Urine Culture in a Routine Clinical Microbiology Laboratory?
Authors: Mejuto Patricia , Luengo Mariam , Díaz-Gigante Julio
Published: September 2017

The urine culture is the “gold standard” for the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTI) but constitutes a significant workload in the routine clinical laboratory. Due to the high percentage of negative results, there is a need for an efficient screening method, with a high negative predictive value (NPV) that could reduce the number of unnecessary culture tests. With the purpose of improving the efficiency of laboratory work, several methods for screening out the culture-negative samples have been developed, but none of them has shown adequate sensitivity (SE) and high NPV. Many authors show data about the efficacy of flow cytometry in the routine clinical laboratory. The aim of this article is to review and discuss the current literature on the feasibility of urine flow cytometry (UFC) and its utility as an alternative analytical technique in urinalysis.
Effectiveness of Low-Level Laser Therapy in Reducing Orthodontic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Deana Naira Figueiredo , Zaror Carlos , Sandoval Paulo , Alves Nilton
Published: September 2017

Objectives. To assess the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in reducing orthodontic pain after the application of orthodontic force (OF).Methods. A systematic search was conducted in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost databases. The study included randomized clinical trials (RCT) which analysed the effectiveness of LLLT in reducing orthodontic pain assessed at 24 and 72 hrs after the application of OF. The risk of bias of the eligible trials was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s risk of bias tool. Standard mean difference was calculated and pooled by meta-analysis using random effect models.Results.Of 467 identified articles, 20 RCT were finally included. In the risk of bias assessments, 13 studies presented a high risk, 5 an unclear risk, and 2 a low risk. The meta-analysis showed that in patients treated with laser versus placebo there was a difference in favour of LLLT in spontaneous pain 24 and 72 hrs after the installation of light archwires and spontaneous pain and chewing pain 24 and 72 hrs after the installation of elastomeric separators.Conclusions.LLLT proved to be effective in promoting a reduction in spontaneous and chewing pain after the application of OF; however, the poor quality of the evidence requires these results to be treated with caution.
Handover Based IMS Registration Scheme for Next Generation Mobile Networks
Authors: Tahira Shireen , Sher Muhammad , Ullah Ata , Imran Muhammad , Vasilakos Athanasios V.
Published: September 2017

Next generation mobile networks aim to provide faster speed and more capacity along with energy efficiency to support video streaming and massive data sharing in social and communication networks. In these networks, user equipment has to register with IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) which promises quality of service to the mobile users that frequently move across different access networks. After each handover caused due to mobility, IMS provides IPSec Security Association establishment and authentication phases. The main issue is that unnecessary reregistration after every handover results in latency and communication overhead. To tackle these issues, this paper presents a lightweight Fast IMS Mobility (FIM) registration scheme that avoids unnecessary conventional registration phases such as security associations, authentication, and authorization. FIM maintains a flag to avoid deregistration and sends a subsequent message to provide necessary parameters to IMS servers after mobility. It also handles the change of IP address for user equipment and transferring the security associations from old to new servers. We have validated the performance of FIM by developing a testbed consisting of IMS servers and user equipment. The experimental results demonstrate the performance supremacy of FIM. It reduces media disruption time, number of messages, and packet loss up to 67%, 100%, and 61%, respectively, as compared to preliminaries.
Fuzzy Logic Controller Design for Intelligent Robots
Authors: Chen Ching-Han , Wang Chien-Chun , Wang Yi Tun , Wang Po Tung
Published: September 2017

This paper presents a fuzzy logic controller by which a robot can imitate biological behaviors such as avoiding obstacles or following walls. The proposed structure is implemented by integrating multiple ultrasonic sensors into a robot to collect data from a real‐world environment. The decisions that govern the robot’s behavior and autopilot navigation are driven by a field programmable gate array‐ (FPGA‐) based fuzzy logic controller. The validity of the proposed controller was demonstrated by simulating three real‐world scenarios to test the bionic behavior of a custom‐built robot. The results revealed satisfactorily intelligent performance of the proposed fuzzy logic controller. The controller enabled the robot to demonstrate intelligent behaviors in complex environments. Furthermore, the robot’s bionic functions satisfied its design objectives.
Rainfall-Associated Bronchospasm Epidemics: The Epidemiological Effects of Air Pollutants and Weather Variables
Authors: Masoumi Kambiz , Haddadzadeh Shoushtari Maryam , Forouzan Arash , Asgari Darian Ali , Dastoorpoor Maryam , Ebrahimzadeh Pegah , Aghababaeian Hamidreza
Published: September 2017

