bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy with In-Bag Morcellation in Very Large Uterus
Authors: Krentel Harald , Wilde Rudy Leon De
Published: October 2017

Laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LASH) is a safe and fast minimally invasive approach in hysterectomy. In order to extract the uterine body from the abdominal cavity, one condition for LASH is the morcellation of the tissue. The intra-abdominal dissemination of benign and occult malignant uterine cells is a possible risk of this method, which can be avoided by the use of special bags for laparoscopic in-bag morcellation. We present a case of laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy with in-bag morcellation in a uterus of more than 1400 g. and describe that this minimal-access surgery is safe and feasible even in very large uteri. This case report is registered in Research Registry under the UIN researchregistry1810.
Electroconvulsive Therapy in Functional Hallucination: Scope and Challenges
Authors: Joshi Sulochana , Shakya Rabi
Published: October 2017

Functional hallucinations are hallucinations triggered by a stimulus in the same modality and cooccur with it. They are rare in occurrence; however, their rarity has no significance as psychopathology till date. Also, very little is known about the treatment of such hallucinations. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been tested for several psychiatric illnesses and has a few relative contraindications; however, it has not previously been used in treating functional hallucinations. We report on a female patient with paranoid schizophrenia who experienced functional hallucinations continuously despite the use of adequate risperidone, which controlled other symptoms. She was treated with ECT which resolved the functional hallucinations. The case highlights the need to ponder on the significance of the phenomenon as well as treatment of this psychopathology by ECT. It also underscores ECT as a treatment option for this kind of hallucination.
Toll-Like Receptor 4 Signalling and Its Impact on Platelet Function, Thrombosis, and Haemostasis
Authors: Vallance Thomas M. , Zeuner Marie-Theres , Williams Harry F. , Widera Darius , Vaiyapuri Sakthivel
Published: October 2017

Platelets are anucleated blood cells that participate in a wide range of physiological and pathological functions. Their major role is mediating haemostasis and thrombosis. In addition to these classic functions, platelets have emerged as important players in the innate immune system. In particular, they interact with leukocytes, secrete pro- and anti-inflammatory factors, and express a wide range of inflammatory receptors including Toll-like receptors (TLRs), for example, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). TLR4, which is the most extensively studied TLR in nucleated cells, recognises lipopolysaccharides (LPS) that are compounds of the outer surface of Gram-negative bacteria. Unlike other TLRs, TLR4 is able to signal through both the MyD88-dependent and MyD88-independent signalling pathways. Notably, despite both pathways culminating in the activation of transcription factors, TLR4 has a prominent functional impact on platelet activity, haemostasis, and thrombosis. In this review, we summarise the current knowledge on TLR4 signalling in platelets, critically discuss its impact on platelet function, and highlight the open questions in this area.
Angio-Seal™ Embolization: A Rare Etiology of an Acute Distal Limb Ischemia
Authors: Lasam Glenmore , Oaks Joshua Brad , Brensilver Jeffrey
Published: October 2017

We herein report a serious vascular complication of diagnostic cardiac catheterization due to an embolization of an Angio-Seal closure device causing acute lower limb ischemia. The Angio-Seal was deployed via the right femoral artery following the catheterization which embolized several hours later to the right popliteal artery. Fogarty embolectomy restored perfusion to the right lower limb; however, compartment syndrome subsequently developed which required evacuation of a hematoma and repair of right popliteal artery.
Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction and Parathyroid Adenoma: Coincidence or Link?
Authors: Termos Salah , AlKabbani Majd , Ulinski Tim , Sanjad Sami , Kotobi Henri , Chalard Francois , Aoun Bilal
Published: October 2017

Congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is the most common cause of upper urinary tract obstruction in children. It is generally diagnosed in the routine work-up during antenatal period and is characterized by spontaneous recovery. It can be associated with urolithiasis; hence further investigation should be carried out. We report the case of a 15-year-old boy, who is known to have right UPJO, presented with right renal colic and discovered to have bilateral kidney stones. Further studies showed primary hyperparathyroidism and genetic analysis revealed a CDC73 mutation (initially HRPT2). We believe that association of UPJO and PHPT is a rare coincidence that can be linked. Careful work-up of children with UPJO and urolithiasis is recommended to exclude an underlying metabolic disease. Surgical correction can be evitable as treatment of the primary cause can lead to complete dissolution of kidney stones and improvement of the medical condition.
ATR Is a Therapeutic Target in Synovial Sarcoma
Authors: Jones Samuel E. , Fleuren Emmy D.G. , Frankum Jessica , Konde Asha , Williamson Chris T. , Krastev Dragomir B. , Pemberton Helen N. , Campbell James , Gulati Aditi , Elliott Richard , Menon Malini , Selfe Joanna L. , Brough Rachel , Pettitt Stephen J. , Niedzwiedz Wojciech , van der Graaf Winette T.A. , Shipley Janet , Ashworth Alan , Lord Christopher J.
Published: October 2017

