bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Euclidean distance mapping for assessment of basement membrane thickness distribution in asthma
Authors: Mostaco-Guidolin Leila , Hajimohammadi Soheil , Vasilescu Dragoş M. , Hackett Tillie-Louise
Published: June 2017

Abnormal thickening of the airway basement membrane is one of the hallmarks of airway remodeling in asthma. The present protocols for measuring the basement membrane involve the use of stained tissue sections and measurements of the basement membrane thickness at certain intervals, followed by the calculation of the geometric mean thickness for each airway. This report describes an automated, unbiased approach which uses color segmentation to identify structures of interest on stained sections and Euclidean distance mapping to measure the thickness distribution of airway structures. This method was applied to study the thickness distribution of the basement membrane and airway epithelium in lungs donated for research from seven nonasthmatic and eight asthmatic age- and sex-matched donors. A total of 60 airways were assessed. We report that the thickness and thickness distribution of the basement membrane and airway epithelium are increased in large and small airways of asthmatics compared with nonasthmatics. Using this method we were able to demonstrate the heterogeneity in the thickness of the basement membrane and airway epithelium within individual airways of asthmatic subjects. This new computational method enables comprehensive and objective quantification of airway structures, which can be used to quantify heterogeneity of airway remodeling in obstructive lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The described application of Euclidean distance mapping provides an unbiased approach to study the extent and thickness distribution of changes in tissue structures. This approach will enable researchers to use computer-aided analysis of structural changes within lung tissue to understand the heterogeneity of airway remodeling in lung diseases.
Timing of postexercise carbohydrate-protein supplementation: roles of gastrointestinal blood flow and mucosal cell damage on gastric emptying in humans
Authors: Kashima Hideaki , Harada Nao , Miyamoto Kanae , Fujimoto Masaki , Fujita Chiaki , Endo Masako Yamaoka , Kobayashi Toshio , Miura Akira , Fukuba Yoshiyuki
Published: June 2017

It is well known that protein ingestion immediately after exercise greatly stimulates muscle protein synthesis during the postexercise recovery phase. However, immediately after strenuous exercise, the gastrointestinal (GI) mucosa is frequently injured by hypoperfusion in the organ/tissue, possibly resulting in impaired GI function (e.g., gastric emptying; GE). The aim of this study was to examine the effect of GI blood flow on the GE rate. Eight healthy young subjects performed an intermittent supramaximal cycling exercise for 30 min, which consisted of a 120% V̇o2peak for 20 s, followed by 20 W for 40 s. The subjects ingested 300 ml of a nutrient drink containing carbohydrate-protein at either 5 min postexercise in one trial (PE-5) or 30 min postexercise in another trial (PE-30). In the control trial (Con), the subjects ingested the same drink without exercise. The celiac artery blood flow (CABF) and superior mesenteric artery blood flow (SMABF) and GE rate were assessed by ultrasonography. Before drink ingestion in PE-5, CABF significantly decreased from baseline, whereas in PE-30, it returned to baseline. Following drink ingestion in PE-5, CABF did not change from baseline, but it significantly increased in PE-30 and Con. SMABF increased significantly later in PE-5 than in PE-30 and Con. The GE rate was consistently slower in PE-5 than in PE-30 and Con. In conclusion, the CABF response after exercise seems to modulate the subsequent GE rate and SMABF response.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY A carbohydrate-protein drink was ingested at either 5 min (i.e., profoundly decreased celiac artery blood flow; CABF) or 30 min (i.e., already recovered CABF) postexercise. In the 5-min postexercise trial, the gastric emptying (GE) rate and superior mesenteric artery blood flow (SMABF) response were slower than those in the 30-min postexercise trial. The GE rate and SMABF response may be altered depending on the postexercise CABF response.
Correlation Study of Physicochemical, Rheological, and Tribological Parameters of Engine Oils
Authors: Thapliyal Prashant , Thakre G. D.
Published: June 2017

The physicochemical and tribological studies of mineral and synthetic commercial engine oils have been carried out to investigate their performance variability and to propose generalized relationship among different physicochemical and performance parameters. Physicochemical parameters have been determined using standard test procedures proposed in ASTM and Indian Standards (BIS). The rheological parameters of these lubricants have been investigated to identify the flow behavior. The tribological performance in terms of their antifriction and antiwear properties has been studied using four-ball tribotester. Correlation and regression analysis has been performed to ascertain relationship among physicochemical and tribological parameters and the causes of performance variability are highlighted. An empirical relation to calculate coefficient of friction as a function of physicochemical properties has been established using regression analysis. The developed relation has fair degree of reliability, as percentage of deviation is less than 20%.
Oral Candida in Patients with Fixed Orthodontic Appliance: In Vitro Combination Therapy
Authors: Alhamadi Wisam , Al-Saigh Rafal J. , Al-Dabagh Nebras N. , Al-Humadi Hussam W.
Published: June 2017

