bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A MicroRNA Cluster at 14q32 Drives Aggressive Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Nadal Ernest , Zhong Jinjie , Lin Jules , Reddy Rishindra M. , Ramnath Nithya , Orringer Mark B. , Chang Andrew C. , Beer David G. , Chen Guoan
Published: May 2014

Purpose: To determine whether different subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma (AC) have distinct microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles, and to identify miRNAs associated with aggressive subgroups of resected lung AC.

Experimental Design: miRNA expression profile analysis was performed in 91 resected lung AC and 10 matched nonmalignant lung tissues using a PCR-based array. An independent cohort of 60 lung ACs was used for validating by quantitative PCR the top 3 prognostic miRNAs. Gene-expression data from 51 miRNA profiled tumors was used for determining transcript-specific miRNA correlations and gene-enrichment pathway analysis.

Results: Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of 356 miRNAs identified 3 major clusters of lung AC correlated with stage (P = 0.023), tumor differentiation (P < 0.003), and IASLC histologic subtype of lung AC (P < 0.005). Patients classified in cluster 3 had worse survival as compared with the other clusters. Eleven of 22 miRNAs associated with poor survival were encoded in a large miRNA cluster at 14q32. The top 3 prognostic 14q32 miRNAs (miR-411, miR-370, and miR-376a) were validated in an independent cohort of 60 lung AC. A significant association with cell migration and cell adhesion was found by integrating gene-expression data with miR-411, miR-370, and miR-376a expression. miR-411 knockdown significantly reduced cell migration in lung AC cell lines and this miRNA was overexpressed in tumors from patients who relapsed systemically.

Conclusions: Different morphologic subtypes of lung AC have distinct miRNA expression profiles, and 3 miRNAs encoded at 14q32 (miR-411, miR-370, and miR-376a) were associated with poor survival after lung AC resection. Clin Cancer Res; 20(12); 3107–17. ©2014 AACR.
Use of Ranolazine in Patients with Stable Angina Pectoris
Authors: Khera Sahil , Kolte Dhaval , Aronow Wilbert S.
Published: May 2014

The current American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines for patients with stable angina pectoris recommend β-blockers as the initial drug therapy for prevention of angina pectoris (class I B indication). Long-acting nitrates or calcium channel blockers should be prescribed for prevention of angina when β-blockers are contraindicated or not tolerated secondary to side effects (class I B indication). Long-acting nitrates or calcium channel blockers in combination with β-blockers should be prescribed for angina prevention when initial treatment with β-blockers is unsuccessful (class I B indication). Only sublingual nitroglycerin or nitroglycerin spray should be used for immediate relief of angina pectoris (class I B indication). Ranolazine with β-blockers can be used for prevention of angina when initial treatment with β-blockers is not successful (class IIa A indication). If angina persists despite treatment with β-blockers, long-acting nitrates and calcium channel blockers, we recommend the addition of ranolazine for prevention of stable angina pectoris. This editorial discusses the contemporary role of ranolazine in the management of patients with stable angina pectoris.
The History of Endometriosis
Authors: Benagiano Giuseppe , Brosens Ivo , Lippi Donatella
Published: May 2014

A dispute has recently emerged whether early descriptions exist of the condition we name endometriosis. A first question is: ‘Who identified endometriosis?' To respond, two non-complementary methods have been employed: searching for ancient descriptions of symptoms associated with endometriosis or, alternatively, identifying researchers who described pathological features we associate with the presence of endometriosis in its various forms. We opted for the latter and found no evidence that in older times anyone delineated the macroscopic features of endometriosis; descriptions of menstrual or cyclic pain cannot be taken as proof of knowledge of what caused it. During the mid-part of the 19th century, Rokitansky had a great intuition: endometrial glands and stroma can be present in ovarian and uterine neoplasias. However, using histological parameters of endometrial structure and activity, the first scientist to delineate peritoneal endometriosis under the name ‘adenomyoma' was Cullen. On the other hand, Rokitansky was the first to describe a form of adenomyosis (an adenomatous polyp). Early descriptions of ovarian endometrioma as ‘haematomas of the ovary' or ‘chocolate cysts' date back to the end of the 19th century. The first mention of an ‘ovary containing uterine mucosa' was published in 1899 by Russel, but Sampson was the first to demonstrate specific endometrial activities, such as desquamation at the time of menstruation and decidualization in pregnancy; subsequently, he presented a theory on its pathogenesis.
Thrombophilia in Patients with Retinal Vein Occlusion: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Risse Franziska , Frank Rolf Dario , Weinberger Andreas W.A.
Published: May 2014