Synovial sarcoma (SS) is an aggressive soft-tissue malignancy characterized by expression of SS18–SSX fusions, where treatment options are limited. To identify therapeutically actionable genetic dependencies in SS, we performed a series of parallel, high-throughput small interfering RNA (siRNA) screens and compared genetic dependencies in SS tumor cells with those in >130 non–SS tumor cell lines. This approach revealed a reliance of SS tumor cells upon the DNA damage response serine/threonine protein kinase ATR. Clinical ATR inhibitors (ATRi) elicited a synthetic lethal effect in SS tumor cells and impaired growth of SS patient-derived xenografts. Oncogenic SS18–SSX family fusion genes are known to alter the composition of the BAF chromatin–remodeling complex, causing ejection and degradation of wild-type SS18 and the tumor suppressor SMARCB1. Expression of oncogenic SS18–SSX fusion proteins caused profound ATRi sensitivity and a reduction in SS18 and SMARCB1 protein levels, but an SSX18–SSX1 Δ71–78 fusion containing a C-terminal deletion did not. ATRi sensitivity in SS was characterized by an increase in biomarkers of replication fork stress (increased γH2AX, decreased replication fork speed, and increased R-loops), an apoptotic response, and a dependence upon cyclin E expression. Combinations of cisplatin or PARP inhibitors enhanced the antitumor cell effect of ATRi, suggesting that either single-agent ATRi or combination therapy involving ATRi might be further assessed as candidate approaches for SS treatment. Cancer Res; 77(24); 7014–26. ©2017 AACR.
Clinicopathological Study of Autoimmune Hepatitis Cases That Were Difficult to Differentiate from Drug-Induced Liver Injury
Authors: Tsutsui Akemi , Harada Kenichi , Tsuneyama Koichi , Senoh Tomonori , Nagano Takuya , Takaguchi Koichi , Ando Midori , Nakamura Satoko , Mizobuchi Koichi , Kudo Masatoshi
Published: October 2017

Aim: Acute-onset autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) histopathologically presents with features of acute hepatitis and lacks a specific diagnostic method. Also, AIH is often difficult to differentiate from drug-induced liver injury (DILI). We aimed to investigate the final clinical diagnosis of these cases, and compare the clinical, biochemical, and histological characteristics of AIH vs. DILI. Methods: We examined the Digestive Disease Week Japan 2004 (DDW-J) scale scores, AIH scores, clinical data, and pathological findings in 20 patients in whom it was difficult to differentiate autoimmune liver disease from DILI. Results: In cases with a DDW-J scale score of ≥5, there was a good correlation between the final diagnosis and DDW-J scale assessments, but in cases with a DDW-J scale score of ≦4 they did not correlate well. The scores for pathological findings, such as cobblestone hepatocellular change (p = 0.015), interface hepatitis (p = 0.012), and prominent plasma cells in portal areas (p = 0.011), were higher in the AIH group than in the DILI group. Conclusion: This study showed that DDW-J scale was useful for differentiating AIH from DILI in cases with a DDW-J scale score of ≧5. The histologic features of AIH were characterized by cobblestone hepatocellular change, interface hepatitis, and plasma cell infiltration of the portal region.
Diagnosis of Fibrosis and Activity by a Combined Use of Strain and Shear Wave Imaging in Patients with Liver Disease
Authors: Yada Norihisa , Tamaki Nobuhura , Koizumi Yohei , Hirooka Masashi , Nakashima Osamu , Hiasa Yoichi , Izumi Namiki , Kudo Masatoshi
Published: October 2017