Background. This study compares different risk factors in patients visiting a hospital during five rainfall-associated bronchospasm epidemics in Ahvaz and those visiting on other occasions.Methods. This case-control study was conducted on 5307 patients with bronchospasm admitted to the Emergency Department of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ahvaz (Iran) from late October to December (as the epidemic) and 916 patients admitted from late January to March (as the nonepidemic) in 2011 to 2015.Results. A total of the 41.7% of the cases and 48.8% of the controls had episodes of bronchospasm, suggesting a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.001). The mean concentrations of PM10, NO, NO2, and NOxpollutants (except O3) were significantly higher in the nonepidemic periods (P<0.05). The adjusted analysis showed a direct significant relationship between emergency respiratory admissions and each unit of increase in NO and SO2concentration during the epidemic periods and NO2concentration during the nonepidemic periods. During the epidemic periods, a direct and significant relationship was also observed between respiratory admissions and each unit of increase in relative humidity and evaporation.Conclusion. The results suggest that certain pollutants and weather variables are associated with the risk of emergency respiratory admissions during epidemic periods.
Sphenoid Sinus Diseases: A Review of 1,442 Patients
Authors: Fooanant Supranee , Angkurawaranon Salita , Angkurawaranon Chaisiri , Roongrotwattanasiri Kannika , Chaiyasate Saisawat
Published: September 2017

Objective.To review and report diseases of the sphenoid sinus from the literature and from a university hospital.Methods. Inpatients’ data were retrospectively gathered and reviewed from January 2006 to June 2016. Clinical data, imaging, organisms, and pathological reports were collected. Pathology was divided into infection/inflammation, tumor, and miscellaneous. A literature review was performed with the search term “isolated sphenoid disease” in PubMed. Original primary studies with 20 patients or more were reviewed.Results and Discussion.One hundred and twenty-two patients were enrolled. Seventy-two subjects were female (59%). The average age was 54.3 years (±18.0). Imaging abnormalities were found incidentally in 27 patients (22.1%). The most common symptom was headache (63.9%). Visual loss, the second most common symptom, was more frequent in the tumor group (30.6% versus 54.2%). From the literature review, 21 primary studies with 1,320 total patients were included. From all studies and the present study, infection/inflammation was the most common pathology (75%) [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.696, 0.804]. Overall, tumors were found in 18.9% and malignant tumors in 7.0% [95% CI: 0.045, 0.095].Conclusion.A specific diagnosis of a sphenoid lesion is needed during active investigation. Infection/inflammation was the most common pathology and malignancy was found in 7%.
Gas-Water Flow Behavior in Water-Bearing Tight Gas Reservoirs
Authors: Cao Renyi , Ye Liyou , Lei Qihong , Chen Xinhua , Ma Y. Zee , Huang Xiao
Published: September 2017

Some tight sandstone gas reservoirs contain mobile water, and the mobile water generally has a significant impact on the gas flowing in tight pores. The flow behavior of gas and water in tight pores is different than in conventional formations, yet there is a lack of adequate models to predict the gas production and describe the gas-water flow behaviors in water-bearing tight gas reservoirs. Based on the experimental results, this paper presents mathematical models to describe flow behaviors of gas and water in tight gas formations; the threshold pressure gradient, stress sensitivity, and relative permeability are all considered in our models. A numerical simulator using these models has been developed to improve the flow simulation accuracy for water-bearing tight gas reservoirs. The results show that the effect of stress sensitivity becomes larger as water saturation increases, leading to a fast decline of gas production; in addition, the nonlinear flow of gas phase is aggravated with the increase of water saturation and the decrease of permeability. The gas recovery decreases when the threshold pressure gradient (TPG) and stress sensitivity are taken into account. Therefore, a reasonable drawdown pressure should be set to minimize the damage of nonlinear factors to gas recovery.
Optimal Heat Transfer Coefficient Distributions during the Controlled Cooling Process of an H-Shape Steel Beam
Authors: Gan Yu-Feng , Jang Jiin-Yuh
Published: September 2017