Background: To assess the prevalence of thrombophilia in patients with central (CRVO) and branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Methods: In 139 patients with CRVO (n = 88) and BRVO (n = 51) and in 40 healthy controls factor VIII, fibrinogen, antithrombin III, protein C, protein S, activated protein C resistance, anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA), homocysteine, factor V Leiden, prothrombin G20210A and methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T mutation were assessed retrospectively. Results: Elevated factor VIII activity and the homozygous MTHFR C677T mutation were significantly more often found in CRVO and BRVO cases compared to controls. Age-, gender- and C-reactive protein-adjusted logistic regression analysis did not show a significant additive effect of elevated factor VIII activity on the risk of developing CRVO/BRVO. Elevated fibrinogen levels and ACA were significantly more often found in CRVO than amongst controls. No significant differences were found concerning the remaining variables. Conclusions: We suggest elevated fibrinogen levels, ACA and the homozygous MTHFR C677T mutation as potential risk factors for CRVO/BRVO.
Gender-Specific Association between the COMT Val158Met Polymorphism and Openness to Experience in Panic Disorder Patients
Authors: Konishi Yoshiaki , Tanii Hisashi , Otowa Takeshi , Sasaki Tsukasa , Motomura Eishi , Fujita Asuna , Umekage Tadashi , Tochigi Mamoru , Kaiya Hisanobu , Okazaki Yuji , Okada Motohiro
Published: May 2014

Background: Because major depression and panic disorder are both more prevalent among females and since several lines of evidence suggest that genetic factors might influence an individual's vulnerability to panic disorder, gene-gender interactions are being examined in such psychiatric disorders and mental traits. A number of studies have suggested that specific genes, e.g. catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), might lead to distinct clinical characteristics of panic disorder. Method: We compared gender-specific personality-related psychological factors of 470 individuals with panic disorder and 458 healthy controls in terms of their COMT Val158Met polymorphism and their scores on the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) with a 1-way analysis of covariance. Results: In the male panic disorder patients, the NEO PI-R score for openness to experience was significantly lower in the Met/Met carrier group, whereas there was no such association among the female panic disorder patients or the male or female control groups. Conclusion: The gender-specific effect of the COMT genotype suggests that the COMT Val/Met genotype may influence a personality trait, openness to experience, in males with panic disorder.
The Role of Acupuncture in in vitro Fertilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Shen Chunjuan , Wu Manxiang , Shu Defeng , Zhao Xiaojie , Gao Ying
Published: May 2014

Background/Aims: In recent years, acupuncture has become more and more popular in the management of subfertility. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of acupuncture during in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment on the outcomes of clinical pregnancy in published randomized studies. Methods: This is a systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources used were MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Knowledge and the Chinese Biomedical Database. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the acupuncture group and no acupuncture (intervention) controls around the time of embryo transfer (ET; risk ratio, RR, 1.24, 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.02-1.50) or in unblinded trials, trials blinded to physicians and double-blind trials (95% CI 1.26-1.88, 0.82-1.33 and 0.89-1.25, respectively). This was also the case when comparing acupuncture with sham acupuncture controls around the time of ET (RR, 1.03, 95% CI 0.87-1.22) or when restricting to unblinded trials, trials blinded to physicians and double-blind trials (95% CI 0.80-2.02, 0.82-1.18 and 0.77-1.17, respectively). There was a statistically significant difference when performed at 30 min after ET and implantation phase (RR 1.76, 95% CI 1.22-2.55). There was also a statistically significant difference when performed at follicle phase and 25 min before and after ET (RR 1.56, 95% CI 1.04-2.33). Conclusion: Our study showed that acupuncture did not significantly improve the IVF clinical pregnancy rate when performed only at the time of ET, while we found pooled benefit of acupuncture for IVF when performed at follicle phase and 25 min before and after ET, as well as 30 min after ET and implantation phase.
Lysyl Oxidases Play a Causal Role in Vascular Remodeling in Clinical and Experimental Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Nave Alexander H. , Mižíková Ivana , Niess Gero , Steenbock Heiko , Reichenberger Frank , Talavera María L. , Veit Florian , Herold Susanne , Mayer Konstantin , Vadász István , Weissmann Norbert , Seeger Werner , Brinckmann Jürgen , Morty Rory E.
Published: May 2014

Objective—

Pulmonary vascular remodeling, the pathological hallmark of pulmonary arterial hypertension, is attributed to proliferation, apoptosis resistance, and migration of vascular cells. A role of dysregulated matrix cross-linking and stability as a pathogenic mechanism has received little attention. We aimed to assess whether matrix cross-linking enzymes played a causal role in experimental pulmonary hypertension (PH).

Approach and Results—

All 5 lysyl oxidases were detected in concentric and plexiform vascular lesions of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Lox, LoxL1, LoxL2, and LoxL4 expression was elevated in lungs of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, whereas LoxL2 and LoxL3 expression was elevated in laser-capture microdissected vascular lesions. Lox expression was hypoxia-responsive in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells and adventitial fibroblasts, whereas LoxL1 and LoxL2 expression was hypoxia-responsive in adventitial fibroblasts. Lox expression was increased in lungs from hypoxia-exposed mice and in lungs and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of monocrotaline-treated rats, which developed PH. Pulmonary hypertensive mice exhibited increased muscularization and perturbed matrix structures in vessel walls of small pulmonary arteries. Hypoxia exposure led to increased collagen cross-linking, by dihydroxylysinonorleucine and hydroxylysinonorleucine cross-links. Administration of the lysyl oxidase inhibitor β-aminopropionitrile attenuated the effect of hypoxia, limiting perturbations to right ventricular systolic pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, and vessel muscularization and normalizing collagen cross-linking and vessel matrix architecture.