Objective: Performing shear wave imaging is simple, but can be difficult when inflammation, jaundice, and congestion are present. Therefore, the correct diagnosis of liver fibrosis using shear wave imaging alone might be difficult in mild-to-moderate fibrosis cases. Strain imaging can diagnose liver fibrosis without the influence of inflammation. Therefore, the combined use of strain and shear wave imaging (combinational elastography) for cases without jaundice and congestion might be useful for evaluating fibrosis and inflammation. Methods: We enrolled consecutive patients with liver disease, without jaundice or liver congestion. Strain and shear wave imaging, blood tests, and liver biopsy were performed on the same day. The liver fibrosis index (LF index) was calculated by strain imaging; real-time tissue elastography, and the shear wave velocity (Vs) was calculated by shear wave imaging. Fibrosis index (F index) and activity index (A index) were calculated as a multiple regression equation for determining hepatic fibrosis and inflammation using histopathological diagnosis as the gold standard. The diagnostic ability of F index for fibrosis and A index for inflammation were compared using LF index and Vs. Results: The total number of enrolled cases was 388. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) was 0.87, 0.80, 0.83, and 0.80, at diagnosis of fibrosis stage with an F index of F1 or higher, F2 or higher, F3 or higher, and F4, respectively. The AUROC was 0.94, 0.74, and 0.76 at diagnosis of activity grade with an A index of A1 or higher, A2 or higher, and A3, respectively. The diagnostic ability of F index for liver fibrosis and A index for inflammation was higher than for other conventional diagnostic values. Conclusions: The combined use of strain and shear wave imaging (combinational elastography) might increase the positive diagnosis of liver fibrosis and inflammation.
Time to Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization Refractoriness in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Kinki Criteria Stages B1 and B2
Authors: Arizumi Tadaaki , Minami Tomohiro , Chishina Hirokazu , Kono Masashi , Takita Masahiro , Yada Norihisa , Hagiwara Satoru , Minami Yasunori , Ida Hiroshi , Ueshima Kazuomi , Kamata Ken , Minaga Kosuke , Komeda Yoriaki , Takenaka Mamoru , Sakurai Toshiharu , Watanabe Tomohiro , Nishida Naoshi , Kudo Masatoshi
Published: October 2017

Background: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is recommended for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B. However, because of the heterogeneity of HCC in BCLC stage B; various subclassification systems have been proposed to predict the prognosis of patients. Previously, we proposed the Kinki criteria for precise classification of HCC cases in BCLC stage B. In this study, we compared the time to TACE refractoriness in HCC patients with Kinki criteria substages B1 and B2-HCC. Summary: Between January 2006 and December 2013, 592 HCC patients (substage B1, n = 118; substage B2, n = 170) underwent TACE. Time to progression under TACE treatment was defined as the time to untreatable progression (TTUP). TTUP and changes in liver function were analyzed in patients with substages B1 and B2-HCC. The median TTUP was 25.7 months (95% CI 19.3-37.3) and 16.4 months (95% CI 13.1-20.2) in patients with substage B1-HCC and substage B2-HCC, respectively (p = 0.0050). In patients with substage B2-HCC, median Child-Pugh scores after the first TACE session was significantly different from those after third and fifth TACE sessions (first-third, p = 0.0020; first-fifth, p = 0.0008). Key Message: TACE refractoriness occurred earlier in patients with substage B2-HCC than those with substage B1-HCC; deterioration of liver function with repeated TACE was more obvious in HCC cases with stage-B1 tumor. Shorter TTUP and impaired liver function due to repeated TACE could be responsible for the shorter survival in patients with substage B2-HCC.
Role of Immune Checkpoint Blockade in the Treatment for Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Nishida Naoshi , Kudo Masatoshi
Published: October 2017

With the development of molecular targeting therapy, several treatment options for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have become available in cases where curative and other palliative treatments, such as radiofrequency ablation, surgical resection, and transarterial chemoembolization, are not applicable. However, with the detection of a variety of mutations in cancer-related genes in a single tumor, molecular heterogeneity is commonly observed in HCC. Therefore, mutations in the major cellular signaling pathways underlie the development of resistance to molecular targeting agents. On the contrary, immune checkpoint inhibitors have proven effective in patients who are refractory to conventional treatments and molecular targeting therapy. Several clinical trials are currently investigating the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors both individually and in combination with other types of anticancer agents. In this review, we focus on the potential of immune checkpoint blockade in the treatment of human HCC.
A Rare Case of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma Diagnosed 10 Years after Liver Transplant
Authors: Zhang L. , Pereira Mestre R. , Bihl F. , Bühler M. , Vannata B. , Stathis A.
Published: October 2017