Three-dimensional thermal-mechanical models for the prediction of heat transfer coefficient distributions with different size beams are investigated. H300 × 300, H250 × 250, and H200 × 200 H-shape steel beams are investigated in a controlled cooling process to obtain the design requirements for maximum uniform temperature distributions and minimal residual stress after controlled cooling. An algorithm developed with the conjugated-gradient method is used to optimize the heat transfer coefficient distribution. In a comparison with the three group results, the numerical results indicate that, with the same model and under the same initial temperature (T=850°C) and final temperature (T=550±10°C), the heat transfer coefficients obtained with the conjugated-gradient method can produce more uniform temperature distribution and smaller residual web stress, with objective functions of the final average temperature Tave±ΔT and maximum temperature difference to minimum min⁡ΔTmax(x,y). The maximum temperature difference is decreased by 57°C, 74°C, and 75°C for Case  1, Case  2, and Case  3, respectively, the surface maximum temperature difference is decreased by 60~80°C for three cases, and the residual stress at the web can be reduced by 20~40 MPa for three cases.
MYC Inhibition Depletes Cancer Stem-like Cells in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Yang Aimin , Qin Shenghui , Schulte Bradley A. , Ethier Stephen P. , Tew Kenneth D. , Wang Gavin Y.
Published: September 2017

There is mounting evidence that cancer stem-like cells (CSC) are selectively enriched in residual tumors after anticancer therapies, which may account for tumor recurrence and metastasis by regenerating new tumors. Thus, there is a critical need to develop new therapeutic agents that can effectively eliminate drug-resistant CSCs and improve the efficacy of cancer therapy. Here, we report that Triptolide (C1572), a small-molecule natural product, selectively depletes CSCs in a dose-dependent fashion in human triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. Nanomolar concentrations of C1572 markedly reduced c-MYC (MYC) protein levels via a proteasome-dependent mechanism. Silencing MYC expression phenocopied the CSC depletion effects of C1572 and induced senescence in TNBC cells. Limited dilution assays revealed that ex vivo treatment of TNBC cells with C1572 reduced CSC levels by 28-fold. In mouse xenograft models of human TNBC, administration of C1572 suppressed tumor growth and depleted CSCs in a manner correlated with diminished MYC expression in residual tumor tissues. Together, these new findings provide a preclinical proof of concept defining C1572 as a promising therapeutic agent to eradicate CSCs for drug-resistant TNBC treatment. Cancer Res; 77(23); 6641–50. ©2017 AACR.
Voluntary Wheel Running Reduces the Acute Inflammatory Response to Liver Carcinogen in a Sex-specific Manner
Authors: Bay M.L. , Gehl Julie , Pedersen Bente Klarlund , Hojman Pernille
Published: September 2017

Inflammation contributes to the development of cancer, yet acute inflammatory responses are also needed to eradicate tumorigenic cells and activate adaptive immune responses to combat cancer. Physical exercise has direct immunomodulatory effects, and in line with this, exercise has been demonstrated to inhibit tumor growth, including diethylnitrosamine-(DEN)-induced hepatocarcinoma. Having observed a sex-dependent development of DEN-induced hepatocarcinoma, we aimed to evaluate the effect of exercise and sex on the acute inflammatory response to DEN. Thus, we randomized male and female mice to cages with or without running wheels for 6 weeks, whereafter DEN was administered and the inflammatory response was evaluated for up to 96 hours. DEN administration caused marked acute inflammatory responses in female mice with weight loss, reduced food intake, release of liver enzymes, and increased systemic levels of IL6. Moreover, DEN caused increased hepatic expression of cytokines, immune cell markers, and components of the toll-like receptor signaling pathway. In male mice, DEN administration provoked similar physiologic effects with weight loss and reduced food intake, but less systemic and hepatic acute inflammation, which was associated with a higher baseline expression of the detoxifying enzyme glutathione S-transferase and lower expression of ERα in male mice. Voluntary wheel running attenuated systemic and hepatic inflammation, in particular in the female mice, and shifted the peak time of the inflammatory response. In conclusion, DEN elicited an acute inflammatory response in particular in female mice, and this response was attenuated by prior exercise. Cancer Prev Res; 10(12); 719–28. ©2017 AACR.
Novel de novo AVPR2 Variant in a Patient with Congenital Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus
Authors: Joshi Shivani , Brandstrom Per , Gregersen Niels , Rittig Søren , Christensen Jane Hvarregaard
Published: September 2017