Background.Fixed orthodontic appliance (FOA) increases the cariogenic microorganisms of mouth including candida. The aim was to evaluate the pharmacodynamic effects of some antibacterial drugs in combination with most applicable antifungal agents on candida isolated from patients with FOA.Methods.Three antifungal agents (amphotericin B (AMB), ketoconazole (KET), and itraconazole (ITZ)) and three antibacterial drugs (ciprofloxacin (CIP), doxycycline (DOX), and metronidazole (MET)) with serial concentrations have been used and microdilution broth method has been done for single and combination therapy, then fungal growth was assessed spectrophotometrically, and the combinations were evaluated by bliss independent analysis.Results.According to bliss independent interaction, the synergistic interactions depended onΔEvalues that showed the best for CIP was with AMB (ΔE=55.14) followed with KET (ΔE=41.23) and lastly ITR (ΔE=39.67) at CIP = 150 mg/L. DOX was optimal with KET (ΔE=42.11) followed with AMB (ΔE=40.77) and the lowest with ITR (ΔE=9.12) at DOX = 75 mg/L. MET is the best with AMB (ΔE=40.95) and then with ITR (ΔE=35.45) and finally KET (ΔE=15.15) at MET 200 mg/L. Moreover, usage of higher concentrations of antibacterial agents revealed inhibitory effects.Conclusion.This study uncovers the optimum antibiotic combination therapy against cariogenic candida with FOA by usage of low therapeutic concentrations.
Apigenin Attenuates Adriamycin‐Induced Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway
Authors: Yu Wei , Sun Huirong , Zha Wenliang , Cui Weili , Xu Ling , Min Qing , Wu Jiliang
Published: June 2017

Treatment with Adriamycin (ADR) is one of the major causes of chemotherapy‐induced cardiotoxicity and therefore is the principal limiting factor in the effectiveness of chemotherapy for cancer patients. Apigenin (API) has been shown to play a cardioprotective role. The present study examined the effect of API on ADR‐induced cardiotoxicity in mice. Sixty male Kunming mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: a control group, ADR model group, low‐dose API treatment group (125 mg·kg−1), and high‐dose API treatment group (250 mg·kg−1). Blood samples were taken to evaluate a spectrum of myocardial enzymes. Cardiomyocyte apoptosis was measured using a TUNEL assay, and cardiomyocyte autophagy was observed using electron microscopy. Moreover, apoptosis‐related proteins, such as Bax and Bcl‐2, autophagy‐related proteins, including Beclin1 and LC3B, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway‐related proteins were examined with western blot. Our results demonstrate that ADR caused an increase in the serum levels of cardiac injury markers and enhanced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and autophagy. API administration prevented the effects associated with ADR‐induced cardiotoxicity in mice and inhibited ADR‐induced apoptosis and autophagy. API also promoted PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway activity in ADR‐treated mice. In conclusion, API may have a protective effect against ADR‐induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting apoptosis and autophagy via activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
His-FLAG Tag as a Fusion Partner of Glycosylated Human Interferon-Gamma and Its Mutant: Gain or Loss?
Authors: Krachmarova Elena , Tileva Milena , Lilkova Elena , Petkov Peicho , Maskos Klaus , Ilieva Nevena , Ivanov Ivan , Litov Leandar , Nacheva Genoveva
Published: June 2017

In order to obtain glycosylated human interferon-gamma (hIFNγ) and its highly prone to aggregation mutant K88Q, a secretory expression in insect cells was employed. To facilitate recombinant proteins purification, detection, and stability the baculovirus expression vectors were constructed to bear N-terminal His6-FLAG tag. Although the obtained proteins were glycosylated, we found that their biological activity was 100 times lower than expected. Our attempts to recover the biological properties of both proteins by tag removal failed due to enterokinase resistance of the tag. Surprisingly, the tag was easily cleaved when the proteins were expressed inE. colicells and the tag-free proteins showed fully restored activity. To shed light on this phenomenon we performed molecular dynamics simulations. The latter showed that the tags interact with the receptor binding domains and the flexible C-termini of the fusion proteins thus suppressing their complex formation with the hIFNγreceptor. We hypothesize that in the case of glycosylated proteins the tag/C-terminal interaction positions the FLAG peptide in close proximity to the glycans thus sterically impeding the enterokinase access to its recognition site.
Genotyping the High Altitude Mestizo Ecuadorian Population Affected with Prostate Cancer
Authors: López-Cortés Andrés , Cabrera-Andrade Alejandro , Salazar-Ruales Carolina , Zambrano Ana Karina , Guerrero Santiago , Guevara Patricia , Leone Paola E. , Paz-y-Miño César
Published: June 2017

Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in males with 1,114,072 new cases in 2015. The MTHFR enzyme acts in the folate metabolism, which is essential in methylation and synthesis of nucleic acids. MTHFR C677T alters homocysteine levels and folate assimilation associated with DNA damage. Androgens play essential roles in prostate growth. The SRD5A2 enzyme metabolizes testosterone and the V89L polymorphism reduces in vivo SRD5A2 activity. The androgen receptor gene codes for a three-domain protein that contains two polymorphic trinucleotide repeats (CAG, GGC). Therefore, it is essential to know how PC risk is associated with clinical features and polymorphisms in high altitude Ecuadorian mestizo populations. We analyzed 480 healthy and 326 affected men from our three retrospective case-control studies. We found significant association between MTHFR C/T (odds ratio [OR] = 2.2;P=0.009), MTHFR C/T+T/T (OR = 2.22;P=0.009), and PC. The SRD5A2 A49T substitution was associated with higher pTNM stage (OR = 2.88;P=0.039) and elevated Gleason grade (OR = 3.15;P=0.004). Additionally, patients with ≤21 CAG repeats have an increased risk of developing PC (OR = 2.99;P<0.001). In conclusion, genotype polymorphism studies are important to characterize genetic variations in high altitude mestizo populations.
Natural History of Invasive Papillary Breast Carcinoma Followed for 10 Years: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Suh Yong Joon , Shin Hyukjai , Kwon Tae Jung
Published: June 2017