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) represent a rare and potentially life-threatening complication after liver transplantation. Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), with an incidence of approximately 1.8–3.4% of all PTLD cases, represents a minority of PTLD, mainly presenting as a late transplant complication. The main risk factors for the development of PTLD are Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and intensive immunosuppression. However, other risk factors like hepatitis C virus may, together with EBV infection, contribute to the development of PTLD. Here we present a case of late-onset EBV-positive cHL that occurred 10 years after an unrelated donor liver transplantation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of cHL occurring with such a long interval after liver transplantation. Given the low incidence of cHL PTLD, there is little information regarding pathology, clinical characteristics, and management of this disease. The development of individual, risk-adapted treatments may improve the long-term outcome of cHL PTLD.
A Case of Thyroid Papillary Carcinoma: Remarkable Decrease in Multiple Lung Metastases within 40 Years after a Single Administration of Radioiodine without Thyroidectomy and with Later Anaplastic Transformation
Authors: Okuyama Chio , Kimura Mitsuhiro , Oda Minori , Kodani Naohiro , Aibe Norihiro , Yamazaki Hideya
Published: October 2017

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma is an uncommon malignancy of childhood and adolescence that is unique because it has an overall favorable prognosis despite its relatively high rate of nodal and distant metastases. Total thyroidectomy and positive 131I therapy are recommended for cases with pulmonary metastases. In contrast, anaplastic thyroid cancer is one of the most aggressive malignancies that have an unfavorable and miserable prognosis. We report a case with an impressively long history. The patient had multiple pulmonary metastases that had been diagnosed by 131I administration when he was 14 years old, about 45 years before he underwent thyroidectomy. He had been kept unaware of his disease by his family and received no treatment for most of his life. Pulmonary nodules were noted at several medical checkups and showed a remarkable decrease in size during the untreated 44-year period after the 131I administration. At age 58, his thyroid cancer was first detected and total thyroidectomy was performed, with subsequent radioiodine therapy for pulmonary metastases. Unfortunately, anaplastic carcinoma developed and he died of disseminated tumors later.
Hydrogen-Rich Saline Attenuates Brain Injury Induced by Cardiopulmonary Bypass and Inhibits Microvascular Endothelial Cell Apoptosis Via the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β Signaling Pathway in Rats
Authors: Chen Keyan , Wang Nan , Diao Yugang , Dong Wanwei , Sun YingJie , Liu Lidan , Wu Xiuying
Published: October 2017

Background/Aims: Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is prone to inducing brain injury during open heart surgery. A hydrogen-rich solution (HRS) can prevent oxidation and apoptosis, and inhibit inflammation. This study investigated effects of HRS on brain injury induced by CPB and regulatory mechanisms of the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway. Methods: A rat CPB model and an in vitro cell hypoxia model were established. After HRS treatment, Rat behavior was measured using neurological deficit score; Evans blue (EB) was used to assess permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB); HE staining was used to observe pathological changes; Inflammatory factors and brain injury markers were detected by ELISA; the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β pathway-related proteins and apoptosis were assessed by western blot, immunohistochemistry and qRT –PCR analyses of brain tissue and neurons. Results: After CPB, brain tissue anatomy was disordered, and cell structure was abnormal. Brain tissue EB content increased. There was an increase in the number of apoptotic cells, an increase in expression of Bax and caspase-3, a decrease in expression of Bcl2, and increases in levels of Akt, GSK3β, P-Akt, and P-GSK3β in brain tissue. HRS treatment attenuated the inflammatory reaction ,brain tissue EB content was significantly reduced and significantly decreased expression levels of Bax, caspase-3, Akt, GSK3β, P-Akt, and P-GSK3β in the brain. After adding the PI3K signaling pathway inhibitor, LY294002, to rat cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs), HRS could reduce activated Akt expression and downstream regulatory gene phosphorylation of GSK3β expression, and inhibit CMEC apoptosis. Conclusion: The PI3K/Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway plays an important role in the mechanism of CPB-induced brain injury. HRS can reduce CPB-induced brain injury and inhibit CMEC apoptosis through the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β signaling pathway.
Fasting Versus Nonfasting and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Accuracy
Authors: Sathiyakumar Vasanth , Park Jihwan , Golozar Asieh , Lazo Mariana , Quispe Renato , Guallar Eliseo , Blumenthal Roger S. , Jones Steven R. , Martin Seth S.
Published: October 2017

Background:

Recent recommendations favoring nonfasting lipid assessment may affect low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) estimation. The novel method of LDL-C estimation (LDL-C
N
) uses a flexible approach to derive patient-specific ratios of triglycerides to very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. This adaptability may confer an accuracy advantage in nonfasting patients over the fixed approach of the classic Friedewald method (LDL-C
F
).