Early diagnosis and treatment of congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (CNDI) are essential due to the risk of intellectual disability caused by repeated episodes of dehydration and rapid rehydration. Timely genetic testing for disease-causing variants in the arginine vasopressin receptor 2 (AVPR2) gene is possible in at-risk newborns with a known family history of X-linked CNDI. In this study, a Swedish male with no family history was diagnosed with CNDI at 6 months of age during an episode of gastroenteritis. We analyzed the coding regions of AVPR2 by PCR and direct DNA sequencing and identified an 80-bp duplication in exon 2 (GenBank NM_000054.4; c.800_879dup) in the proband. This variant leads to a frameshift and introduces a stop codon four codons downstream (p.Ala294Profs*4). The variant gene product either succumbs to nonsense-mediated decay or is translated to a truncated nonfunctional vasopressin V2 receptor. This variant was absent in four unaffected family members, including his parents, as well as in 100 alleles from healthy controls, and is thus considered a novel de novo disease-causing variant. Identification of the disease-causing variant facilitated precise diagnosis of CNDI in the proband. Furthermore, it allows future genetic counseling in the family. This case study highlights the importance of genetic testing in sporadic infant cases with CNDI that can occur due to de novo variants in AVPR2 or several generations of female transmission of the disease-causing variant.
A Modified Direct-Smear Processing Technique Employing Two-Step Centrifugation/Fixation Is Useful for Detecting High-Grade Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Toyonaga Yasuhiro , Yamazaki Kazuto , Koyama Yoshinori , Yamada Masatoshi , Ishida Yasuo
Published: September 2017

Objective: To demonstrate the usefulness of a direct-smear processing technique employing two-step centrifugation/fixation processing (TSCFP) in the cytoscreening of high-grade urothelial carcinoma (HGUC). Study Design: Using the T24 HGUC cell line, we compared the cell yield and the morphological preservation of preparations concurrently processed by direct-smear, SurePath, ThinPrep, and TSCFP techniques. A total of 287 urine cytology cases subjected to TSCFP over a period of 6 years were reviewed and reclassified according to the Paris System for Reporting Urinary Cytology (PSRUC) and correlated with histology results. Results: TSCFP of T24 cells demonstrated good cell yield with a recovery rate of about 70%. Diagnostic features of HGUC, such as a high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio and irregular/hyperchromatic chromatin, were better discovered in TSCFP smears than in smears prepared with the other methods. Cytological evaluation of 287 voided urine specimens revealed that the rate of unsatisfactory preparations was quite low (0.30%) and the overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values for urothelial carcinoma were 0.719, 0.923, 0.973, and 0.462, respectively. Conclusion: TSCFP was able to provide adequate preparations for detecting HGUC in urine cytology and could be considered as a promising processing method according to the principal purpose of PSRUC.
Low Utilization of the Dermatology Ambulatory Encounter among Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Analysis in the USA
Authors: Garg Amit , Lavian Jonathan , Strunk Andrew
Published: September 2017

Background: There are limited data evaluating the utilization of dermatologists for the care of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa. Objective: To determine the utilization of the dermatology ambulatory encounter among hidradenitis suppurativa patients, and to evaluate whether utilization varies by insurance status. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort analysis in an adult population sample of 42,030 hidradenitis suppurativa patients with either private or public health insurance who were identified by a validated scheme using SNOMED-CT terminology. The primary outcome was a dichotomous variable defined as having at least 1 ambulatory encounter with a dermatologist over a 3-year period. Results: Overall, 21.8% (9,170/42,020) of the hidradenitis suppurativa patients had at least 1 ambulatory encounter with a dermatologist. This proportion did not significantly vary between patients with private insurance (22%), Medicaid (21.6%), and Medicare (21.7%). Conclusion: Utilization of the ambulatory dermatology encounter among patients with hidradenitis suppurativa is low in the USA. Factors other than insurance status influence this level of utilization.
Atrichia with Papular Lesions: Importance of Histology at an Early Disease Stage
Authors: Rocha Vanessa B. , Michalany Nilceo , Valente Neusa Y.S. , Pereira Luciana B. , Donati Aline
Published: September 2017

We report the case of a 5-year-old girl born from consanguineous parents, presenting with alopecia universalis since the age of 8 months, without papules or cysts over the scalp or body. The goal of this paper is to emphasize the relevance of histopathology for the early diagnosis of atrichia with papular lesions in children with alopecia universalis, in settings where genetic testing may not be available.
Impact of Stent Size Selection on Acute and Long-Term Outcomes After Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation in De Novo Coronary Lesions
Authors: Kitahara Hideki , Okada Kozo , Kimura Takumi , Yock Paul G. , Lansky Alexandra J. , Popma Jeffrey J. , Yeung Alan C. , Fitzgerald Peter J. , Honda Yasuhiro
Published: September 2017

Background—

Although significant undersizing often results in incomplete stent apposition or underexpansion, the possible impact of oversized stent implantation on arterial wall injury has not been systematically investigated with drug-eluting stents. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of stent oversizing on acute and long-term outcomes after drug-eluting stents implantation in de novo coronary lesions.

