bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Testosterone therapy in men with testosterone deficiency: are the benefits and cardiovascular risks real or imagined?
Authors: Traish Abdulmaged M.
Published: August 2016

In the adult male, testosterone (T) deficiency (TD) also known as male hypogonadism, is a well-established medical condition, which has been recognized for more than a century. T therapy in men with TD was introduced as early as 1940s and was reported to improve overall health with no concomitant serious adverse effects. A wealth of recent studies demonstrated that T therapy in men with TD is associated with increased lean body mass, reduced fat mass and waist circumference, improvement in glycemic control, and reduced obesity. T therapy is also associated with improvements in lipid profiles, amelioration of metabolic syndrome (Met S) components, reduced inflammatory biomarkers, reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and improvements in sexual function. More importantly, T therapy is associated with amelioration of diabetes and reduced mortality. However, few studies, marred with serious methodological and analytical flaws reported between 2010 and 2014, suggested that T therapy is associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. As summarized in this review, a thorough and critical analysis of these studies showed that the risks purported are unsubstantiated and such studies lacked credible scientific and clinical evidence. Moreover, recent observational, registry studies, clinical trials, and meta-analyses, all revealed no increase in CV risks in men receiving T therapy. In this review, the benefits of T therapy in adult men with TD and the lack of credible evidence suggesting that T therapy is linked to increased CV risks are discussed. It should be noted that the literature is replete with studies demonstrating beneficial effects of T therapy on CV and overall health.
Diffusive shunting of gases and other molecules in the renal vasculature: physiological and evolutionary significance
Authors: Ngo Jennifer P. , Ow Connie P.C. , Gardiner Bruce S. , Kar Saptarshi , Pearson James T. , Smith David W. , Evans Roger G.
Published: August 2016

Countercurrent systems have evolved in a variety of biological systems that allow transfer of heat, gases, and solutes. For example, in the renal medulla, the countercurrent arrangement of vascular and tubular elements facilitates the trapping of urea and other solutes in the inner medulla, which in turn enables the formation of concentrated urine. Arteries and veins in the cortex are also arranged in a countercurrent fashion, as are descending and ascending vasa recta in the medulla. For countercurrent diffusion to occur, barriers to diffusion must be small. This appears to be characteristic of larger vessels in the renal cortex. There must also be gradients in the concentration of molecules between afferent and efferent vessels, with the transport of molecules possible in either direction. Such gradients exist for oxygen in both the cortex and medulla, but there is little evidence that large gradients exist for other molecules such as carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, superoxide, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia. There is some experimental evidence for arterial-to-venous (AV) oxygen shunting. Mathematical models also provide evidence for oxygen shunting in both the cortex and medulla. However, the quantitative significance of AV oxygen shunting remains a matter of controversy. Thus, whereas the countercurrent arrangement of vasa recta in the medulla appears to have evolved as a consequence of the evolution of Henle’s loop, the evolutionary significance of the intimate countercurrent arrangement of blood vessels in the renal cortex remains an enigma.
Renal phenotype in Bardet-Biedl syndrome: a combined defect of urinary concentration and dilution is associated with defective urinary AQP2 and UMOD excretion
Authors: Zacchia Miriam , Zacchia Enza , Zona Enrica , Capolongo Giovanna , Raiola Ilaria , Rinaldi Luca , Trepiccione Francesco , Ingrosso Diego , Perna Alessandra , Di Iorio Valentina , Simonelli Francesca , Moe Orson W. , Capasso Giovambattista
Published: August 2016

The renal phenotype in Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is highly variable. The present study describes renal findings in 41 BBS patients and analyzes the pathogenesis of hyposthenuria, the most common renal dysfunction. Five of 41 patients (12%) showed an estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 ml·min−1·1.73 m−2. Urine protein and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio were over 200 and 30 mg/g in 9/24 and 7/23 patients, respectively. Four of 41 patients showed no renal anomalies on ultrasound. Twenty of 34 patients had hyposthenuria in the absence of renal insufficiency. In all 8 of the hyposthenuric patients studied, dDAVP failed to elevate urine osmolality (Uosm), suggesting a nephrogenic origin. Interestingly, water loading (WL) did not result in a significant reduction of Uosm, indicating combined concentrating and diluting defects. dDAVP infusion induced a significant increase of plasma Factor VIII and von Willebrand Factor levels, supporting normal function of the type 2 vasopressin receptor at least in endothelial cells. While urinary aquaporin 2 (u-AQP2) abundance was not different between patients and controls at baseline, the dDAVP-induced increased u-AQP2 and the WL-induced reduction of u-AQP2 were blunted in patients with a combined concentrating and diluting defect, suggesting a potential role of AQP2 in the defective regulation of water absorption. Urine Uromodulin excretion was reduced in all hyposthenuric patients, suggesting a thick ascending limb defect. Interestingly, renal Na, Cl, Ca, but not K handling was impaired after acute WL but not at basal. In summary, BBS patients show combined urinary concentration and dilution defects; a thick ascending limb and collecting duct tubulopathy may underlie impaired water handling.
Brain Insulin Resistance at the Crossroads of Metabolic and Cognitive Disorders in Humans
Authors: Kullmann Stephanie , Heni Martin , Hallschmid Manfred , Fritsche Andreas , Preissl Hubert , Häring Hans-Ulrich
Published: August 2016