Methods:

We used a US cross-sectional sample of 1 545  634 patients (959 153 fasting ≥10–12 hours; 586 481 nonfasting) from the second harvest of the Very Large Database of Lipids study to assess for the first time the impact of fasting status on novel LDL-C accuracy. Rapid ultracentrifugation was used to directly measure LDL-C content (LDL-C
D
). Accuracy was defined as the percentage of LDL-C
D
falling within an estimated LDL-C (LDL-C
N
or LDL-C
F
) category by clinical cut points. For low estimated LDL-C (<70 mg/dL), we evaluated accuracy by triglyceride levels. The magnitude of absolute and percent differences between LDL-C
D
and estimated LDL-C (LDL-C
N
or LDL-C
F
) was stratified by LDL-C and triglyceride categories.

Results:

In both fasting and nonfasting samples, accuracy was higher with the novel method across all clinical LDL-C categories (range, 87%–94%) compared with the Friedewald estimation (range, 71%–93%;
P
≤0.001). With LDL-C <70 mg/dL, nonfasting LDL-C
N
accuracy (92%) was superior to LDL-C
F
accuracy (71%;
P
<0.001). In this LDL-C range, 19% of fasting and 30% of nonfasting patients had differences ≥10 mg/dL between LDL-C
F
and LDL-C
D
, whereas only 2% and 3% of patients, respectively, had similar differences with novel estimation. Accuracy of LDL-C <70 mg/dL further decreased as triglycerides increased, particularly for Friedewald estimation (range, 37%–96%) versus the novel method (range, 82%–94%). With triglycerides of 200 to 399 mg/dL in nonfasting patients, LDL-C
N
<70 mg/dL accuracy (82%) was superior to LDL-C
F
(37%;
P
<0.001). In this triglyceride range, 73% of fasting and 81% of nonfasting patients had ≥10 mg/dL differences between LDL-C
F
and LDL-C
D
compared with 25% and 20% of patients, respectively, with LDL-C
N
.

Conclusions:

Novel adaptable LDL-C estimation performs better in nonfasting samples than the fixed Friedewald estimation, with a particular accuracy advantage in settings of low LDL-C and high triglycerides. In addition to stimulating further study, these results may have immediate relevance for guideline committees, laboratory leadership, clinicians, and patients.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01698489.
Effect of CPAP, Weight Loss, or CPAP Plus Weight Loss on Central Hemodynamics and Arterial Stiffness
Authors: Jain Snigdha , Gurubhagavatula Indira , Townsend Raymond , Kuna Samuel T. , Teff Karen , Wadden Thomas A. , Chittams Jesse , Hanlon Alexandra L. , Maislin Greg , Saif Hassam , Broderick Preston , Ahmad Zeshan , Pack Allan I. , Chirinos Julio A.
Published: October 2017

Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea tend to coexist. Little is known about the effects of obstructive sleep apnea, obesity, or their treatment on central aortic pressures and large artery stiffness. We randomized 139 adults with obesity (body mass index >30 kg/m
2
) and moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea to (1) continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy (n=45), (2) weight loss (WL) therapy (n=48), or (3) combined CPAP and WL (n=46) for 24 weeks. We assessed the effect of these interventions on central pressures and carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (a measure of large artery stiffness), measured with arterial tonometry. Central systolic pressure was reduced significantly only in the combination arm (−7.4 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, −12.5 to −2.4 mm Hg;
P
=0.004), without significant reductions detected in either the WL-only (−2.3 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, −7.5 to 3.0;
P
=0.39) or the CPAP-only (−3.1 mm Hg; 95% confidence interval, −8.3 to 2.0;
P
=0.23) arms. However, none of these interventions significantly changed central pulse pressure, pulse pressure amplification, or the central augmentation index. The change in mean arterial pressure (
P
=0.008) and heart rate (
P
=0.027) induced by the interventions was significant predictors of the change in carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity. However, after adjustment for mean arterial pressure and heart rate, no significant changes in carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity were observed in any group. In obese subjects with obstructive sleep apnea, combination therapy with WL and CPAP is effective in reducing central systolic pressure. However, this effect is largely mediated by changes in mean, rather than central pulse pressure. WL and CPAP, alone or in combination, did not reduce large artery stiffness in this population.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00371293.
Brain Regional Blood Flow and Working Memory Performance Predict Change in Blood Pressure Over 2 Years
Authors: Jennings J. Richard , Heim Alicia F. , Sheu Lei K. , Muldoon Matthew F. , Ryan Christopher , Gach H. Michael , Schirda Claudiu , Gianaros Peter J.
Published: October 2017