Diachronic research on untreated breast cancer completely depends on past medical records when no more recent, advanced methods are available. Herein, we report a case of invasive papillary breast carcinoma followed for 10 years in a 59-year-old woman who refused any treatment. The diagnosis was based on core needle biopsies. At the patient’s first visit in July 2006, the tumor measured 10.4 × 7.2 × 3.5 cm. It was staged as IIIB (T4bN1). In May 2016, the tumor was staged as IIIC (T4bN3a). In the past 10 years, the tumor has increased to 12.1 × 9.0 × 4.2 cm. However, a whole-body bone scan and18F-FDG PET/CT showed no evidence of distant metastasis. Immunohistochemistry results, corresponding to biopsies taken at subsequent examinations, have remained unaltered since 2006. The tumor was estrogen/progesterone receptor-positive and C-erbB2 expression was not detected. The Ki-67 labeling index was around 10%.
Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Ijinskaja Aqueous Extract (CPAE) Ameliorates Obesity by Improving Insulin Signaling in the Hypothalamus of a Metabolic Syndrome Rat Model
Authors: Xu Guangyuan , Yoshitomi Hisae , Sun Wen , Guo Xuan , Wu Lili , Guo Xiangyu , Qin Lingling , Fan Yixin , Xu Tunhai , Liu Tonghua , Gao Ming
Published: June 2017

Background. Antiobesity drugs may not be optimal for treating obesity. However novel antiobesity agents, especially those derived from natural products, may be suitable. Therefore, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of Cyclocarya paliurus (CP) aqueous extract (CPAE) on obesity. Methods. SHR.Cg‐Leprcp/NDmcr (SHR/cp) rats were used as a model of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Experimental animals were allocated into two groups—control and CPAE (0.5 g/kg)—for a 7‐week treatment period. Examinations were performed, including general physiological characteristics, obesity‐related biochemical parameters, and insulin‐signaling pathway‐related proteins in the hypothalamus. Results. Treatment with CPAE reduced food intake, body weight, organ weight, fat mass, and body mass index (BMI) in SHR/cp rats. Meanwhile, CPAE also decreased the levels of fasting serum glucose, fasting serum insulin, HOMA‐IR, serum free fatty acids, serum malondialdehyde, serum superoxide dismutase, and serum total‐glutathione. The levels of phosphorylation of target proteins—including InsR, IRS1, PI3Kp85, Akt, and FoXO1 as well as protein expression of POMC—were significantly upregulated in the hypothalamus, but NPY expression remarkably decreased. Conclusions. CPAE has antiobesity, antihypoglycemic, antihypolipidemic, and antioxidant properties. The mechanism responsible for the antiobesity effect of CPAE may be related to suppression of energy intake via regulation of insulin‐signaling pathway in the hypothalamus.
End-Stage Kidney Failure in Oman: An Analysis of Registry Data with an Emphasis on Congenital and Inherited Renal Diseases
Authors: Al Alawi Intisar , Al Salmi Issa , Al Mawali Adhra , Al Maimani Yacoub , Sayer John A.
Published: June 2017

Globally, end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is a huge burden on health care systems. The aims of this study were to perform a comprehensive epidemiological and etiological report of ESKD patients commencing RRT in Oman with an emphasis on genetic causes and inherited kidney disease. All newly registered Omani patients with ESKD commencing RRT from 2001 until 2015 (n=2,922) were analysed using the RRT register in Oman. All potentially genetic or inherited causes of ESKD were reviewed. In Oman, ESKD is more prevalent in males (57.1%) than females (42.9%) with a median age of incident ESKD of 53 years. Diabetic nephropathy was the most prevalent cause of ESKD (46%), followed by hypertensive nephropathy (19%), glomerulonephritis (15%), and inherited kidney disease (5%). For patients less than 20 years of age inherited kidney disease accounted for 32.5% of cases. Of this cohort with inherited renal disease, 40.3% had autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, 11.5% had congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract, 9.4% had Alport syndrome, and 7.2% had autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease. This study represents a comprehensive population-based epidemiological and etiological report of ESKD patients in Oman commencing RRT. Inherited kidney disease was the leading cause of paediatric ESKD.
Research on Displacement Transfer Characteristics of a New Vibration‐Isolating Platform Based on Parallel Mechanism
Authors: Peicheng Shi , Peilei Shi , Gaofa Nie , Ye Tang , Daoyuan Pan
Published: June 2017