Ever since the brain was identified as an insulin-sensitive organ, evidence has rapidly accumulated that insulin action in the brain produces multiple behavioral and metabolic effects, influencing eating behavior, peripheral metabolism, and cognition. Disturbances in brain insulin action can be observed in obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D), as well as in aging and dementia. Decreases in insulin sensitivity of central nervous pathways, i.e., brain insulin resistance, may therefore constitute a joint pathological feature of metabolic and cognitive dysfunctions. Modern neuroimaging methods have provided new means of probing brain insulin action, revealing the influence of insulin on both global and regional brain function. In this review, we highlight recent findings on brain insulin action in humans and its impact on metabolism and cognition. Furthermore, we elaborate on the most prominent factors associated with brain insulin resistance, i.e., obesity, T2D, genes, maternal metabolism, normal aging, inflammation, and dementia, and on their roles regarding causes and consequences of brain insulin resistance. We also describe the beneficial effects of enhanced brain insulin signaling on human eating behavior and cognition and discuss potential applications in the treatment of metabolic and cognitive disorders.
First Record of the Pink Lipped Moray Eel, Echidna rhodochilus (Bleeker 1863) (Family: Muraenidae), from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
Authors: Arun Kumar M. , Venu S. , Padmavati G.
Published: August 2016

The paper is the first record of the occurrence of the Pink Lipped Moray Eel, Echidna rhodochilus (Bleeker 1863), from India. The current specimen was caught from the mangrove creeks of Carbyn’s Cove, South Andaman. This species is known so far from Western Pacific and southeastern Indian Ocean up to Australia and Indonesia. The present study indicates that there are more studies to be conducted on the ichthyofauna of these islands for a better understanding of the biodiversity of this area.
[MG49-LiClO4]:[TiO2-SiO2] Polymer Electrolytes: In Situ Preparation and Characterization
Authors: Kang Oon Lee , Ahmad Azizan , Hassan Nur Hasyareeda , Rana Usman Ali
Published: August 2016

In the present research, [MG49-LiClO4]:[HNO3-THF/TiO2-SiO2] and [MG49-LiClO4]:[ClHNO2-THF/TiO2-SiO2] polymer electrolytes were first prepared through simple stepwise in situ techniques: sol-gel technique and solution-cast technique. [MG49-LiClO4]:[HNO3-THF/TiO2-SiO2] and [MG49-LiClO4]:[ClHNO2-THF/TiO2-SiO2] polymer electrolytes were then characterized through different experimental techniques. [MG49-LiClO4]:[HNO3-THF/TiO2-SiO2] and [MG49-LiClO4]:[ClHNO2-THF/TiO2-SiO2] polymer electrolytes had exhibited significant structural changes upon different salt concentrations. In the present investigation, [MG49-LiClO4]:[HNO3-THF/TiO2-SiO2] and [MG49-LiClO4]:[ClHNO2-THF/TiO2-SiO2] polymer electrolytes had attained maximum ionic conductivities (σ~10-7 S/cm at ambient temperature; 10−4 S/cm at 100°C) upon 25 wt.% salt insertion. [MG49-LiClO4]:[HNO3-THF/TiO2-SiO2] and [MG49-LiClO4]:[ClHNO2-THF/TiO2-SiO2] polymer electrolytes had exhibited distinct conduction mechanisms in similar experimental configuration. [MG49-LiClO4]:[HNO3-THF/TiO2-SiO2] and [MG49-LiClO4]:[ClHNO2-THF/TiO2-SiO2] polymer electrolytes had exhibited different stability characteristics over certain operational condition.
Acidosis Acts through HSP90 in a PHD/VHL-Independent Manner to Promote HIF Function and Stem Cell Maintenance in Glioma
Authors: Filatova Alina , Seidel Sascha , Böğürcü Nuray , Gräf Sabine , Garvalov Boyan K. , Acker Till
Published: August 2016

Hypoxia is a common feature of solid tumors, which controls multiple aspects of cancer progression. One important function of hypoxia and the hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) is the maintenance of cancer stem-like cells (CSC), a population of tumor cells that possess stem cell-like properties and drives tumor growth. Among the changes promoted by hypoxia is a metabolic shift resulting in acidification of the tumor microenvironment. Here, we show that glioma hypoxia and acidosis functionally cooperate in inducing HIF transcription factors and CSC maintenance. We found that these effects did not involve the classical PHD/VHL pathway for HIF upregulation, but instead involved the stress-induced chaperone protein HSP90. Genetic or pharmacologic inactivation of HSP90 inhibited the increase in HIF levels and abolished the self-renewal and tumorigenic properties of CSCs induced by acidosis. In clinical specimens of glioma, HSP90 was upregulated in the hypoxic niche and was correlated with a CSC phenotype. Our findings highlight the role of tumor acidification within the hypoxic niche in the regulation of HIF and CSC function through HSP90, with implications for therapeutic strategies to target CSC in gliomas and other hypoxic tumors. Cancer Res; 76(19); 5845–56. ©2016 AACR.
Structural Basis for Induction of Peripheral Neuropathy by Microtubule-Targeting Cancer Drugs
Authors: Smith Jennifer A. , Slusher Barbara S. , Wozniak Krystyna M. , Farah Mohamed H. , Smiyun Gregoriy , Wilson Leslie , Feinstein Stuart , Jordan Mary Ann
Published: August 2016