Conclusions—

Lysyl oxidases are dysregulated in clinical and experimental PH. Lysyl oxidases play a causal role in experimental PH and represent a candidate therapeutic target. Our proof-of-principle study demonstrated that modulation of lung matrix cross-linking can affect pulmonary vascular remodeling associated with PH.
Resting Ventricular–Vascular Function and Exercise Capacity in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Mohammed Selma F. , Borlaug Barry A. , McNulty Steven , Lewis Gregory D. , Lin Grace , Zakeri Rosita , Semigran Marc J. , LeWinter Martin , Hernandez Adrian F. , Braunwald Eugene , Redfield Margaret M.
Published: May 2014

Background—

Exercise intolerance is a hallmark of heart failure, but factors associated with impaired exercise capacity in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction are unclear. We hypothesized that in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, the severity of resting ventricular and vascular dysfunction are associated with impairment in exercise tolerance as assessed by peak oxygen consumption.

Methods and Results—

Subjects with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction enrolled in the PhosphodiesteRasE-5 Inhibition to Improve CLinical Status And EXercise Capacity in Diastolic Heart Failure (RELAX) clinical trial (n=216) underwent baseline Doppler echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and cardiac MRI. RELAX participants were elderly (median age 69 years) and 48% were women. Ejection fraction (60%) and stroke volume (77 mL) were normal, while diastolic dysfunction (medial
E
/
e
′, 16; deceleration time, 185 ms; left atrial volume, 44 mL/m
2
) and increased arterial load (arterial elastance, 1.51 mm Hg/mL) were evident. Peak oxygen consumption was reduced (11.7 mLkg
−1
min
−1
, 1141 mL/min) and age, sex, body mass index, hemoglobin, and chronotropic response collectively explained 64% of the variance in raw peak oxygen consumption (mL/min). After adjustment for these variables, left ventricular structure (diastolic dimension [1.5%,
P
=0.008] and left ventricular mass [1.6%,
P
=0.008]), resting stroke volume (2.0%,
P
=0.002), left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (deceleration time [0.9%,
P
=0.03] and
E
/
e
′ [1.4%,
P
=0.009]), and arterial function (arterial elastance [2.1%,
P
=0.002] and systemic arterial compliance [1.5%,
P
=0.007]), each explained only a small additional portion of the variance in peak oxygen consumption.

Conclusions—

In heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, potentially modifiable factors (obesity, anemia, and chronotropic incompetence) are strongly associated with exercise capacity, whereas resting measures of ventricular and vascular structure and function are not.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00763867
Circadian Variation in Vascular Function and Regenerative Capacity in Healthy Humans
Authors: Mheid Ibhar Al , Corrigan Frank , Shirazi Farheen , Veledar Emir , Li Qunna , Alexander Wayne R. , Taylor W. Robert , Waller Edmund K. , Quyyumi Arshed A.
Published: May 2014

Background

Progenitor cells (
PC
s) are mobilized in response to vascular injury to effect regeneration and repair. Recruitment of
PC
s requires intact nitric oxide (
NO
) synthesis by endothelial cells, and their number and activity correlate with cardiovascular disease risk burden and future outcomes. Whereas cardiovascular vulnerability exhibits a robust circadian rhythm, the 24‐hour variation of
PC
s and their inter‐relation with vascular function remain unknown. We investigated the circadian variation of
PC
s and vascular function with the hypothesis that this will parallel the pattern observed for cardiovascular events (
CVE
s).

Methods and Results

In 15 healthy subjects (9 men, 37±16 years), circulating
PC
s and vascular function were measured at 8 
am
, noon, 4 
pm
, 8 
pm
, midnight, 4 
am
(only
PC
s counts), and 8 
am
the following day. Circulating
PC
s were enumerated as mononuclear cells (
MNC
s;
CD
45
med
) that express
CD
34 as well as
CD
133, and their activity was assessed as the number of colonies formed by culturing
MNC
s. Vascular function was evaluated by measurement of endothelium‐dependent, flow‐mediated vasodilation (
FMD
) of the brachial artery and tonometry‐derived indices of arterial stiffness. Higher
CD
34
+
and
CD
34
+
/
CD
133
+
cell counts were observed at 8 
pm
than any other time of the day (
P
‐
ANOVA
=0.038 and <0.001; respectively) and were lowest at 8 
am
.
PC
colony formation was highest at midnight (
P
‐
ANOVA
=0.045) and lowest in the morning hours.
FMD
was highest at midnight and lowest at 8 
am
and 8 
pm
, and systemic arterial stiffness was greatest at 8 
am
and lowest at 4 
pm
and midnight (
P
‐
ANOVA
=0.03 and 0.01; respectively).

Conclusion

A robust circadian variation in
PC
counts and vascular function occurs in healthy humans and both exhibit an unfavorable profile in the morning hours that parallels the preponderance of
CVE
s at these times. Whether these changes are precipitated by awakening and time‐dependent physical activity or governed by the endogenous circadian clock needs to be further investigated.
Methodology for a Community-Based Stroke Preparedness Intervention
Authors: Boden-Albala Bernadette , Edwards Dorothy F. , St. Clair Shauna , Wing Jeffrey J. , Fernandez Stephen , Gibbons M. Chris , Hsia Amie W. , Morgenstern Lewis B. , Kidwell Chelsea S.
Published: May 2014

Background and Purpose—

Acute stroke education has focused on stroke symptom recognition. Lack of education about stroke preparedness and appropriate actions may prevent people from seeking immediate care. Few interventions have rigorously evaluated preparedness strategies in multiethnic community settings.