Based on the parallel mechanism theory, a new vibration‐isolating platform is designed and its kinetic equation is deduced. Taylor expansion is used to approximately replace the elastic restoring force expression of vibration‐isolating platform, and the error analysis is carried out. The dynamic‐displacement equation of the vibration‐isolating platform is studied by using the Duffing equation with only the nonlinear term. The dynamic characteristics of the vibration‐isolating platform are studied, including amplitude‐frequency response, jumping‐up and jumping‐down frequency, and displacement transfer rate under base excitation. The results show that the lower the excitation amplitude, the lower the initial vibration isolation frequency of the system. The influence of the platform damping ratio ζ on displacement transfer rate is directly related to the jumping‐down frequency Ωd and the external excitation frequency. The vibration‐isolating platform is ideally suited for high‐frequency and small‐amplitude vibrations.
Potential Pathways Involved in Elaidic Acid Induced Atherosclerosis in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
Authors: Yu Huahong , Li Xiangmei , Liang Zhongshang , Qiu Bin , Li Siguang , Luo Ting , Li Jing , Li Hongyan , Deng Zeyuan
Published: June 2017

Researches have demonstrated that trans-fatty acids are related to the progression of atherosclerosis, but the underlying mechanism is not clear till now. In the presented study, two-dimensional electrophoresis based proteomics was used to discover the role of elaidic acid in atherosclerosis. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), twenty-two and twenty-three differentially expressed proteins were identified in low (50 μmol/L) and high (400 μmol/L) concentration elaidic acid simulated groups, respectively, comparing with the control group. The expressions of some selected proteins (PSME3, XRCC5, GSTP1, and GSTO1) were validated by qRT-PCR analysis. Western blotting analysis further confirmed that elaidic acid downregulated the expression of PSME3and XRCC5. Moreover, P53, the downstream protein of PSME3, was further investigated. Results demonstrated that a variety of proteins, many of which were related to oxidative stress, apoptosis, and DNA damage, were involved in the elaidic acid induced atherosclerosis. Furthermore, P53 was demonstrated to regulate the atherosclerosis through cell cycle arrest and apoptosis pathway.
Pelvic Actinomycosis
Authors: García-García Alejandra , Ramírez-Durán Ninfa , Sandoval-Trujillo Horacio , Romero-Figueroa María del Socorro
Published: June 2017

Introduction. Actinomycosis is a chronic bacterial infection caused byActinomyces, Gram-positive anaerobic bacteria. Its symptomatology imitates some malignant pelvic tumours, tuberculosis, or nocardiosis, causing abscesses and fistulas. Actinomycoses are opportunistic infections and require normal mucous barriers to be altered. No epidemiological studies have been conducted to determine prevalence or incidence of such infections.Objective.To analyse the clinical cases of pelvic actinomycosis reported worldwide, to update the information about the disease.Methods.A systematic review of worldwide pelvic actinomycosis cases between 1980 and 2014 was performed, utilising the PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. The following information was analysed: year, country, type of study, number of cases, use of intrauterine device (IUD), final and initial diagnosis, and method of diagnosis.Results.63 articles met the search criteria, of which 55 reported clinical cases and 8 reported cross-sectional studies.Conclusions.Pelvic actinomycosis is confusing to diagnose and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pelvic chronic inflammatory lesions. It is commonly diagnosed through a histological report, obtained after a surgery subsequent to an erroneous initial diagnosis. A bacterial culture in anaerobic medium could be useful for the diagnosis but requires a controlled technique and should be performed using specialised equipment.
Relationship between Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Vitamin D Nutritional Status in Extreme Obesity
Authors: Cordeiro Adryana , Pereira Silvia , Saboya Carlos José , Ramalho Andrea
Published: June 2017

Aim. To evaluate the relationship of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) with nutritional status of vitamin D in extreme obesity. Methods. Descriptive cross-sectional study in individuals with class III obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2), aged ≥ 20 years to < 60 years. Data were obtained for weight, height, waist circumference (WC), and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels. Vitamin D analysis was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the cutoff points used for its classification were < 20 ng/mL for deficiency and 20–29.9 ng/ml for insufficiency. NAFLD gradation was conducted through histological evaluation by liver biopsy. Results. The sample is comprised of 50 individuals (86% female). BMI and average weight were 44.1 ± 3.8 kg/m2 and 121.4 ± 21.4 kg, respectively. Sample distribution according to serum 25(OH)D levels showed 42% of deficiency and 48% of insufficiency. The diagnosis of NAFLD was confirmed in 100% of the individuals, of which 70% had steatosis and 30% had steatohepatitis. The highest percentage of 25(OH)D insufficiency was seen in individuals with steatosis (66%/n=21) and steatohepatitis (93%/n=16). All individuals with steatohepatitis presented VDD (p<0.01). Conclusion. The results of this study showed high prevalence of serum 25(OH)D inadequacy in individuals with class III obesity, which worsens as the stage of liver disease progresses.
Methylglyoxal Induces Changes in the Glyoxalase System and Impairs Glutamate Uptake Activity in Primary Astrocytes
Authors: Hansen Fernanda , Galland Fabiana , Lirio Franciane , de Souza Daniela Fraga , Da Ré Carollina , Pacheco Rafaela Ferreira , Vizuete Adriana Fernanda , Quincozes-Santos André , Leite Marina Concli , Gonçalves Carlos-Alberto
Published: June 2017