Peripheral neuropathy is a serious, dose-limiting side effect of cancer treatment with microtubule-targeting drugs. Symptoms present in a “stocking-glove” distribution, with longest nerves affected most acutely, suggesting a length-dependent component to the toxicity. Axonal transport of ATP-producing mitochondria along neuronal microtubules from cell body to synapse is crucial to neuronal function. We compared the effects of the drugs paclitaxel and ixabepilone that bind along the lengths of microtubules and the drugs eribulin and vincristine that bind at microtubule ends, on mitochondrial trafficking in cultured human neuronal SK-N-SH cells and on axonal transport in mouse sciatic nerves. Antiproliferative concentrations of paclitaxel and ixabepilone significantly inhibited the anterograde transport velocity of mitochondria in neuronal cells, whereas eribulin and vincristine inhibited transport only at significantly higher concentrations. Confirming these observations, anterogradely transported amyloid precursor protein accumulated in ligated sciatic nerves of control and eribulin-treated mice, but not in paclitaxel-treated mice, indicating that paclitaxel inhibited anterograde axonal transport, whereas eribulin did not. Electron microscopy of sciatic nerves of paclitaxel-treated mice showed reduced organelle accumulation proximal to the ligation consistent with inhibition of anterograde (kinesin based) transport by paclitaxel. In contrast, none of the drugs significantly affected retrograde (dynein based) transport in neuronal cells or mouse nerves. Collectively, these results suggest that paclitaxel and ixabepilone, which bind along the lengths and stabilize microtubules, inhibit kinesin-based axonal transport, but not dynein-based transport, whereas the microtubule-destabilizing drugs, eribulin and vincristine, which bind preferentially to microtubule ends, have significantly less effect on all microtubule-based axonal transport. Cancer Res; 76(17); 5115–23. ©2016 AACR.
Individualized Molecular Analyses Guide Efforts (IMAGE): A Prospective Study of Molecular Profiling of Tissue and Blood in Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Parsons Heather A. , Beaver Julia A. , Cimino-Mathews Ashley , Ali Siraj M. , Axilbund Jennifer , Chu David , Connolly Roisin M. , Cochran Rory L. , Croessmann Sarah , Clark Travis A. , Gocke Christopher D. , Jeter Stacie C. , Kennedy Mark R. , Lauring Josh , Lee Justin , Lipson Doron , Miller Vincent A. , Otto Geoff A. , Rosner Gary L. , Ross Jeffrey S. , Slater Shannon , Stephens Philip J. , VanDenBerg Dustin A. , Wolff Antonio C. , Young Lauren E. , Zabransky Daniel J. , Zhang Zhe , Zorzi Jane , Stearns Vered , Park Ben H.
Published: August 2016

Purpose: The clinical utility of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in breast cancer has not been demonstrated. We hypothesized that we could perform NGS of a new biopsy from patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in a clinically actionable timeframe.

Experimental Design: We planned to enroll 40 patients onto a prospective study, Individualized Molecular Analyses Guide Efforts (IMAGE), to evaluate the feasibility of obtaining a new biopsy of a metastatic site, perform NGS (FoundationOne), and convene a molecular tumor board to formulate treatment recommendations within 28 days. We collected blood at baseline and at time of restaging to assess cell-free circulating plasma tumor DNA (ptDNA).

Results: We enrolled 26 women with metastatic TNBC who had received ≥1 line of prior chemotherapy, and 20 (77%) underwent NGS of a metastatic site biopsy. Twelve (60%) evaluable patients received treatment recommendations within 28 days of consent. The study closed after 20 patients underwent NGS, based on protocol-specified interim futility analysis. Three patients went on to receive genomically directed therapies. Twenty-four of 26 patients had genetic alterations successfully detected in ptDNA. Among 5 patients, 4 mutations found in tumor tissues were not identified in blood, and 4 mutations found in blood were not found in corresponding tumors. In 9 patients, NGS of follow-up blood samples showed 100% concordance with baseline blood samples.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates challenges of performing NGS on prospective tissue biopsies in patients with metastatic TNBC within 28 days, while also highlighting the potential use of blood as a more time-efficient and less invasive method of mutational assessment. Clin Cancer Res; 23(2); 379–86. ©2016 AACR.
New Perspectives in Multiple Primary Colorectal Cancer: A Surgical Approach
Authors: Brandariz Lorena , Alegre Cristina , Rueda Daniel , Arriba Maria , Alonso Laura , Nutu Anisa , Rodríguez Yolanda , Pajares José Antonio , Ferrero Eduardo , García-Borda Javier , Perea José
Published: August 2016

Background: We identify the features of multiple primary colorectal cancer (MPCC), synchronous colorectal cancer (SCRC) and metachronous colorectal cancer (MCRC), and distinguish between the cases that require a more extensive surgery and those where the parameters of SCRC might be important to prevent the development of MCRC. Methods: We gathered up consecutive individuals with MPCC, 50 for each category, and 100 consecutive individuals diagnosed with ‘single' colorectal cancer. Clinical and familiar information was obtained. We classified both SCRC and MCRC according to locations. Results: MPCC were associated with polyps, both in earlier stages and as sporadic forms. SCRC located in the right colon were most frequently of the mucinous type. MCRC developed SCRC in 24%, along the entire colon, with familiar cancer antecedents. SCRC patients undergoing a total colectomy were younger, with the cancer spread throughout the entire colon and a larger number of polyps, whereas MCRC were predominantly adenomatous polyps. We found 2 risk factors for SCRC that led to the development of MCRC: rectal location and higher number of polyps. Conclusions: SCRC possibly involves more than an environmental component. MCRC appears to be the producer of polyps that evolve into cancer at different times, emphasising the idea of a genetic predisposition. Studies are required to find biomarkers that define patients with higher risk of developing MCRC within SCRC.
Melatonin Receptor 1 Deficiency Affects Feeding Dynamics and Pro-Opiomelanocortin Expression in the Arcuate Nucleus and Pituitary of Mice
Authors: Fischer Claudia , Mueller Tanja , Pfeffer Martina , Wicht Helmut , von Gall Charlotte , Korf Horst-Werner
Published: August 2016