Methods and Results—

Serial (baseline and 6–12 months) coronary angiography and intravascular ultrasound were performed in 2931 lesions treated with drug-eluting stents (355 sirolimus, 846 paclitaxel, 1387 zotarolimus, and 343 everolimus). The percentage of stent oversizing to angiographic reference vessel diameter (RVD) was calculated as (nominal stent diameter–RVD)/RVD×100 (%). Clinical outcomes, including target lesion revascularization and stent thrombosis, were followed for 1 year. Overall, smaller preintervention RVD was associated with higher percentage of stent oversizing (
P
<0.001). The significant oversizing group underwent less post-dilatation (
P
=0.002) but achieved greater stent expansion (
P
<0.001) and less incomplete stent apposition (
P
<0.001) without increase of edge dissection after procedure. When stratified by vessel size and stent oversizing, progressive decreases of restenosis (
P
=0.002) and target lesion revascularization rates (
P
=0.007) were found in favor of larger vessel size and oversized stents. Stent thrombosis was observed the most in small RVD with low percentage of stent oversizing group among the subgroups (
P
=0.040).

Conclusions—

The positive impact of stent oversizing was documented on procedural and clinical outcomes. In particular, small vessels treated with smaller stents were associated with greater adverse events, suggesting that aggressive selection of larger stents, with appropriate attention to edge effects, may optimize long-term outcomes, even in drug-eluting stents implantation.
Comparative Outcomes of Patients With Advanced Renal Dysfunction Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in the United States From 2011 to 2014
Authors: Mohananey Divyanshu , Griffin Brian P. , Svensson Lars G. , Popovic Zoran B. , Tuzcu E. Murat , Rodriguez L. Leonardo , Kapadia Samir R. , Desai Milind Y.
Published: September 2017

Background—

Renal dysfunction is intricately linked to aortic stenosis, with over 25% patients presenting for transcatheter aortic valve replacement having chronic kidney disease (CKD). Prevalence and outcomes of patients with CKD, especially those with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), are controversial. We aimed to compare in-hospital outcomes of patients with CKD or ESRD with those patients with no CKD/ESRD.

Methods and Results—

Data were obtained using the national inpatient sample between the years 2011 and 2014. We used the
International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical Modification
procedure codes 350.5 and 350.6 to identify patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Primary outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality. A 2-tailed
P
value <0.01 was considered to denote statistical significance for all analyses. We identified 42 189 patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement between the years 2011 and 2014. Of these, 62.1% (n=26 229) had no CKD/ESRD, 33.7% (n=14 252) had CKD, and 4% (n=1708) had ESRD. Patients with CKD or ESRD had greater in-hospital mortality, hospital length of stay, hemorrhage requiring transfusion, and permanent pacemaker implantation (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

Patients with CKD and ESRD have increased in-hospital mortality and periprocedural adverse events with longer hospital length of stay, when compared with those without CKD
Electronic Scores for Music: The Possibilities of Animated Notation
Authors: Hope Cat
Published: September 2017

This article argues that animated notations are the most exciting new direction for music notation since the conception of the real-time score. The real-time score revolutionized performance practices in new music, with the composer Gerhard E. Winkler calling it a “third way” between improvisation and fixed scores. Developing upon the idea of dynamic notation epitomized by the real-time score, animated notation features movement as its foundation, and may be presented as an interactive program, video, or application environment generated in real time or preset. It extends the possibilities presented by graphic notations, engaging the processing power of computing toward new complexities of shape, color, movement dynamics, form, synchronicity, and the very performability of music scores. Beginning with a brief historic overview of trends and background that may have informed the development of animated notation, I then examine contemporary practices and their application to a range of music. I will argue that animated notation brings particular benefits for scoring music featuring electronics and aleatoric elements.
A Beamformer to Play with Wall Reflections: The Icosahedral Loudspeaker
Authors: Zotter Franz , Zaunschirm Markus , Frank Matthias , Kronlachner Matthias
Published: September 2017

The quote from Pierre Boulez, given as an epigraph to this article, inspired French researchers to start developing technology for spherical loudspeaker arrays in the 1990s. The hope was to retain the naturalness of sound sources. Now, a few decades later, one might be able to show that even more can be done: In electroacoustic music, using the icosahedral loudspeaker array called IKO seems to enable spatial gestures that enrich alien sounds with a tangible acoustic naturalness.