Methods—

The Acute Stroke Program of Interventions Addressing Racial and Ethnic Disparities (ASPIRE) project is a multilevel program using a community-engaged approach to stroke preparedness targeted to underserved black communities in the District of Columbia. This intervention aimed to decrease acute stroke presentation times and increase intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator utilization for acute ischemic stroke.

Results—

Phase 1 included (1) enhancement of focus of emergency medical services on acute stroke; (2) hospital collaborations to implement and enrich acute stroke protocols and transition District of Columbia hospitals toward primary stroke center certification; and (3) preintervention acute stroke patient data collection in all 7 acute care District of Columbia hospitals. A community advisory committee, focus groups, and surveys identified perceptions of barriers to emergency stroke care. Phase 2 included a pilot intervention and subsequent citywide intervention rollout. A total of 531 community interventions were conducted, reaching >10 256 participants; 3289 intervention evaluations were performed, and 19 000 preparedness bracelets and 14 000 stroke warning magnets were distributed. Phase 3 included an evaluation of emergency medical services and hospital processes for acute stroke care and a year-long postintervention acute stroke data collection period to assess changes in intravenous tissue-type plasminogen utilization.

Conclusions—

We report the methods, feasibility, and preintervention data collection efforts of the ASPIRE intervention.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00724555.
Optimal Workflow and Process-Based Performance Measures for Endovascular Therapy in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Menon Bijoy K. , Almekhlafi Mohammed A. , Pereira Vitor Mendes , Gralla Jan , Bonafe Alain , Davalos Antoni , Chapot Rene , Goyal Mayank
Published: May 2014

Background and Purpose—

We report on workflow and process-based performance measures and their effect on clinical outcome in Solitaire FR Thrombectomy for Acute Revascularization (STAR), a multicenter, prospective, single-arm study of Solitaire FR thrombectomy in large vessel anterior circulation stroke patients.

Methods—

Two hundred two patients were enrolled across 14 centers in Europe, Canada, and Australia. The following time intervals were measured: stroke onset to hospital arrival, hospital arrival to baseline imaging, baseline imaging to groin puncture, groin puncture to first stent deployment, and first stent deployment to reperfusion. Effects of time of day, general anesthesia use, and multimodal imaging on workflow were evaluated. Patient characteristics and workflow processes associated with prolonged interval times and good clinical outcome (90-day modified Rankin score, 0–2) were analyzed.

Results—

Median times were onset of stroke to hospital arrival, 123 minutes (interquartile range, 163 minutes); hospital arrival to thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) 2b/3 or final digital subtraction angiography, 133 minutes (interquartile range, 99 minutes); and baseline imaging to groin puncture, 86 minutes (interquartile range, 24 minutes). Time from baseline imaging to puncture was prolonged in patients receiving intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator (32-minute mean delay) and when magnetic resonance–based imaging at baseline was used (18-minute mean delay). Extracranial carotid disease delayed puncture to first stent deployment time on average by 25 minutes. For each 1-hour increase in stroke onset to final digital subtraction angiography (or TICI 2b/3) time, odds of good clinical outcome decreased by 38%.

Conclusions—

Interval times in the STAR study reflect current intra-arterial therapy for patients with acute ischemic stroke. Improving workflow metrics can further improve clinical outcome.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01327989.
Pretreatment Blood–Brain Barrier Damage and Post-Treatment Intracranial Hemorrhage in Patients Receiving Intravenous Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator
Authors: Leigh Richard , Jen Shyian S. , Hillis Argye E. , Krakauer John W. , Barker Peter B. , Albers Gregory W. , Davis Stephen M. , Donnan Geoffrey A. , Fisher Marc , Furlan Anthony J. , Grotta James C. , Hacke Werner , Kang Dong-Wha , Kidwell Chelsea , Koroshetz Walter J. , Lees Kennedy R. , Lev Michael H. , Liebeskind David S. , Sorensen A. Gregory , Thijs Vincent N. , Thomalla Götz , Warach Steven J. , Wardlaw Joanna M. , Wintermark Max
Published: May 2014

Background and Purpose—

Early blood–brain barrier damage after acute ischemic stroke has previously been qualitatively linked to subsequent intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). In this quantitative study, it was investigated whether the amount of blood–brain barrier damage evident on pre–tissue-type plasminogen activator MRI scans was related to the degree of post–tissue-type plasminogen activator ICH in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods—

Analysis was performed on a database of patients with acute ischemic stroke provided by the Stroke Imaging Repository (STIR) and Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive (VISTA) Imaging Investigators. Patients with perfusion-weighted imaging lesions >10 mL and negative gradient-recalled echo imaging before intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator were included. Postprocessing of the perfusion-weighted imaging source images was performed to estimate changes in blood–brain barrier permeability within the perfusion deficit relative to the unaffected hemisphere. Follow-up gradient-recalled echo images were reviewed for evidence of ICH and divided into 3 groups according to European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study (ECASS) criteria: no hemorrhage, hemorrhagic infarction, and parenchymal hematoma.