Background/Methods: Melatonin, the neurohormone for darkness, mediates photoperiod-dependent changes in physiology and behavior by targeting specific membrane-bound receptors (MT1 and MT2). In the present study, we investigated the impact of MT1 receptor deficiency on feeding behavior, locomotor activity and mRNA expression levels encoding for the polypeptide pro-opiomelanocortin (Pomc) and neuropeptide Y (Npy) in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) and the adenohypophysis [pars distalis (PD) and pars intermedia (PI)] in a comparison between wild-type (WT) and MT1-deficient (MT1-/-) mice. Results: The MT1-/- mice spent significantly more time feeding than the WT mice, while the general locomotor behavior, body weight and the total amount of food consumed did not differ between both genotypes. The nocturnal expression levels of Pomc in the ARC and PD were significantly higher in WT as compared to MT1-/- mice and exogenous melatonin administered during the light phase stimulated Pomc expression in WT mice only. No differences were found between WT and MT1-/- mice with regard to Pomc expression levels in the PI. Conclusion: Thus, the MT1-mediated signaling stimulates Pomc expression in a region-specific pattern. Since the MT1-mediated changes in Pomc expression do not elicit direct orexigenic or anorexigenic effects, such effects are obviously mediated by regulatory systems downstream of the Pomc mRNA (e.g. cleavage and release of POMC derivatives), which are independent of MT1 signaling.
Prothrombin complex concentrates versus fresh frozen plasma for warfarin reversal A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chai-Adisaksopha Chatree , Hillis Christopher , Siegal Deborah M. , Movilla Ron , Heddle Nancy , Crowther Mark , Iorio Alfonso
Published: August 2016

Urgent reversal of warfarin is required for patients who experience major bleeding or require urgent surgery. Treatment options include the combination of vitamin K and coagulation factor replacement with either prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) or fresh frozen plasma (FFP). However, the optimal reversal strategy is unclear based on clinically relevant outcomes. We searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane library to December 2015. Thirteen studies (5 randomised studies and 8 observational studies) were included. PCC use was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality compared to FFP (OR= 0.56, 95 % CI; 0.37–0.84, p=0.006). A higher proportion of patients receiving PCC achieved haemostasis compared to those receiving FFP, but this was not statistically significant (OR 2.00, 95 % CI; 0.85–4.68). PCC use was more likely to achieve normalisation of international normalised ratio (INR) (OR 10.80, 95 % CI; 6.12–19.07) and resulted in a shorter time to INR correction (mean difference –6.50 hours, 95 %CI; –9.75 to –3.24). Red blood cell transfusion was not statistically different between the two groups (OR 0.88, 95 % CI: 0.53–1.43). Patients receiving PCC had a lower risk of post-transfusion volume overload compared to FFP (OR 0.27, 95 % CI; 0.13–0.58). There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of thromboembolism following administration of PCC or FFP (OR 0.91, 95 % CI; 0.44–1.89). In conclusion, as compared to FFP, the use of PCC for warfarin reversal was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality, more rapid INR reduction, and less volume overload without an increased risk of thromboembolic events.

Supplementary Material to this article is available online at www.thrombosis-online.com.
Managing reversal of direct oral anticoagulants in emergency situations
Authors: Büller Harry R. , Falanga Anna , Hacke Werner , Hendriks Jeroen , Lobban Trudie , Merino Jose , Milojevic Ivan S. , Moya Francisco , van der Worp H. Bart , Randall Gary , Tsioufis Konstantinos , Verhamme Peter , Camm A. John , Ageno Walter
Published: August 2016

Anticoagulation is the cornerstone of prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the mechanisms by which anticoagulants confer therapeutic benefit also increase the risk of bleeding. As such, reversal strategies are critical. Until recently, the direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban lacked a specific reversal agent. This report is based on findings from the Anticoagulation Education Task Force, which brought together patient groups and professionals representing different medical specialties with an interest in patient safety and expertise in AF, VTE, stroke, anticoagulation, and reversal agents, to discuss the current status of anticoagulation reversal and fundamental changes in management of bleeding associated with DOACs occasioned by the approval of idarucizumab, a specific reversal agent for dabigatran, as well as recent clinical data on specific reversal agents for factor Xa inhibitors. Recommendations are given for when there is a definite need for a reversal agent (e.g. in cases of life-threatening bleeding, bleeding into a closed space or organ, persistent bleeding despite local haemostatic measures, and need for urgent interventions and/or interventions that carry a high risk for bleeding), when reversal agents may be helpful, and when a reversal agent is generally not needed. Key stakeholders who require 24–7/around-the-clock access to these agents vary among hospitals; however, from a practical perspective the emergency department is recommended as an appropriate location for these agents. Clearly, the advent of new agents requires standardised protocols for treating bleeding on an institutional level.
Impact of timing from blood sampling to pharmacodynamic assessment on measures of platelet reactivity in patients treated with P2Y12 receptor inhibitors
Authors: Rollini Fabiana , Franchi Francesco , Singh Kamaldeep , Cho Jung , Bhatti Mona , DeGroat Christopher , Hu Jenny , Aggarwal Niti , Alobaidi Zeina , Thano Estela , Ferrante Elisabetta , Zenni Martin M. , Bass Theodore A. , Angiolillo Dominick J.
Published: August 2016