After a brief discussion of directivity-based composition in computer music, the first part of the article describes the technical background of the IKO, its usage in a digital audio workstation, and psychoacoustic evidence regarding the auditory objects the IKO produces. The second part deals with acoustic equations of spherical beamforming, how the IKO's loudspeakers are controlled correspondingly, how we deal with excursion limits, and the resulting beam patterns generated by the IKO.
Cognition and connectomes in nondementia idiopathic Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Colon-Perez Luis M. , Tanner Jared J. , Couret Michelle , Goicochea Shelby , Mareci Thomas H. , Price Catherine C.
Published: September 2017

In this study, we investigate the organization of the structural connectome in cognitively well participants with Parkinson’s disease (PD-Well; n = 31) and a subgroup of participants with Parkinson’s disease who have amnestic disturbances (PD-MI; n = 9). We explore correlations between connectome topology and vulnerable cognitive domains in Parkinson’s disease relative to non-Parkinson’s disease peers (control, n = 40). Diffusion-weighted MRI data and deterministic tractography were used to generate connectomes. Connectome topological indices under study included weighted indices of node strength, path length, clustering coefficient, and small-worldness. Relative to controls, node strength was reduced 4.99% for PD-Well (p = 0.041) and 13.2% for PD-MI (p = 0.004). We found bilateral differences in the node strength between PD-MI and controls for inferior parietal, caudal middle frontal, posterior cingulate, precentral, and rostral middle frontal. Correlations between connectome and cognitive domains of interest showed that topological indices of global connectivity negatively associated with working memory and displayed more and larger negative correlations with neuropsychological indices of memory in PD-MI than in PD-Well and controls. These findings suggest that indices of network connectivity are reduced in PD-MI relative to PD-Well and control participants.
Description of a new species of the genus Paecilocaulus Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) from Fiji
Authors: TRÝZNA MILOŠ , BLAŽEJ LUKÁŠ
Published: September 2017

The new species Paecilocaulus inexpectatus Trýzna sp. nov. (Anthribidae: Anthribinae: Xenocerini) from Fiji is described. Male genitalia are illustrated and colour photographs of P. inexpectatus and P. picturatus Fairmaire, 1881 are provided.
A new genus of the tribe Cotesiini Mason (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Microgastrinae) from China
Authors: XIONG YAN-HONG , ACHTERBERG CORNELIS VAN , CHEN XUE-XIN
Published: September 2017

A new genus of Microgastrinae (Braconidae) from China is described and illustrated: Eripnopelta Xiong, van Achterberg & Chen, gen. nov. (type species: E. ithyvena Xiong, van Achterberg & Chen, sp. nov. from Zhejiang, Guizhou and Ningxia).
The genus Sphecodes Latreille 1804 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Halictidae) in Central Asia
Authors: ASTAFUROVA YULIA V. , PROSHCHALYKIN MAXIM YU.
Published: September 2017

Available information on the bees of the genus Sphecodes Latreille 1804 in Central Asia is summarized. Twenty-eight species are currently known from this area. Sphecodes turanicus Astafurova & Proshchalykin, sp. nov. is described from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. Eight species: Sphecodes anatolicus Warncke 1992, S. crassus Thomson 1870, S. croaticus Meyer 1922, S. ferruginatus Hagens 1882, S. miniatus Hagens 1882, S. pellucidus Smith 1845, S. rufiventris (Panzer 1798), and S. spinulosus Hagens 1875 are newly recorded from Central Asia. The status of S. nurekensis Warncke 1992, stat. nov. is raised to species level; S. tadschicus Blüthgen 1935, stat. resurr. is reinstated as a valid taxon. A lectotype is designated for S. gracilior Morawitz 1893. Illustrated keys to both males and females of all species known from Central Asia are provided.
Revision of the family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) V (Fifth part). Redescription of Congocepheus latilamellatus Mahunka 1984, with complementary studies of C. ornatus, Mahunka 1983. Descriptions of Tanzaniacepheus gen. nov. and Zimbabwecepheus gen. nov.
Authors: FERNANDEZ NESTOR , LEIVA SERGIO , JORDAAN ANINE
Published: September 2017

Redescription of Congocepheus latilamellatus, with complementary studies of Congocepheus ornatus. Congocepheus latilamellatus is a senior synonym of C. ornatus. Two new genera, Tanzaniacepheus and Zimbabwecepheus are described with type species Tanzaniacepheus ornatus n. comb. and Zimbabwecepheus maidii gen. nov., sp. nov.
Deep sea decapod crustaceans of São Pedro and São Paulo Archipelago, Equatorial Atlantic, Brazil
Authors: NUNES DIOGO MARTINS , FERREIRA RÔMULO COSTA PIRES , HAZIN FÁBIO H. V. , TRAVASSOS PAULO , SOUZA-FILHO JESSER FIDELIS DE
Published: September 2017