The impairment of astrocyte functions is associated with diabetes mellitus and other neurodegenerative diseases. Astrocytes have been proposed to be essential cells for neuroprotection against elevated levels of methylglyoxal (MG), a highly reactive aldehyde derived from the glycolytic pathway. MG exposure impairs primary astrocyte viability, as evaluated by different assays, and these cells respond to MG elevation by increasing glyoxalase 1 activity and glutathione levels, which improve cell viability and survival. However, C6 glioma cells have shown strong signs of resistance against MG, without significant changes in the glyoxalase system. Results for aminoguanidine coincubation support the idea that MG toxicity is mediated by glycation. We found a significant decrease in glutamate uptake by astrocytes, without changes in the expression of the major transporters. Carbenoxolone, a nonspecific inhibitor of gap junctions, prevented the cytotoxicity induced by MG in astrocyte cultures. Thus, our data reinforce the idea that astrocyte viability depends on gap junctions and that the impairment induced by MG involves glutamate excitotoxicity. The astrocyte susceptibility to MG emphasizes the importance of this compound in neurodegenerative diseases, where the neuronal damage induced by MG may be aggravated by the commitment of the cells charged with MG clearance.
Untreated Psoriasis Impairs Male Fertility: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Caldarola Giacomo , Milardi Domenico , Grande Giuseppe , Quercia Andrea , Baroni Silvia , Morelli Renato , Marana Riccardo , Pontecorvi Alfredo , De Simone Clara , Peris Ketty
Published: June 2017

Background: Recent evidence indicates that a systemic state of inflammation may impair fertility, but data about psoriatic males are scarce. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess gonadal function in psoriatic males implementing our knowledge about fertility in these subjects. Methods: Male psoriatic patients, aged between 18 and 55 years, and a group of healthy subjects matched for age, BMI and geographic origin were enrolled. All subjects underwent a complete physical and andrological examination, standard semen analysis, complete microbiological analysis and ultrasound evaluation of sexual glands. Seminal levels of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and serum levels of testosterone, estradiol (E2), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone were also assessed. Results: Fifty patients and 50 controls fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in our study. Testosterone and SHBG were found to be significantly decreased in patients with psoriasis compared with the control group. Higher levels of E2 were also reported in psoriatic patients. Total sperm count, sperm motility and percent of spermatozoa with normal morphology were significantly reduced in patients compared to controls. suPAR levels were significantly increased in patients compared to controls and found to be above the reference limits. Ultrasound signs of inflammation of the accessory glands were observed in 35/50 patients with psoriasis and in none of the controls. Conclusion: Our study suggests that untreated psoriasis may impair male fertility. We also found that this might be due to an impact of systemic inflammation on the hormonal profile and on sexual accessory gland inflammation.
Two-Year Effects of a Classroom-Based Smoking Prevention and Cessation Intervention Program
Authors: Gonzálvez María Teresa , Espada José Pedro , Orgilés Mireia , Sussman Steve
Published: June 2017

Background: Project EX is a classroom-based smoking prevention and cessation intervention program that has been well evaluated and designed for assessing the prevention and cessation effects among adolescents in Spain. However, its long-term efficacy is still unknown. This study deals with the outcomes of a 2-year follow-up evaluation of Project EX. Methods: The intervention was tested using a clustered randomized controlled trial involving 1,546 Spanish students from 3 program schools and 3 control schools. At the end of the 2-year follow-up period, 722 subjects had completed the questionnaires (266 in the control condition and 456 in the program condition) administered to them. Results: Compared to the control condition, the program condition revealed a greater reduction in nicotine dependence (p = 0.04), smoking intention (p = 0.02), and in the number of cigarettes smoked during the previous month (p = 0.03). The CO monitor repeated assessments revealed a significant decrease of ppm levels in the program group (p < 0.001). Intent-to-treat quit rates were 14.28 and 0%, respectively, for the program and control conditions. Conclusions: This study provides evidence about the long-term effectiveness of the Project EX classroom-based program for smoking prevention and cessation among adolescents in Spain.
Venous thromboembolism: Past, present and future
Authors: Schulman Sam , Ageno Walter , Konstantinides Stavros V.
Published: June 2017

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), the third most frequent acute cardiovascular syndrome, is associated with a considerable disease burden which continues to grow along with the longer life expectancy of the population worldwide. In the past century, parenteral heparin prophylaxis was established for hospitalised patients at elevated risk of VTE. More recently, non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) with a direct inhibiting effect on factor Xa or thrombin, underwent extensive testing in clinical trials and have been approved for patients undergoing hip or knee replacement. Clinical investigation is ongoing in further areas of thromboprophylaxis, including medical prophylaxis in patients and high-risk situations in the outpatient setting. The diagnostic approach to suspected VTE is now based on advanced imaging techniques and robust diagnostic algorithms which ensure high sensitivity and specificity. Nevertheless, the role of clinical, or pre-test, probability assessment remains crucial to avoid overdiagnosis and treatment errors. Advances in reperfusion strategies, along progressive establishment of the NOACs as the new standard of anticoagulation treatment, have simplified the management of VTE, improving outcomes and particularly safety. While new molecular targets for anticoagulation are being investigated in the quest to further reduce bleeding risk, adjusting the initial regimen to the patient’s risk and finding the optimal duration of anticoagulation after an index VTE event will be some of the top priorities in the years to come. Importantly, and in parallel to new drugs and technical advances in imaging, incentives such as hospital accreditation and funding based on evidence-based practice need to be implemented to increase guideline adherence.
O percurso dos educadores entre a pedagogia convencional e o ensino conectado - estudo de caso do Projeto GENTE
Authors: Bezerra Wagner Da Silveira , Farbiarz Alexandre
Published: June 2017