Several platelet function tests (PFT) are available to assess the pharmacodynamic (PD) effects of P2Y12 inhibitors. However, there are technical variances between PFT, and P2Y12 inhibitors differ in pharmacological properties. Manufactures of PFT recommend a time-frame within which assessments needs to be executed. However, if the timing from blood sampling to processing affects PD results is unknown. We conducted a prospective study assessing the impact of timing from blood sampling to processing on PD measures using three different PFT. We studied 60 aspirin-treated patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) on maintenance P2Y12 inhibiting therapy [clopidogrel 75 mg/day (n=20), prasugrel 10 mg/day (n=20) and ticagrelor 90 mg bid (n=20)]. PD assessments (trough levels) were performed by VerifyNow P2Y12 (VN), light transmittance aggregometry (LTA) and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) at 30 minutes, 2 and 4 hours post-sampling; VASP was also performed at 24 hours. P2Y12 reaction units (PRU) by VN significantly decreased over time with all P2Y12 inhibitors (clopidogrel p<0.001; prasugrel p=0.016; ticagrelor p<0.001). PRU at 30 minutes and 2 hours were similar, but decreased at 4 hours. LTA showed consistent findings with VN. Conversely, PD measures as assessed by VASP were stable over time (p>0.1 for all P2Y12 inhibitors). In conclusion, in CAD patients on maintenance therapy with P2Y12 inhibitors, timing from blood sampling to processing significantly influences PD measures as assessed by VN and LTA, but not by VASP.
Écfrase e o palco: teatralidade e recepção
Authors: Webb Ruth
Published: August 2016

Para a teoria antiga, uma das características da écfrase – e do conceito afim da enargeia – é sua natureza teatral. A analogia com o palco está presente no objetivo expresso da écfrase (“transformar ouvintes em espectadores”), assim como seu uso é associado a contextos em que o emissor é concebido como participante de uma performance ao vivo diante de uma audiência. Este artigo trata das implicações da écfrase como performance para nossa leitura de uma série de textos, dando atenção especial para o uso de uma linguagem vívida na tragédia clássica, na qual as imagens evocadas pela fala do mensageiro existem em conformidade com a visão real do palco. Leitores de séculos posteriores parece que estavam conscientes desse efeito e de seus paradoxos, como sugere a presença, entre as Imagines de Filóstrato, de diversas cenas inspiradas em falas de mensageiros de tragédias, apresentadas como se fossem os motivos das pinturas. Portanto, duas formas de recepção devem ser consideradas: a recepção das peças pela audiência ateniense original; e a recepção dos textos dessas mesmas peças pelos leitores em períodos posteriores da Antiguidade.
Cena e cenografia no Íon de Eurípides
Authors: Duarte Adriane Da Silva
Published: August 2016

Eurípides destaca-se entre os poetas trágicos pelo amplo emprego que faz de elementos visuais em sua poesia, valendo-se da écfrase. Em Íon dois momentos evidenciam essa qualidade, a descrição que o coro faz da fachada do templo de Apolo em Delfos, no párodo (184–221), e o relato do mensageiro, em que se narra o atentado à vida do herói homônimo (Íon, v. 1122–28). Concentrarei minha análise sobre esse última buscando demonstrar que Eurípides quis apresentar esta ação como se se tratasse de uma peça dentro da peça. O mensageiro emprega um vocabulário que remete aos termos técnicos do teatro e seu principal personagem, Íon, surge a uma só vez como ator, diretor e cenógrafo do drama que se desenrola longe dos olhos do público, mas ao alcance de seus ouvidos.
Écfrase e evidência
Authors: Rodolpho Melina
Published: August 2016

A écfrase é um procedimento descritivo empregado em textos retóricos e poéticos desde a Antiguidade Clássica, cuja finalidade é trazer o conteúdo descrito diante dos olhos por meio de recursos que tornem a imagem intensamente vivaz. Usualmente, é relacionada a outros procedimentos retóricos que contribuem para produzir o mesmo efeito de visualização, tal como a enargia e a evidência. Para tentar dirimir as dúvidas em relação à definição da écfrase e compreender a associação da écfrase com algumas figuras retóricas, apresenta-se aqui uma breve pesquisa com base em fontes retóricas antigas, tais como Aristóteles, os progymnásmata, Cícero e Quintiliano, e também em estudos recentes a respeito do tema. Alguns exemplos do uso da écfrase em textos antigos são analisados para verificar os recursos que possibilitam a visualização do discurso verbal.
Estimating the Impact of Raising Prices and Eliminating Discounts on Cigarette Smoking Prevalence in the United States
Authors: Marynak Kristy L. , Xu Xin , Wang Xu , Holmes Carissa Baker , Tynan Michael A. , Pechacek Terry
Published: August 2016