Hypertension is a presumptive risk factor for premature cognitive decline. However, lowering blood pressure (BP) does not uniformly reverse cognitive decline, suggesting that high BP per se may not cause cognitive decline. We hypothesized that essential hypertension has initial effects on the brain that, over time, manifest as cognitive dysfunction in conjunction with both brain vascular abnormalities and systemic BP elevation. Accordingly, we tested whether neuropsychological function and brain blood flow responses to cognitive challenges among prehypertensive individuals would predict subsequent progression of BP. Midlife adults (n=154; mean age, 49; 45% men) with prehypertensive BP underwent neuropsychological testing and assessment of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) response to cognitive challenges. Neuropsychological performance measures were derived for verbal and logical memory (memory), executive function, working memory, mental efficiency, and attention. A pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging sequence compared rCBF responses with control and active phases of cognitive challenges. Brain areas previously associated with BP were grouped into composites for frontoparietal, frontostriatal, and insular-subcortical rCBF areas. Multiple regression models tested whether BP after 2 years was predicted by initial BP, initial neuropsychological scores, and initial rCBF responses to cognitive challenge. The neuropsychological composite of working memory (standardized beta, −0.276; se=0.116;
P
=0.02) and the frontostriatal rCBF response to cognitive challenge (standardized beta, 0.234; se=0.108;
P
=0.03) significantly predicted follow-up BP. Initial BP failed to significantly predict subsequent cognitive performance or rCBF. Changes in brain function may precede or co-occur with progression of BP toward hypertensive levels in midlife.
Connectome-based Models Predict Separable Components of Attention in Novel Individuals
Authors: Rosenberg Monica D. , Hsu Wei-Ting , Scheinost Dustin , Todd Constable R. , Chun Marvin M.
Published: October 2017

Although we typically talk about attention as a single process, it comprises multiple independent components. But what are these components, and how are they represented in the functional organization of the brain? To investigate whether long-studied components of attention are reflected in the brain's intrinsic functional organization, here we apply connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM) to predict the components of Posner and Petersen's influential model of attention: alerting (preparing and maintaining alertness and vigilance), orienting (directing attention to a stimulus), and executive control (detecting and resolving cognitive conflict) [Posner, M. I., & Petersen, S. E. The attention system of the human brain. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 13, 25–42, 1990]. Participants performed the Attention Network Task (ANT), which measures these three factors, and rested during fMRI scanning. CPMs tested with leave-one-subject-out cross-validation successfully predicted novel individual's overall ANT accuracy, RT variability, and executive control scores from functional connectivity observed during ANT performance. CPMs also generalized to predict participants' alerting scores from their resting-state functional connectivity alone, demonstrating that connectivity patterns observed in the absence of an explicit task contain a signature of the ability to prepare for an upcoming stimulus. Suggesting that significant variance in ANT performance is also explained by an overall sustained attention factor, the sustained attention CPM, a model defined in prior work to predict sustained attentional abilities, predicted accuracy, RT variability, and executive control from task-based data and predicted RT variability from resting-state data. Our results suggest that, whereas executive control may be closely related to sustained attention, the infrastructure that supports alerting is distinct and can be measured at rest. In the future, CPM may be applied to elucidate additional independent components of attention and relationships between the functional brain networks that predict them.
Distinct Representations of Magnitude and Spatial Position within Parietal Cortex during Number–Space Mapping
Authors: Kanayet Frank J. , Mattarella-Micke Andrew , Kohler Peter J. , Norcia Anthony M. , McCandliss Bruce D. , McClelland James L.
Published: October 2017

Mapping numbers onto space is foundational to mathematical cognition. These cognitive operations are often conceptualized in the context of a “mental number line” and involve multiple brain regions in or near the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) that have been implicated both in numeral and spatial cognition. Here we examine possible differentiation of function within these brain areas in relating numbers to spatial positions. By isolating the planning phase of a number line task and introducing spatiotopic mapping tools from fMRI into mental number line task research, we are able to focus our analysis on the neural activity of areas in anterior IPS (aIPS) previously associated with number processing and on spatiotopically organized areas in and around posterior IPS (pIPS), while participants prepare to place a number on a number line. Our results support the view that the nonpositional magnitude of a numerical symbol is coded in aIPS, whereas the position of a number in space is coded in posterior areas of IPS. By focusing on the planning phase, we are able to isolate activation related to the cognitive, rather than the sensory–motor, aspects of the task. Also, to allow the separation of spatial position from magnitude, we tested both a standard positive number line (0 to 100) and a zero-centered mixed number line (−100 to 100). We found evidence of a functional dissociation between aIPS and pIPS: Activity in aIPS was associated with a landmark distance effect not modulated by spatial position, whereas activity in pIPS revealed a contralateral preference effect.
Sleeping Beauty
Authors: Piters-Hofmann Ludmila
Published: October 2017