O artigo busca evidenciar aspectos dos entrelaçamentos entre a educação para os meios e a chamada Educação conectada, a partir dos resultados finais obtidos no estudo de caso que investigou a reconfiguração tecnológica e o esforço adaptativo da comunidade escolar durante a implementação do uso pedagógico das TICs nos ambientes de ensino-aprendizagem do projeto GENTE (Ginásio Experimental de Novas Tecnologias).
Inovações no ensino híbrido: uma perspectiva a partir da teoria ator-rede
Authors: Angeluci Alan Cesar Belo , Cacavallo Marcello
Published: June 2017

O presente artigo apresenta um estudo de caráter qualitativo em que dados coletados indicam as principais palavras-plenas relacionadas às práticas inovadoras de ensino híbrido a partir de entrevistas feitas com especialistas do campo no Brasil. Com apoio do software Atlas.ti, elas foram associadas e analisadas à luz de oito conceitos recorrentes na Teoria Ator-Rede, formulada por Bruno Latour. O estudioso francês preconiza que em um mundo híbrido formado por diversos atores — humanos e não humanos — interligados e dependentes uns dos outros, não há parâmetros para se estabelecer uma relação em que homem ou máquina são mais ou menos importantes que um ou outro. As inovações no ensino híbrido revelam-se, portanto, como terreno fértil para reflexão sobre as tensões entre essas duas instâncias.
Ten‐Year (2001–2011) Trends in the Incidence Rates and Short‐Term Outcomes of Early Versus Late Onset Cardiogenic Shock After Hospitalization for Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Nguyen Hoa L. , Yarzebski Jorge , Lessard Darleen , Gore Joel M. , McManus David D. , Goldberg Robert J.
Published: June 2017

Background

Cardiogenic shock (
CS
) is a serious complication of acute myocardial infarction, and the time of onset of
CS
has a potential role in influencing its prognosis. Limited contemporary data exist on this complication, however, especially from a population‐based perspective. Our study objectives were to describe decade‐long trends in the incidence, in‐hospital mortality, and factors associated with the development of
CS
in 3 temporal contexts: (1) before hospital arrival for acute myocardial infarction (prehospital
CS
); (2) within 24 hours of hospitalization (early
CS
); and (3) ≥24 hours after hospitalization (late
CS
).

Methods and Results

The study population consisted of 5782 patients with an acute myocardial infarction who were admitted to all 11 hospitals in central Massachusetts on a biennial basis between 2001 and 2011. The overall proportion of patients who developed
CS
was 5.2%. The proportion of patients with prehospital
CS
(1.6%) and late
CS
(1.5%) remained stable over time, whereas the proportion of patients with early
CS
declined from 2.2% in 2001–2003 to 1.2% in 2009–2011. In‐hospital mortality for prehospital
CS
increased from 38.9% in 2001–2003 to 53.6% in 2009–2011, whereas in‐hospital mortality for early and late
CS
decreased over time (35.9% and 64.7% in 2001–2003 to 15.8% and 39.1% in 2009–2011, respectively).

Conclusions

Development of prehospital and in‐hospital
CS
was associated with poor short‐term survival and the in‐hospital death rates among those with prehospital
CS
increased over time. Interventions focused on preventing or treating prehospital and late
CS
are needed to improve in‐hospital survival after acute myocardial infarction.
Willing to Pay: Competing Paradigms about Resistance to Paying for Water Services in Cairo, Egypt
Authors: Farmer Tessa
Published: June 2017

Though administrators and end-users are both dissatisfied with water pricing in Egypt, the two groups labor under competing paradigms about what is wrong about the system and why. Water sector agencies and experts from international organizations blame public unwillingness to pay for water at the door of mistaken notions of entitlement, arguing that users do not want to pay because they see water as a gift from the divine and have lingering expectations from a previous social contract requiring the state to provide basic services to citizens. In response to this framing of the problem, the state works to make visible the infrastructural systems that create potable water to justify water costs. This paradigm deliberately misses the point that it is access, quality and cost issues that drive public opposition to paying for water. Based on sixteen months of research in the informal settlement of Ezbet Khairallah in Cairo, Egypt, this article establishes that residents are, in fact, intimately aware of the material and bureaucratic realities of water systems. It is the dysfunctional system and the arbitrary payment systems that put the legitimacy of state claims into question. In this article, I argue that the Egyptian State’s focus on infrastructural legibility as a solution to payment resistance is a way to appear to address citizen concerns without accepting responsibility for continuing problems.
(Ground)Water Governance and Legal Development in Iran, 1906–2016
Authors: Nabavi Ehsan
Published: June 2017