The average retail price per pack of cigarettes is less than $6, which is substantially lower than the $10 per-pack target established in 2014 by the Surgeon General to reduce the smoking rate. We estimated the impact of three cigarette pricing scenarios on smoking prevalence among teens aged 12–17 years, young adults aged 18–25 years, and adults aged ≥26 years, by state: ( 1) $0.94 federal tax increase on cigarettes, as proposed in the fiscal year 2017 President’s budget; ( 2) $10 per-pack retail price, allowing discounts; and ( 3) $10 per-pack retail price, eliminating discounts. We conducted Monte Carlo simulations to generate point estimates of reductions in cigarette smoking prevalence by state. We found that each price scenario would substantially reduce cigarette smoking prevalence. A $10 per-pack retail price eliminating discounts could result in 637,270 fewer smokers aged 12–17 years; 4,186,954 fewer smokers aged 18–25 years; and 7,722,460 fewer smokers aged ≥26 years. Raising cigarette prices and eliminating discounts could substantially reduce cigarette smoking prevalence as well as smoking-related death and disease.
Performance of Risk-Based and Birth-Cohort Strategies for Identifying Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among People Entering Prison, Wisconsin, 2014
Authors: Stockman Lauren J. , Greer James , Holzmacher Ryan , Dittmann Beth , Hoftiezer Scott A. , Alsum Lori E. , Prieve Audrey , Westergaard Ryan P. , Guilfoyle Sheila M. , Vergeront James M.
Published: August 2016

Objectives.

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among young adults is rising in Wisconsin. We examined the prevalence of HCV infection among male and female inmates entering two Wisconsin prisons and evaluated existing and alternate risk-based strategies for identifying HCV infection at intake.

Methods.

We added HCV testing to the intake procedures for all 1,239 adults prison entrants at the Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WDOC) from November 3, 2014, to January 31, 2015. We identified risk factors associated with HCV infection during the routine intake examination and calculated the sensitivity and specificity of risk-based testing strategies for identifying HCV infection.

Results.

The prevalence of HCV antibody among prison entrants was 12.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 10.7, 14.4) overall and was almost two times higher at the women’s facility (21.3%, 95% CI 15.4, 27.2) than at the men’s facility (11.0%, 95% CI 0.0, 12.9) ( p<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of the WDOC risk-based criteria were 88% (95% CI 83, 93) and 80% (95% CI 78, 83), respectively. Adding a new criterion, the 1945–1965 birth cohort, to the risk-based criteria improved the sensitivity to 92% (95% CI 88, 96) and lowered the specificity to 71% (95% CI 68, 74). Compared with entrants without these risk factors, HCV antibody prevalence was significantly higher among prison entrants who had the following risk factors: injection drug use (prevalence ratio [PR] = 9.9, 95% CI 7.4, 13.2), liver disease (PR=9.7, 95% CI 7.8, 12.0), and elevated levels of alanine transaminase (PR=3.6, 95% CI 2.7, 4.9).

Conclusion.

The WDOC risk criteria for HCV testing identified 88% of HCV infections among prison entrants. Including the 1945–1965 birth cohort as a criterion along with the other WDOC risk criteria increased the sensitivity of targeted testing to 92%. These findings may be informative to jurisdictions where universal HCV testing is not feasible because of resource limitations.
Epidemiology of Infectious Disease–Related Death After Release from Prison, Washington State, United States, and Queensland, Australia
Authors: Binswanger Ingrid A. , Blatchford Patrick J. , Forsyth Simon J. , Stern Marc F. , Kinner Stuart A.
Published: August 2016

Objectives.

People in prison may be at high risk for infectious diseases and have an elevated risk of death immediately after release compared with later; their risk of death is elevated for at least a decade after release. We compared rates, characteristics, and prison-related risk factors for infectious disease–related mortality among people released from prisons in Queensland, Australia, and Washington State, United States, regions with analogous available data.

Methods.

We analyzed data from retrospective cohort studies of people released from prison in Queensland (1997–2007, n=37,180) and Washington State (1999–2009, n=76,208) and linked identifiers from each cohort to its respective national death index. We estimated infectious disease–related mortality rates (deaths per person-years in community) and examined associations using Cox proportional hazard models.

Results.

The most frequent infectious disease–related underlying cause of death after release from prison was pneumonia (43%, 23/54 deaths) in the Australian cohort and viral hepatitis (40%, 69/171 deaths) in the U.S. cohort. The infectious disease–related mortality rate was significantly higher in the U.S. cohort than in the Australian cohort (51.2 vs. 26.5 deaths per 100,000 person-years; incidence rate ratio = 1.93, 95% confidence interval 1.42, 2.62). In both cohorts, increasing age was strongly associated with mortality from infectious diseases.

Conclusion.

Differences in the epidemiology of infectious disease–related mortality among people released from prison may reflect differences in patterns of community health service delivery in each region. These findings highlight the importance of preventing and treating hepatitis C and other infectious diseases during the transition from prison to the community.
Homicide Among American Indians/Alaska Natives, 1999–2009
Authors: Herne Mose A. , Maschino Alexandra C. , Graham-Phillips Anita L.
Published: August 2016

Objective.

We determined estimates of homicide among American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) compared with non-Hispanic white people to characterize disparities and improve AI/AN classification in incidence and mortality reporting.

Methods.

We linked 1999–2009 death certificate data with Indian Health Service (IHS) patient registration data to examine death rates from homicide among AI/AN and non-Hispanic white people. Our analysis focused primarily on residents of IHS Contract Health Service Delivery Area counties and excluded Hispanic people to avoid underestimation of incidence and mortality in AI/ANs and for consistency in our comparisons. We used age-adjusted death rates per 100,000 population and stratified our analyses by sex, age, and IHS region.

Results.