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Viktor Vasnetsov (1848-1926) started his work on the cycle Poema semi skazok [The Poem of Seven Fairy Tales] (1900-26). This self-imposed task included seven monumental paintings depicting popular Russian folktales. Yet, among the representations of famous Russian fairy tale characters, there is a canvas that centers on the Spiashchaia tsarevna [Sleeping Tsarevna] (1900-26), a character originally from Western Europe. This article will focus on the depths of the impact of Western traditions on this seemingly Russian painting by first elaborating on the development of Sleeping Beauty as a character in fairy tales and the spread of her popularity as far as Russia and second by analyzing the painting itself for Russian and European elements in composition and style.
An Inspirational Milieu
Authors: Franz Fabio
Published: October 2017

This paper focuses on the provenance, conservation history, and critical fortuna of some selected Western European paintings that were placed in Saint Petersburg between 1850 and 1917. In my research, I link archival information with scientific bibliography and material data for three purposes: Firstly, I compare the two stays in Russia, in 1861 and 1862, by the German expert Gustav Friedrich Waagen with the 1865 visit to St. Petersburg of the Italian connoisseur Giovanni Battista Cavalcaselle. Secondly, I investigate Cavalcaselle’s alleged meeting with the Russian expert Fedor Antonovich Bruni regarding the technique, fruition, and state of conservation of the paintings Saint Sebastian Barbarigo by Titian, Apollo and Marsyas Litta by Bronzino, and Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John, now attributed to Pontormo. Thirdly, I explore to what extend Duke of Leuchtenberg’s art gallery, Nikolai Dmitrievich Bykov’s collection, and some other private collections, among them those of Princess Kotchubey, Counts Buturlin and Stroganov, and Armenian general Lazarev, were accessible to Western scholars. The research results will enable art historians, curators, and restorers to fill in some blanks in the provenance research and conservation history of these Western masterpieces that used to enrich the Saint Petersburg art scene before the October Revolution.
Exhibiting Russia
Authors: Barris Roann
Published: October 2017

Although we have some first-hand accounts of visits by American drama critics and theater directors to the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 1930s, with one or two exceptions we do not know much about how American visual artists gained first-hand knowledge of the works of the Russian avant-garde at this time. Tracing the surprisingly rich history of American exhibitions of Russian art in the first half of the twentieth century, this paper examines the influence of Berlin and Vienna in shaping American exhibitions and also shows how curatorial decisions often determined which artists were associated with which movements, even when these associations would later be contradicted by historical facts. Indeed, style may be said to have played a subservient role as curators strove to associate the avant-garde with spirituality or to gain public support for starving Russian artists. Nevertheless, these exhibitions did bring significant works to the attention of American artists and the American public, revealing the significance of certain artists as well as collectors and curators in shaping the American understanding of the Russian avant-garde.
To Duel or Not to Duel? That Is a [Futuristic] Question
Authors: Yudina Ekaterina
Published: October 2017

The Russian futurists were masters of scandal and provocation as ways of promoting their ideas, and their exhibitions, disputes, and performances often caused public outrage. One of the little-known scandals took place on the opening night of Pink Lantern cabaret in Moscow on October 19, 1913. Following Vladimir Mayakovsky’s taunting declamation of his poetry and Konstantin Balmont’s improvised speech honoring the futurists, Mikhail Larionov and Natalia Goncharova engaged in a confrontation with the public already irritated by the provocative performances and alcohol. As a result, Goncharova slapped a gentleman across the face, which led him to challenging Larionov to a duel. Larionov refused the challenge, however, in a bizarre twist, Goncharova counter-challenged, causing the discussion of what is and is not futuristic behavior.