One hundred and ten years after the Persian (Iranian) constitution of 1906, the country is experiencing a serious water crisis. Blame is often attributed to the government’s mismanagement. This paper aims to throw light on the water-related laws and policies throughout Iran’s history to unravel the cause of this crisis from a legal perspective. This research provides a concise review on how the state’s development policies can be read through the water-relevant laws. To this end, the study defines and explores the laws through five chronological periods: (1) Codification, (2) Fast-paced Development and legislation, (3) Development and protection, (4) Development and Justice, (5) Back-to-Development. Along with highlighting the social, political, and economic background of each period, the key laws associated with water regulation are introduced and their implications on the development policies are discussed. This historical review provides us with insights about the question of why Iran is currently struggling with multiple challenges in the water sector, which are manifested as dried out rivers, disappearing lakes, and depleted groundwater.
Performing Vengeance in Agrippa d’Aubigné’s Les Tragiques
Authors: Voeks Ashley M.
Published: June 2017

This essay examines expressions of retribution in “Vengeances,” Bookviof Agrippa d’Aubigné’s seven-book epic,Les Tragiques(1616). Early modern registers of vengeance provide contexts for the ways in which Aubigné navigates a self-proclaimed duty and desire to see that justice is served, in both earthly and celestial realms. Early modern vengeance, it is argued here, can best be understood in performative terms. As this essay demonstrates, verse is a filter through which Aubigné makes manifest his desire for retribution.
Before the Main Game: Australia’s Citizen Infantry Battalion Commanders before the First World War
Authors: Westerman William
Published: June 2017

This article explores officer capability and culture of the Australian army before the First World War, in particular those officers who held infantry battalion commands. Although the men who served in Australia’s part-time citizen army as infantry battalion commanders showed dedication and enthusiasm for soldiering, they were under-developed as infantry commanders, owing to time constraints and general under-investment in officer education and training. Officers who became battalion commanders were also relatively old, and their rise through the ranks was facilitated more by social position, rather than competence or experience. As a result, those Citizen Forces battalion commanders who enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force largely failed to carry out commands effectively in wartime, an indictment on the state of the Australian Army before the First World War.
The British-led 14th Army in Burma, 1942–1945: The Remarkable Recovery and Successful Transformation of a Military Organization at War
Authors: Ho Toh Boon , Kwan Toh Boon
Published: June 2017

The British-led 14th Army was the Indian Army’s principal formation fighting against the Imperial Japanese Army in Burma from 1942 to 1945. Successive defeats in the Far East made the Indian Army the object of disdain, ridicule and scorn expressed by the senior political and military leadership in London. This leadership dismissed their socially inferior Indian Army counterparts as a “second xi”, commanding a second-rate organization comprising “black” troops. The Indian Army, however, had learnt from its earlier mistakes and had undergone a remarkable recovery and successful organizational transformation amidst bitter combat against their Japanese foe. Improvements in leadership, training and morale, tactical innovations, and the brilliant execution of operational strategy helped resolve London’s strategic impasse over the war against Japan. The end result was the greatest Japanese military defeat in history until it was eclipsed by the Red Army’s decisive blow against Japanese forces in Manchuria in August 1945.
What Determines the Distribution of Shallow Convective Mass Flux through a Cloud Base?
Authors: Sakradzija Mirjana , Hohenegger Cathy
Published: June 2017

The distribution of cloud-base mass flux is studied using large-eddy simulations (LESs) of two reference cases: one representing conditions over the tropical ocean and another one representing midlatitude conditions over land. To examine what sets the difference between the two distributions, nine additional LES cases are set up as variations of the two reference cases. It is found that the total surface heat flux and its changes over the diurnal cycle do not influence the distribution shape. The latter is also not determined by the level of organization in the cloud field. It is instead determined by the ratio of the surface sensible heat flux to the latent heat flux, that is, the Bowen ratio B. This ratio sets the thermodynamic efficiency of the moist convective heat cycle, which determines the portion of the total surface heat flux that can be transformed into mechanical work of convection against mechanical dissipation. The thermodynamic moist heat cycle sets the average mass flux per cloud 〈m〉, and through 〈m〉 it also controls the shape of the distribution. An expression for 〈m〉 is derived based on the moist convective heat cycle and is evaluated against LES. This expression can be used in shallow cumulus parameterizations as a physical constraint on the mass flux distribution. The similarity between the mass flux and the cloud area distributions indicates that B also has a role in shaping the cloud area distribution, which could explain its different shapes and slopes observed in previous studies.
The Subtropical Stratocumulus-Topped Planetary Boundary Layer: A Climatology and the Lagrangian Evolution
Authors: Eastman Ryan , Wood Robert , Ting O Kuan
Published: June 2017

Prior work has shown that deeper planetary boundary layers (PBLs) are associated with cloud breakup and reduced droplet concentration in subtropical stratocumulus cloud decks, motivating a need for a thorough understanding of PBL mechanics. Here, 169 000 boundary layer trajectories are calculated in four eastern subtropical ocean basins following reanalysis winds at 925 mb (1 mb = 1 hPa). These trajectories combined with a twice-daily cloud-top-height-inferred PBL depth product allow for a comprehensive Lagrangian analysis of the stratocumulus (Sc)-topped PBL as the cloud deck transitions from Sc to trade cumulus (Cu). Month-to-month variations of this PBL product are strongly positively correlated with an independent PBL product derived from GPS radio occultation.