Death rates per 100,000 population from homicide were four times higher among AI/ANs (rate = 12.1) than among white people (rate = 2.8). Homicide rates for AI/ANs were highest in the Southwest (25.6 and 6.9 for males and females, respectively) and in Alaska (17.7 and 10.3 for males and females, respectively). Disparities between AI/ANs and non-Hispanic white people were highest in the Northern Plains region among men (rate ratio [RR] = 9.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 8.5, 11.3) and among those aged 25–44 years (RR=9.0, 95% CI 7.5, 10.7) and 0–24 years (RR=7.4, 95% CI 6.1, 8.9).

Conclusion.

Death rates from homicide among AI/ANs were higher than previously reported and varied by sex, age, and region. Violence prevention efforts involving a range of stakeholders are needed at the community level to address this important public health issue.
Before a fall: The role of the interpreter in Endo's Silence
Authors: Epps Peter G.
Published: August 2016

Readings of Endo's Silence usually focus on the pivotal conversations Ferreira and Inoue have with Rodrigues. Too tight a focus, however, diminishes the challenge the novel poses to modern readers; Silence becomes mere personal tragedy, selling short the novel's complex involvement in Buddhist–Christian dialogue. The character called “the interpreter” broadens that challenge. His three major conversations with Rodrigues present the groundwork and summation for a challenge more perennial and more specifically rooted in Endo's milieu than would appear from just those events surrounding the fumie scene.
Mrs. May’s Dark Night in Flannery O’Connor’s “Greenleaf”
Authors: Piggford George
Published: August 2016

Flannery O’Connor’s short story “Greenleaf” was significantly influenced by her engagement with the notion of the “dark night of the soul,” which is closely associated with the Christian mysticism of St. John of the Cross. O’Connor became familiar with the dark night through her reading of Evelyn Underhill’s Mysticism not long before the composition of “Greenleaf.” The story incorporates imagery from St. John’s poem “On a Dark Night” as well as its source text, the Song of Songs chapters 2 and 3. Mrs. May, the protagonist of “Greenleaf,” undergoes a somewhat ironized version of the dark night over the course of the narrative. Her ultimate experience of mystical union is conditioned and even produced by the story’s “sacralizing” use of free indirect discourse.
Intracluster Correlation Coefficients of Household Economic and Agricultural Outcomes in Mozambique
Authors: Geyer Judy , Davis Mikal , Narayan Tulika
Published: August 2016

Background:

This article offers important statistics to evaluators planning future evaluations in southeast Africa. There are little to no published statistics describing the variance of southeast African agricultural and household indicators.

Objective:

We seek to publish the standard deviations, intracluster correlation coefficients (ICCs), and R2s from outcomes and covariates used in a 2014 quasi-experimental evaluation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s Mozambique Farmer Income Support Project (FISP) and thus guide researchers in their calculation of design effects relevant to future evaluations in the region.

Method:

We summarize data from a roughly 168-item farmer survey conducted in 1,227 households during June–July 2014 in coconut-farming regions of the Zambezia province in Mozambique. We report descriptive statistics, estimates of ICC, and R2s obtained from linear regression models with cluster random effects. We consider three different cluster definitions.

Results:

We report ICCs for a range of different specifications. For the FISP evaluation, the average design effect for education outcomes is 1.16. Average design effects for wealth measures based on consumption are 1.23. For agricultural-related outcomes, 1.05 is the average design effects for income measures, 1.47 for knowledge, and 1.64 for sales of specific crops.

Conclusion:

We offer a detailed picture of the variance structure of agricultural and other outcomes in Mozambique. Our results indicate that the design effect associated with these outcomes is less than the rule-of-thumb design effect (2.0) used in nutrition studies which are commonly cited in the studies of this region.
An automated method measures variability in P-glycoprotein and ABCG2 densities across brain regions and brain matter
Authors: Kannan Pavitra , Schain Martin , Kretzschmar Warren W , Weidner Lora , Mitsios Nicholas , Gulyás Balázs , Blom Hans , Gottesman Michael M , Innis Robert B , Hall Matthew D , Mulder Jan
Published: August 2016

Changes in P-glycoprotein and ABCG2 densities may play a role in amyloid-beta accumulation in Alzheimer’s disease. However, previous studies report conflicting results from different brain regions, without correcting for changes in vessel density. We developed an automated method to measure transporter density exclusively within the vascular space, thereby correcting for vessel density. We then examined variability in transporter density across brain regions, matter, and disease using two cohorts of post-mortem brains from Alzheimer’s disease patients and age-matched controls. Changes in transporter density were also investigated in capillaries near plaques and on the mRNA level. P-glycoprotein density varied with brain region and matter, whereas ABCG2 density varied with brain matter. In temporal cortex, P-glycoprotein density was 53% lower in Alzheimer’s disease samples than in controls, and was reduced by 35% in capillaries near plaque deposits within Alzheimer’s disease samples. ABCG2 density was unaffected in Alzheimer’s disease. No differences were detected at the transcript level. Our study indicates that region-specific changes in transporter densities can occur globally and locally near amyloid-beta deposits in Alzheimer’s disease, providing an explanation for conflicting results in the literature. When differences in region and matter are accounted for, changes in density can be reproducibly measured using our automated method.
Insulin resistance is associated with lower arterial blood flow and reduced cortical perfusion in cognitively asymptomatic middle-aged adults
Authors: Hoscheidt Siobhan M , Kellawan J Mikhail , Berman Sara E , Rivera-Rivera Leonardo A , Krause Rachel A , Oh Jennifer M , Beeri Michal S , Rowley Howard A , Wieben Oliver , Carlsson Cynthia M , Asthana Sanjay , Johnson Sterling C , Schrage William G , Bendlin Barbara B
Published: August 2016