Six species of deep sea decapod crustaceans (Chaceon gordonae, Bathynectes longispina, Dromia bollorei, Homola mini-ma, Nematocarcinus gracilipes and Plesionika martia) were sampled around the vicinity of São Pedro and São Paulo Archipelago, Brazil (0°55´N; 29°21´W), after nine scientific surveys to explore demersal and benthic species in the area. Specimens were collected by bottom traps between 200 and 700 m deep, from 2012 to 2015. The current record enlarges the knowledge of the distribution of five of these species, new to the Archipelago. Chaceon gordonae was previously known to the area.
A new species of Hypoganus Kiesenwetter, 1858 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae) from China, with notes on the Palaearctic species of the genus
Authors: QIU LU , PROSVIROV ALEXANDER S.
Published: September 2017

Hypoganus wennae sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Yunnan, China. Notes on the genus from the Palaearctic region are given. A distribution map of Chinese Hypoganus species is provided, along with a key and a checklist of the species from Palaearctic region. Habitats of Hypoganus species are illustrated.
Two eriophyoid mites (Acari: Eriophyoidea) associated with Ilex paraguariensis from Brazil
Authors: DA SILVA GUILHERME LIBERATO , ESSWEIN ISADORA ZANATTA , DAMEDA CATIANE , FERLA NOELI JUAREZ
Published: September 2017

Diptilostatus chimarricus n. sp. is described based on specimens collected on Ilex paraguariensis A. St.–Hill. (Aquifoliaceae), commonly known as yerba mate, from southern Brazil. It is the third eriophyoid mite species reported on I. paraguariensis in Brazil. This new species caused no observable damage to its host plant. A key to species of Diptilostatus is provided. Dichopelmus notus Keifer, 1959, also from yerba mate, is redescribed.
The Regulation of Tornado Intensity by Updraft Width
Authors: Trapp Robert J. , Marion Geoffrey R. , Nesbitt Stephen W.
Published: September 2017

Strong to violent tornadoes cause a disproportionate amount of damage, in part because the width and length of a tornado damage track are correlated to tornado intensity (as now estimated through enhanced Fujita scale ratings). The tendency expressed in the observational record is that the most intense tornadoes are often the widest. Herein the authors explore the simple hypothesis that wide intense tornadoes should form more readily out of wide rotating updrafts. This hypothesis is based on an application of Kelvin’s circulation theorem, which is used to argue that the large circulation associated with a wide intense tornado is more plausibly associated with a wide mesocyclone. Because a mesocyclone is, strictly speaking, a rotating updraft, the mesocyclone width should increase with increasing updraft width. A simple mathematical model that is quantified using observations of mesocyclones supports this hypothesis, as do idealized numerical simulations of supercellular thunderstorms.
Potential to Constrain Projections of Hot Temperature Extremes
Authors: Borodina Aleksandra , Fischer Erich M , Knutti Reto
Published: September 2017

Projected changes in temperature extremes, such as regional changes in the intensity and frequency of hot extremes, differ strongly across climate models. This study shows that this disagreement can be partly explained by discrepancies in the representation of the present-day temperature distribution, motivating the evaluation of models with observations. By evaluating climate models on carefully selected metrics, the models that are more likely to be reliable for long-term projections of temperature extremes are identified. The study found that frequencies of hot extremes are likely to increase at a higher rate than the multimodel mean estimate over large parts of the Northern Hemisphere and Australia. This implies that a higher degree of adaptation is required for a given global temperature target. It also found that projected changes in the intensity of hot extremes can be constrained in several regions, including Australia, central North America, and north Asia. In many other regions, large internal variability can often hamper model evaluation. For both aspects—the intensity and the frequency of hot extremes—the total area over which the constraints can be implemented is limited by the quality and completeness of observations. Thereby, this study highlights the importance of long-term, high-quality, and easily accessible observational records for model evaluation, which are vital to ultimately reduce uncertainties in projections of temperature extremes.
Snow–(N)AO Teleconnection and Its Modulation by the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation
Authors: Peings Y. , Douville H. , Colin J. , Martin D. Saint , Magnusdottir Gudrun
Published: September 2017