Results—

Seventy-five patients from the database met the inclusion criteria, 28 of whom experienced ICH, of which 19 were classified as hemorrhagic infarction and 9 were classified as parenchymal hematoma. The mean permeability (±SDs), expressed as an index of contrast leakage, was 17.0±8.8% in the no hemorrhage group, 19.4±4.0% in the hemorrhagic infarction group, and 24.6±4.5% in the parenchymal hematoma group. Permeability was significantly correlated with ICH grade in univariate (
P=
0.007) and multivariate (
P=
0.008) linear regression modeling.

Conclusions—

A perfusion-weighted imaging–derived index of blood–brain barrier damage measured before intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator is given is associated with the severity of ICH after treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
Migraine, White Matter Hyperintensities, and Subclinical Brain Infarction in a Diverse Community
Authors: Monteith Teshamae , Gardener Hannah , Rundek Tatjana , Dong Chuanhui , Yoshita Mitsuhiro , Elkind Mitchell S.V. , DeCarli Charles , Sacco Ralph L. , Wright Clinton B.
Published: May 2014

Background and Purpose—

Migraine with aura is a risk factor for ischemic stroke. The goals of this study are to examine the association between migraine and subclinical cerebrovascular damage in a race/ethnically diverse older population-based cohort study.

Methods—

In the Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS), we quantified subclinical brain infarctions and white matter hyperintensity volumes among participants with self-reported migraine, confirmed by the International Classification of Headache Disorders-2 criteria.

Results—

Of 546 study participants with imaging and migraine data (41% men; mean age at MRI, 71±8 years; mostly Hispanic [65%]), those reporting migraine overall had double the odds of subclinical brain infarction (adjusted odds ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–4.2) when compared with those reporting no migraine, after adjusting for sociodemographics and vascular risk factors. No association was observed between migraine with or without aura and white matter hyperintensity volume.

Conclusions—

Migraine may be a risk factor for subclinical brain infarction. Prospective studies are needed in race/ethnically diverse populations.
Mating in the presence of a competitor: audience effects may promote male social tolerance in polyandrous siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) groups
Authors: Lappan S. , Morino L.
Published: May 2014

Audience effects on sexual behavior, including changes in copulation frequency and duration in the presence of conspecifics, have been reported in multimale–multifemale groups of several primate species. We examined the interaction of male sexual behavior with group composition and within-group mating pattern in a population of siamangs (Symphalangus syndactylus) containing unimale–unifemale groups and multimale–unifemale groups using mixed models. Aggression in a sexual context was never observed. As predicted, however, copulation rates were lower and copulations were significantly shorter in duration in two-male groups than in unimale groups, even if copulations involving subordinate males were excluded. Dominant males monopolized copulations with the group female in most groups, but copulations were shared among males in three stable two-male groups. When both resident males copulated with the group’s female, there was no evidence that copulating pairs moved to secluded areas, and the duration of copulations did not differ between males. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that male–male tolerance in multimale siamang groups is facilitated by adjustments to sexual behavior in the presence of a sexual competitor.
Mythic Geography, Barbarian Identities: The Pygmies in Thrace
Authors: Dan Anca
Published: May 2014

Abstract

The presence of Pygmies in Thrace is neither a misunderstanding nor a fantasy of Pliny the Elder: this reference, confirmed by Stephanus of Byzantium, can be explained through the history of the Pygmies, mythic people mentioned in theIliadand integrated in the Classical, Hellenistic, Roman, Medieval and Renaissance descriptions of the inhabited world. The modern historian can reveal the reasons that made the Greeks and Romans locate these little men in the northern country of the cranes: the indigenous, under-earth houses of Dobrodgea and the abandoned caves in the region of Yailata as well as the Greek toponymy imported from the Aegean nourished the imagination of the Greeks and their stories about the Euxine Pontus, colonized by Milesians and Megarians. These observations contribute not only to a better understanding of the geography and ethnography of the western Black Sea coast, but also throw light on the process of “inventing” foreign peoples, at the center but also at the periphery of the civilized world, on the basis of racial, geographic and historical otherness, by taking into account the everlasting authority of the literary tradition.
À propos de Schuchardt, du mélange des langues et du contact
Authors: Nicolaï Robert
Published: May 2014

Studies on language contact are sufficiently developed to make it possible to ponder about its entailments. This implies that the researcher sets himself aside in order to grasp the dynamics of the various approaches. This paper first (i) goes back on the notion of “viewpoint”, (ii) presents the notion of “persistence of view point”, and (iii) proposes a simplification of the epistemic inputs that structure a “domain α”, that of a project’s conditions of existence of an epistemic construct, to a “domain β”, which is dependent on the ‘viewpoint’ involved in the process of the epistemic construct.