A climatology shows the PBL deepening offshore in every region. The yearly cycle of PBL depth varies in opposition to the yearly cycle of lower-tropospheric stability (LTS), but high-frequency variation between LTS and PBL depth is more complex. Observed geographical patterns of Lagrangian PBL deepening rates appear nonuniform between and within study regions, with smaller regions of maximum deepening rates. A Lagrangian analysis suggests that many variables act to alter the PBL: increased sea surface temperature and droplet concentration act to deepen the PBL, while increases in upper-level humidity, LTS, precipitation, upper-level temperature, and subsidence lead to PBL shallowing.
Simultaneous Evolution of Gyre and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Anomalies as an Eigenmode of the North Atlantic System
Authors: Zhao Bowen , Reichler Thomas , Strong Courtenay , Penland Cecile
Published: June 2017

The authors identify an interdecadal oscillatory mode of the North Atlantic atmosphere–ocean system in a general circulation model (GFDL CM2.1) via a linear inverse model (LIM). The oscillation mechanism is mostly embedded in the subpolar gyre: anomalous advection generates density anomalies in the eastern subpolar gyre, which propagate along the mean gyre circulation and reach the subpolar gyre center around 10 years later, when associated anomalous advection of the opposite sign starts the other half cycle. As density anomalies reach the Labrador Sea deep convection region, Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) anomalies are also induced. Both the gyre and AMOC anomalies then propagate equatorward slowly, following the advection of density anomalies. The oscillation is further demonstrated to be more likely an ocean-only mode while excited by the atmospheric forcing; in particular, it can be approximated as a linearly driven damped oscillator that is partly excited by the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The slowly evolving interdecadal oscillation significantly improves and prolongs the LIM’s prediction skill of sea surface temperature (SST) evolution.
A Sensitivity Study of an Effective Aerodynamic Parameter Scheme in Simulating Land–Atmosphere Interaction for a Sea–Land Breeze Case Around the Bohai Gulf of China
Authors: Zhong Zhong , Sun Yuan , Yang Xiu-Qun , Guo Weidong , Chen Haishan
Published: June 2017

Numerical simulations of the atmospheric boundary layer require careful representation of the surface heterogeneity, which involves the upscaling parameterization scheme for the heterogeneous surface parameters. In this study, the sensitivity comparisons of an effective aerodynamic parameter scheme against the area-weighted average scheme in simulating the land–atmosphere interaction over heterogeneous terrain were carried out by conducting multinested simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model at coarse and fine resolutions, for a typical sea–land breeze case in the Bohai Gulf of China. The results show that the limited-area model is sensitive to the aerodynamic parameter scheme and the effective aerodynamic parameter scheme exhibits a better performance in simulating the variables and parameters in the land–atmosphere interaction process, such as surface wind speed, sensible heat flux, latent heat flux, friction velocity, and surface air temperature, among others, for short-term simulations. Particularly, the underestimation of sensible heat flux and overestimation of latent heat flux over heterogeneous terrain with area-weighted average scheme for aerodynamic parameters can be improved with the effective parameter scheme in the coastal regions, where the mean simulation error with the effective parameter scheme is about one-half of that with the average scheme for sensible heat flux and one-third for latent heat flux.
Measurements of the Directional Spectrum across the Equilibrium Saturation Ranges of Wind-Generated Surface Waves
Authors: Lenain Luc , Melville W. Kendall
Published: June 2017

It is now well accepted that to better understand the coupling between the atmosphere and the ocean, and improve coupled ocean–atmosphere models, surface wave processes need to be taken into account. Here, properties of the directional distributions of the surface wave field across the equilibrium and saturation ranges are investigated from airborne lidar data collected during the ONR Southern California 2013 (SoCal2013) experiment, conducted off the coast of Southern California in November 2013. During the field effort, detailed characterization of the marine atmospheric boundary layer was performed from Research Platform (R/P) Floating Instrument Platform (FLIP), moored at the center of the aircraft operational domain. The wind speed ranged from approximately 1–2 to up to 11 m s−1, while the significant wave height varied from 0.8 to 2.5 m during the 10 days of data collection considered in the analysis. The directional wavenumber spectrum exhibits a clear, bimodal distribution that extends well beyond what was reported in previous studies, with the azimuthal separation between the lobes reaching ≈π for the highest wavenumbers that could be resolved: approximately 10–12 rad m−1. The results demonstrate that opposing wave components can be found in one storm system rather than requiring waves from opposing storms, with implications for ocean acoustics. With the broad wavenumber range of the directional spectra obtained from the lidar, the transition from the equilibrium to saturation ranges over a range of wind forcing conditions is found to occur for ≈ 1–2 × 10−3, where kn is the wavenumber at the upper limit of the equilibrium range, u* the friction velocity, and g the gravitational acceleration. The results are discussed in the context of Phillips’ model of the equilibrium range of wind-generated gravity waves.
Stabilizing Hydrographic Profiles with Minimal Change to the Water Masses
Authors: Barker Paul M. , McDougall Trevor J.
Published: June 2017

Both observed and averaged oceanographic data often contain regions with density inversions. This paper presents two methods of stabilizing a water column. The first method is intended for use with observed data; it minimally adjusts Absolute Salinity while leaving the values of in situ temperature unchanged. The second method adjusts the values of both Absolute Salinity and Conservative Temperature, and these adjustments are made in such a way as to cause the least possible damage to the water-mass structure of the vertical cast.