This study explores the wintertime extratropical atmospheric response to Siberian snow anomalies in fall, using observations and two distinct atmospheric general circulation models. The role of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) in modulating this response is discussed by differentiating easterly and westerly QBO years. The remote influence of Siberian snow anomalies is found to be weak in the models, especially in the stratosphere where the “Holton–Tan” effect of the QBO dominates the simulated snow influence on the polar vortex. At the surface, discrepancies between composite analyses from observations and model results question the causal relationship between snow and the atmospheric circulation, suggesting that the atmosphere might have driven snow anomalies rather than the other way around. When both forcings are combined, the simulations suggest destructive interference between the response to positive snow anomalies and easterly QBO (and vice versa), at odds with the hypothesis that the snow–North Atlantic Oscillation/Arctic Oscillation [(N)AO] teleconnection in recent decades has been promoted by the QBO. Although model limitations in capturing the relationship exist, altogether these results suggest that the snow–(N)AO teleconnection may be a stochastic artifact rather than a genuine atmospheric response to snow-cover variability. This study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that climate models do not capture a robust and stationary snow–(N)AO relationship. It also highlights the need for extending observations and/or improving models to progress on this matter.
Investigation of the Intra-Annual Variability of the North Equatorial Countercurrent/North Brazil Current Eddies and of the Instability Waves of the North Tropical Atlantic Ocean Using Satellite Altimetry and Empirical Mode Decomposition
Authors: Mélice Jean-Luc , Arnault Sabine
Published: September 2017

The intra-annual variability of the tropical Atlantic Ocean north of the equator is investigated with satellite altimetry mean sea level anomaly data and with an algorithm based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD) methods. Two regions of high variability are identified. The first region, between 3° and 12°N, is characterized by the presence of westward-propagating eddies linked to the North Brazil Current (NBC) retroflection in the vicinity of the Brazilian coast. They show a strong annual cycle. In this paper the EMD algorithm points out that this signal is frequency modulated shifting from large length-scale structures in October to smaller ones in March. Consequently, the number of “eddies” per year can be aliased, according to the time and location of sampling, and can impact the percentage they explain of the interhemispheric exchange of mass and heat associated with the meridional overturning circulation’s upper limb. A scenario concerning this dynamics is proposed. The second region reveals the presence of westward-propagating instability waves centered north of the equator (3°–7°N) between 50° and 10°W. These instability waves are also frequency modulated and show a strong seasonal cycle with maximum amplitude around August.
Lightning over Three Large Tropical Lakes and the Strait of Malacca: Exploratory Analyses
Authors: Holle Ronald L. , Murphy Martin J.
Published: September 2017

Lightning stroke density measured by the Global Lightning Dataset (GLD360) has shown several strong maxima around the globe. Several of these extremes are located over large tropical water bodies surrounded by terrain features. Four prominent maxima are examined and compared in this study: Lake Maracaibo in South America, the Strait of Malacca in equatorial Asia, Lake Victoria in East Africa, and Lake Titicaca in South America. Specifically, the authors observe that all four water bodies exhibit sustained maxima in lightning occurrence all night, the peak lightning frequency occurs very late at night or the following morning at three of the four sites, and the nocturnal maxima are out of phase at the four locations even though the afternoon maxima over the surrounding terrain all occur between 1500 and 1700 local solar time. The meteorological factors affecting the diurnal cycle of lightning occurrence over these four water bodies, which are all adjacent to mountains, are explored in this study.
Effect of Nicorandil Administration on Preventing Contrast-Induced Nephropathy: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhan Biming , Huang Xiao , Jiang Long , Bao Huihui , Cheng XiaoShu
Published: September 2017

Several studies have investigated the effect of nicorandil on contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, the final results of these trials are not identical. This meta-analysis evaluated the role of nicorandil administration on CIN prevention. We searched databases to find randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing nicorandil with hydration versus conventional hydration therapy on preventing CIN. Finally, 5 articles (805 patients) were included in our meta-analysis; the data showed that nicorandil was related to significant reduction in the risk of CIN (risk ratio = 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.22-0.61, P = .0001). We found not only the cystatin C level after operation was nonsignificant between 2 groups at the first 24 hours ( P = .65, 95% CI = −0.06 to 0.04) and 48 hours ( P = .19, 95% CI = −0.11 to 0.02) but also the serum creatinine level was nonsignificantly elevated, at 24 hours ( P = .46, 95% CI = −5.19 to 1.88) and 72 hours ( P = .49, 95% CI = −0.49 to 0.34). Our analysis suggested that the nicorandil treatment compared with conventional hydration can significantly reduce the risk of CIN.