Second, the paper investigates the four spaces that are sensitive to contact : (i) the structural space, (ii) the social space, (iii) the “rationalization” space, and (iv) the psycho-physiological space. The third part deals with the logical inferences of language contact, and more specifically of its margins, i.e. language mixing, using as a basis of discussion the little read book by Schuchardt Slawo-deutsches und Slawo-italienisches (1883). The book, which shows the importance and the ordinariness of language mixing [Mischsprache], induces to question the obliteration of this issue in academic research, while studies on language contact are booming. The answer involves a reflection on the possibilities to keep in our research the compatibility between classical and new viewpoints.
On the Pre-Columbian Origin of Proto-Omagua-Kokama
Authors: Michael Lev
Published: May 2014

Cabral (1995, 2007, 2011) and Cabral and Rodrigues (2003) established that Kokama and Omagua, closely-related indigenous languages spoken in Peruvian and Brazilian Amazonia, emerged as the result of intense language contact between speakers of a Tupí-Guaraní language and speakers of non-Tupí-Guaraní languages. Cabral (1995, 2007) further argued that the language contact which led to the development of Kokama and Omagua transpired in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, in the Jesuit mission settlements located in the provincia de Maynas (corresponding roughly to modern northern Peruvian Amazonia). In this paper I argue that Omagua and Kokama were not the product of colonial-era language contact, but were rather the outcome of language contact in the pre-Columbian period. I show that a close examination of 17th and 18th century missionary chronicles, Jesuit texts written in Omagua and Kokama, and modern data on these languages, make it clear that Omagua and Kokama already existed in a form similar to their modern forms by the time European missionaries arrived in Maynas in the 17th century. Moreover, I show that several key claims regarding ethnic mixing and Jesuit language policy that Cabral adduces in favor of a colonial-era origin for Kokama are not supported by the available historical materials. Ruling out a colonial-era origin for Omagua and Kokama, I conclude that Proto-Omagua-Kokama, the parent language from which Omagua and Kokama derive, was a pre-Columbian contact language.
Lexical Evidence for Pre-Inca Language Contact of Mapudungun (Mapuche) with Quechuan and Aymaran
Authors: Pache Matthias
Published: May 2014

Mapudungun, often also called Mapuche, is a language isolate spoken in southern Chile and parts of Argentina. It presents structural, phonological and phonotactic similarities to the central Andean Quechuan and Aymaran language families. Many lexical items of Mapudungun have obviously been borrowed from Quechuan and Aymaran during or after the Inca presence in northern Mapuche territory. However, recent language contact may not be the only source of lexical parallels. The aim of the present article is to uncover evidence for alternative scenarios that could account for these parallels. As such, four exemplary Mapudungun roots clearly related to Quechuan and/or Aymaran roots are discussed in detail. First, the possibility that the respective lexical parallels are recent borrowings should be excluded. Second, it must be decided whether there is any evidence for the proposal that the respective Quechuan/Aymaran roots have been transferred into Mapudungun vocabulary via surrounding languages. The two-step approach developed here may undergo further refinement in future investigations of language contact in the Americas and elsewhere.
Morpholological Borrowing and Genetic Relationship
Authors: Koch Harold
Published: May 2014

This edited volume adds to the literature on language contact. It specifically deals with the borrowing of morphology, and addresses the methodological issue of how to distinguish resemblances that represent borrowing (here called copying) from those that reflect cognation within genealogically related languages. Several studies offer empirical data on the scales of borrowability (or copiability in the terminology of this volume) that have been discovered—comparing morphological to lexical borrowing, inflectional to derivational, and distinguishing the likelihood of various kinds of inflectional borrowing. A number of papers attempt explanations for the scales in terms of semantic, structural or frequency factors. Proposals are also made regarding factors other than borrowing or cognation that may result in the sharing of morphological forms between languages. The findings concerning morphological borrowing are applied to several difficult and unresolved issues of genealogical relationship in languages of Eurasia and the Americas.
Who Will Success in College? Effect of High School Experience and Socioeconomic Status
Authors: Yang Po
Published: May 2014

One unintended consequence of Chinese higher education expansion is an increasing socioeconomic gap in college achievement. Using 2011 College Freshmen Development Survey data, this paper engages in an empirical analysis of the association between one’s socioeconomic status, high school preparation, and college performance. This study finds that well prepared and academically engaged high school graduates achieve a significantly higher level of college development than their less prepared peers. Moreover, low-ses students have a significantly lower level of core competence and civic participation, due to their lack of academic preparation, learning engagement, and parental support in high school. This study provides a critical evidence for the life cycle skill formation argument that the deficit in early human capital investment can impair adolescent and adult attainment.
Can China Keep Rising in the Age of Globalization?: Chinese Students’ Learning and Living Experience at Two “World-Class” Research Universities in East Asia
Authors: Chan Roy Y.
Published: May 2014

“World-class” research universities have long been a priority in the educational, corporate, and political spheres in China. With the establishment of the Outline of China’s National Plan for Medium and Long Term Education Reform and Development (2010-2020), China seeks to develop globally competitive research universities that are based on position in the global rankings. In this article, the author examines the role of college environment (e.g., academic, campus, interpersonal) on college student’s learning and development relative to China’s quest for “world-class” universities. Utilizing Jamil Salmi’s ( 2009 ) theoretical framework of ‘world-class universities,’ this article introduces Chan’s conceptual framework of ‘Environment-Learning-Resources (elr)’ to suggest how the college environments influence the imposition of structure, processes, and student learning at emerging global research universities in mainland China.
Wood and Leaf Anatomy of Copaifera langsdorffii Dwarf Trees
Authors: Longui Eduardo L. , Costa Natalia O. , Cielo-Filho Roque , Marcati Carmen R. , Romeiro Diego , Rajput Kishore S. , Lima Israel L. , Florsheim Sandra M.B.
Published: May 2014