Insulin resistance (IR) is associated with poor cerebrovascular health and increased risk for dementia. Little is known about the unique effect of IR on both micro- and macrovascular flow particularly in midlife when interventions against dementia may be most effective. We examined the effect of IR as indexed by the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) on cerebral blood flow in macro- and microvessels utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) among cognitively asymptomatic middle-aged individuals. We hypothesized that higher HOMA-IR would be associated with reduced flow in macrovessels and lower cortical perfusion. One hundred and twenty cognitively asymptomatic middle-aged adults (57 ± 5 yrs) underwent fasting blood draw, phase contrast-vastly undersampled isotropic projection reconstruction (PC VIPR) MRI, and arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion. Higher HOMA-IR was associated with lower arterial blood flow, particularly within the internal carotid arteries (ICAs), and lower cerebral perfusion in several brain regions including frontal and temporal lobe regions. Higher blood flow in bilateral ICAs predicted greater cortical perfusion in individuals with lower HOMA-IR, a relationship not observed among those with higher HOMA-IR. Findings provide novel evidence for an uncoupling of macrovascular blood flow and microvascular perfusion among individuals with higher IR in midlife.
Influence of Individual- and National-Level Factors on Attitudes toward Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Hayes Brittany E. , Boyd Katharine A.
Published: August 2016

The study evaluated if individual- and national-level factors influence intimate partner violence (IPV) attitudes. Using Demographic and Health Surveys’ data, multilevel modeling was used to analyze 506,935 females nested in 41 nations. The results indicated that the respondents in nations with higher levels of gender inequality, measured by the Social Institutions and Gender Index, were more likely to agree a husband is justified to abuse his wife when she argues with him. National-level attitudes toward IPV and decision making at the individual level were significant predictors of IPV attitudes. The presence of another female while the survey was administered and differences across nations in question wording significantly affected IPV attitudes. The results confirm that both individual- and national-level factors shape individual IPV attitudes. National policies and programming should address gender inequality and patriarchal attitudes.
Validation of the School Conflict Negotiation Effectiveness Questionnaire
Authors: Cunha Pedro , Lourenço Abílio , Paiva Maria Olímpia , Monteiro Ana Paula
Published: August 2016

This research aimed to construct and validate the School Conflict Negotiation Effectiveness Questionnaire (SCNEQ). This objective is both based on the increasing relevance of the area of constructive conflict management in schools and also in the scarcity of instruments that try to measure these dimensions in the educational context. We used two samples of students from middle and high school in two urban public schools, one with 622 students and another with 505, the last one to confirm validation. The results of the samples show values of Cronbach’s alpha of .84 and .87, respectively. The data suggest the feasibility and validity of SCNEQ to assess the construct under study. We consider it relevant to continue the psychometric studies of the scale, so future research should address this topic in depth. Concerning the findings, results of the present study reveal that affective groups statistically differ in their self-reported conflict management styles.
Diversity and Social Justice in Planning Education: A Synthesis of Topics, Pedagogical Approaches, and Educational Goals in Planning Syllabi
Authors: Sen Siddhartha , Umemoto Karen , Koh Annette , Zambonelli Vera
Published: August 2016

This article provides an overview of the types of educational goals, pedagogical approaches, and substantive topics in planning education related to issues of diversity and social justice. The study is based on a content analysis of one hundred syllabi collected from more than seventy instructors from North American planning schools during 2012–2013. It presents a synthetic summary of the range of educational goals and pedagogical approaches. It describes the curricular content in the form of substantive topics. The article is intended to support efforts to incorporate issues of diversity and social justice in planning education.
Imagining Lacan Imagining Marx
Authors: Salerno Roger A.
Published: August 2016

This critical review proposes that Lacan’s concept of alienation has little relevance to Marx’s notion of estrangement of labor and in fact depoliticizes it. Proceeding from a position that is not unsympathetic to poststructuralist theory, the author finds fault with Lacanian structuralism and particularly enlisting the help of Durkheim in attempting to enrich Marx’s psychology. While the author credits professors Worrell and Krier for attempting to take their critique of Marx to a more contemporary theoretical level, one which can potentially have value, he nevertheless sees the use of Lacan and Durkheim to rescue Marx as inappropriate, problematic, and a rejection of Marx’s humanistic understanding of human relations as well as an unsupported dismissal of his notion of alienation based on human and material commodification.
Dynamic combustion characteristics in a rectangular supersonic combustor with single-side expansion
Authors: Gao Tianyun , Liang Jianhan , Sun Mingbo , Zhong Zhan
Published: August 2016

Dynamic combustion characteristics of a rectangular scramjet combustor with single-side expansion were studied experimentally and numerically. Experiments were implemented with an isolator entrance Mach number of 3.46, and an air stagnation temperature of 1430 K. Ethylene was utilized to fuel the combustor over an equivalence ratio range of 0.20 < φ < 0.63. Results indicated that the combustion modes varied from different equivalence ratios. For an intermediate φ = 0.375, an intermittent dynamic combustion occurred. During the dynamic process, the flame sometimes stabilized in the jet wake of the top cavity, and at other time it oscillated between dual parallel cavities. The pseudo-shock train traveled periodically along the length of the combustor, and the penetration depths of the two injectors exchanged. Quantitative analysis illustrated that the average frequency of unsteady combustion was approximately 200 Hz. The reason for the occurrence of the self-sustained dynamic process was related to the interactions between the shock-induced separated region and heat release.