There are various parameters that affect tree height and may cause dwarfism. Our goal was to study the anatomical variations in the leaf and xylem structure in dwarf and normal trees of Copaifera langsdorffii and their correlation with physico-chemical properties of the soils. Trees from two spatially close but different vegetation types, transitional forest and rupestrian field, showed markedly different wood and leaf characteristics. Adult trees of C. langsdorffii show normal height (up to 25 m) in transitional forests while in the rupestrian field they show dwarfism (small trees up to 2.5 m tall). Physical soil characteristics (such as rocky crust, low water availability due to shallow soil) presumably limit root growth and affect the rate of photosynthesis, which consequently affect the extension growth of the plant. Compared to normal trees, C. langsdorffii dwarf trees are characterized by narrow vessels and a higher proportion of vessels in multiples, features of the water transport system/hydraulic structure known to prevent embolism, wider rays with a greater potential to store starch, and higher stomatal density and potential conductance index.
An inventory of vascular plants endemic to Italy
Authors: PERUZZI LORENZO , CONTI FABIO , BARTOLUCCI FABRIZIO
Published: May 2014

For the purpose of the present study we considered as Italian endemics those specific and subspecific taxa occurring in Italy that are not found elsewhere with the exception of Corsica (France) and Malta. This study presents an updated list of the endemic taxa in the Italian flora, including their geographical distribution at regional level. Italy is characterized by 1371 endemic species and subspecies (18.9% of the total vascular flora): three taxa belong to Lycopodiidae, one to Polypodiidae, two to Pinidae and 1365 to Magnoliidae (three paleoherbs, 221 monocots and 1144 eudicots). The endemic flora belongs to 29 orders, 67 families and 304 genera. Sicily, Sardinia, Calabria and Abruzzo are the four regions richest in endemics. About 58% of endemics are confined to a single administrative region. The most represented orders, families and genera are: Asterales, Caryophyllales and Asparagales, Asteraceae, Plumbaginaceae and Caryophyllaceae, Limonium, Centaurea and Hieracium, respectively. The phytogeographic isolation of Sardinia and Sicily and the separation of peninsular Italy from Northern Italy is confirmed. The relative isolation of Puglia with respect the remaining southern Italian pensinsular regions is also confirmed. Alpine region endemics (from northern Italy) are underrepresented.
Mud-packing frog: A novel breeding behaviour and parental care in a stream dwelling new species of Nyctibatrachus (Amphibia, Anura, Nyctibatrachidae)
Authors: GURURAJA KOTAMBYLU VASUDEVA , DINESH K. P. , PRITI H. , RAVIKANTH G.
Published: May 2014

Reproductive modes are diverse and unique in anurans. Selective pressures of evolution, ecology and environment are attributed to such diverse reproductive modes. Globally forty different reproductive modes in anurans have been described to date. The genus Nyctibatrachus has been recently revised and belongs to an ancient lineage of frog families in the Western Ghats of India. Species of this genus are known to exhibit mountain associated clade endemism and novel breeding behaviours. The purpose of this study is to present unique reproductive behaviour, oviposition and parental care in a new species Nyctibatrachus kumbara sp. nov. which is described in the paper. Nyctibatrachus kumbara sp. nov. is a medium sized stream dwelling frog. It is distinct from the congeners based on a suite of morphological characters and substantially divergent in DNA sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. Males exhibit parental care by mud packing the egg clutch. Such parental care has so far not been described from any other frog species worldwide. Besides this, we emphasize that three co-occurring congeneric species of Nyctibatrachus, namely N. jog, N. kempholeyensis and Nyctibatrachus kumbara sp. nov. from the study site differ in breeding behaviour, which could represent a case of reproductive character displacement. These three species are distinct in their size, call pattern, reproductive behaviour, maximum number of eggs in a clutch, oviposition and parental care, which was evident from the statistical analysis. The study throws light on the reproductive behaviour of Nyctibatrachus kumbara sp. nov. and associated species to understand the evolution and adaptation of reproductive modes of anurans in general, and Nyctibatrachus in particular from the Western Ghats.
Delimiting the distribution range of Indirana leithii (Boulenger, 1888) (Anura: Ranixalidae), an endemic threatened anuran of the Western Ghats, based on molecular and morphological analysis
Authors: MODAK NIKHIL , PADHYE ANAND , DAHANUKAR NEELESH
Published: May 2014

Indirana leithii (Boulenger, 1888) (Anura: Ranixalidae) is a frog species endemic to the Western Ghats and is categorized as Vulnerable according to IUCN red list. This species is currently considered to be widespread over the entire Western Ghats. Our study based on molecular data (using DNA sequence fragments of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes and the nuclear rhodopsin gene), morphological analysis of topotypic material as well as material collected from a wide range within the northern Western Ghats, suggests that the species has instead a restricted range in the state of Maharashtra. Specimens identified as I. leithii from the southern Western Ghats as well as from outside the Western Ghats probably belong to hitherto undescribed species. To facilitate future studies in understanding the nature of this species complex and provide better means for identification and delimitation of species we provide molecular, morphological and osteological characters of I. leithii from topotyic material.
A new species of Tityus (Scorpiones, Buthidae) from El Edén Cave, Colombia
Authors: BOTERO-TRUJILLO RICARDO , FLÓREZ D. EDUARDO
Published: May 2014

A new scorpion species, Tityus (Tityus) grottoedensis sp. nov., is herein described based on male and female specimens collected in El Edén Cave and its vicinities (Tolima department, Colombia). The new species, which becomes the first scorpion described from a Colombian cave, is probably a eutroglophile or subtroglophile element; however, additional studies are needed to determine the degree of association of the species to the cave. Among other features, the new species is characterized by having a relatively thin body, a yellow-to-chestnut coloration, sternites IV to VI with visible lateral longitudinal carinae, and the basal piece of the middle lamella of the pectines dilated in male and female.
Three new species of the genus Loxoconcha (Crustacea, Ostracoda, Podocopida) from the Okinawa Islands, southern Japan
Authors: DUNG LE DOAN , TSUKAGOSHI AKIRA
Published: May 2014

Three new species of Ostracoda, Loxoconcha noharai sp. nov., L. santosi sp. nov. and L. sesokoensis sp. nov., are described from the Okinawa Islands, southern Japan. The two species Loxoconcha noharai sp. nov. and L. santosi sp. nov. live in estuaries, whereas the species L. sesokoensis sp. nov. lives in coral reefs. These species can be easily distinguished from other previously described Loxoconcha species by their morphological differences, mainly in the male copulatory organ, and distribution pattern of their pore systems. In addition, L. sesokoensis sp. nov. is suggested to be phylogenetically apart from any other Loxoconcha species which have been reported so far from Japan and the adjacent seas.
A new species of broad-nosed bat Platyrrhinus Saussure, 1860 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) from the Guianan Shield
Authors: VELAZCO PAÚL M. , LIM BURTON K.
Published: May 2014

A new species of broad-nosed bat Platyrrhinus Saussure, 1860 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae: Stenodermatinae) from the Guianan Shield is described based on molecular and morphological data. Previously confused with P. helleri and P. recifinus, the new taxon is currently known from only Guyana and Suriname and is most closely related to P. recifinus from eastern Brazil and not to the two sympatric species (P. fusciventris and P. incarum) also recently recognized as distinct from P. helleri. Morphometrically the new taxon overlaps with the smaller species of the genus (P. angustirostris, P. brachycephalus, P. fusciventris, P. helleri, P. incarum, and P. matapalensis), but forms a different cluster from the larger P. recifinus. Morphologically the new taxon is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of external and craniodental characteristics. Platyrrhinus now includes 21 species making it the most speciose genus in the Neotropical family Phyllostomidae.
Improved Representation of Marine Stratocumulus Cloud Shortwave Radiative Properties in the CMIP5 Climate Models
Authors: Engström Anders , Bender Frida A.-M. , Karlsson Johannes
Published: May 2014

The radiative properties of subtropical marine stratocumulus clouds are investigated in an ensemble of current-generation global climate models from phase 5 of the Climate Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). Using a previously documented method for determining regional mean cloud albedo, the authors find a closer agreement with observations in the CMIP5 models as compared to the previous generation of models (phase 3 of CMIP). The multimodel average indicates regional mean, monthly mean cloud albedos ranging from 0.32 to 0.5 among 26 models and five regions, to be compared with satellite observations that indicate a range from 0.32 to 0.39 for the same five regions. The intermodel spread in cloud fraction gives rise to a spread in albedo. Within models, there is a tendency for large cloud fraction to be related to low cloud albedo and vice versa, a relationship that dampens the intermodel variability in total albedo. The intramodel variability in albedo, for a given cloud fraction, is found to be up to twice as large in magnitude in models as in satellite observations. The reason for this larger variability in models is not settled, but possible contributing factors may be imperfect representation in the models of cloud type distribution or of sensitivity to meteorological variability or aerosols. Changes in aerosol loading are found to be the likely cause of an increase in cloud albedo over time. The radiative effect of such a scene brightening in marine stratocumulus cloud regions, from preindustrial times to present day, is estimated to be up to −1 W m−2 for the global ocean, but there are no observations to verify this number.
Oxidative Stress and Paraoxonase 1 Activity Predict Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Börekçi Abdurrezzak , Gür Mustafa , Türkoğlu Caner , Çaylı Murat , Selek Şahbettin , Kaypaklı Onur , Uçar Hakan , Coşkun Mehmet , Şeker Taner , Koç Mevlüt , Gökdeniz Teyyar , Gözükara Mehmet Yavuz
Published: May 2014

Reactive oxygen species have been implicated in the pathogenesis of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). We investigated the relationship between CIN with paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) activity and oxidative stress markers (total antioxidant status [TAS], total oxidant status [TOS], and oxidative stress index [OSI]) in patients with anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention; 289 consecutive patients with STEMI were prospectively included. The patients were divided into 2 groups: CIN (n = 69) and non-CIN (n = 220). Activity of PON-1 and TAS levels were significantly lower and OSI and TOS levels were significantly higher in patients with CIN compared to the non-CIN group ( P < .05, for all). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, PON-1 activity and OSI as well as the amount of contrast medium and diabetes were independent predictors for CIN in patients with anterior STEMI. Activity of PON-1 and oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of CIN.