Using newspaper articles, interviews, and futurists publications, the paper analyzes this scandal through the prism of Commedia dell’Arte. Recognizing Mayakovsky as the red clown and Larionov as his naïve and cowardly white counterpart, the spectators experienced the cognitive dissonance when Goncharova as the futuristic Columbine took center stage and challenged the public to a duel. Looking at this incident in the broader context of dueling in European history, the paper also addresses the role of the duel in Russian culture and juxtaposes Goncharova’s never-acted-upon challenge with the tragic final duel of Alexander Pushkin fought to defend the honor of his wife and Goncharova’s namesake.
Creative Intuition
Authors: Wünsche Isabel
Published: October 2017

Among the artists of the Russian avant-garde, there was general agreement that the new art forms they were seeking were not to be found in the visible world but rather the artist’s own creative intuition. The true artist created freely and independently, without regard for the appearance of the objective world or conventional approaches to its depiction. In their explorations of the artistic process and the creative endeavor, the artists found inspiration in Henri Bergson’s concept of intuition as a philosophical method, which the French philosopher had formulated in his 1903 essay “Introduction à la métaphysique” (An Introduction to Metaphysics). Bergson’s ideas were further developed and integrated into the larger discussion about organic perception and creative intuition within the Russian cultural tradition by the Russian philosopher Nikolai Lossky. Lossky’s own concept, which he called intuitivism, was developed as an alternative to Bergson’s philosophy; it was an attempt to unite pre-Kantian rationalism, particularly Leibniz’s monadology, with the strong tradition of mystical rationalism in Russian philosophy.

Kazimir Malevich related non-objectivity in art to creative intuition and promoted suprematism as a theory of unbounded creativity that could overcome the narrow notion of art and encompass all spheres of life. In suprematism, “art advances toward creation as an end in itself and toward domination over the forms of nature.” Malevich’s suprematist elements can be compared to Lossky’s substantival agents—they are a creation of the absolute, i.e., intuitive reason, and serve as fundamental building blocks of the world. The essay discusses the Russian interpretation of Henri Bergson’s L’Evolution créatice (Creative Evolution) by Nikolai Lossky and the role Lossky’s concept of intuitivism played in the art and art theory of the Russian avant-garde, specifically Malevich’s suprematism.
Malevich Edits Malevich
Authors: Khalturin Yulian
Published: October 2017

The article presents the results of researching works by Kazimir Malevich in the Stedelijk Museum and Khardzhiev-Chaga Foundation, Amsterdam. The materials, including a list of pigments and detailed analysis of the specific peculiarities of certain paintings, were culled on the basis of various technical investigations. Malevich’s personality also serves as a subject of research inasmuch as the analysis of the material aspects of his creativity and his painterly process are related to an understanding of his way of thinking, conceptualizing, and his temperament.
Color Theories from Western Europe and the United States in the Writings of Ivan Kliun
Authors: Schindler Viktoria
Published: October 2017

This article focuses on manuscripts on color theory by the lesser-known Russian artist Ivan Kliun (1873-1943), who, in the early twentieth century, worked together with leaders of the Russian avant-garde in the cultural centers of Moscow and St. Petersburg and made a significant contribution to the development of abstract art.

Kliun belongs to a group of Russian avant-garde artists who endeavored to discover entirely new methods for investigating artworks, to develop art theory backed by science, and to renew art. He faced these great challenges by scientifically researching the various elements of art such as color, form, texture, light, space, and the principles of their combination in a composition in order to illustrate which aspects of a work of art have an impact on the viewer and his psyche.

Kliun left behind a large body of writings, many of which are still unpublished. These writings contain his own reflections as well as excerpts from various scholarly treatises on color theory composed by international scientists. Kliun’s manuscripts offer a summary of relevant insights into the physical properties of color, tenets of contrast, and the sensual effects of color from works by Wilhelm Ostwald, Hermann von Helmholtz, Leopold Richtera, Matthew Luckiesh, and Albert H. Munsell.

Kliun’s writings reveal that, in the 1920s, the studies of color theory in Russia were based on the same sources as those abroad. Russian avant-garde artists and scientists followed the ongoing developments in color research and gained access to the latest foreign publications.
Georg Kolbe: Russian Impressions
Authors: Raev Ada
Published: October 2017

The article describes German sculptor Georg Kolbe’s two direct engagements with Russia and its culture in the early twentieth century. The first, brief but fruitful, encounter, in 1912, the same year that Kolbe’s bronze sculpture Tänzerin (Female Dancer) was purchased by the National Gallery, was with Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, who had returned for a second visit to Berlin. Kolbe received Vaslav Nijinsky and Tamara Karsavina in his studio; photographs and drawings of the two star dancers served as inspiration for works such as Tänzer (Dancer) and the Heinrich Heine monument in Frankfurt am Main, and also strengthened Kolbe’s interest in modern dance. The second opportunity came in 1932, when Kolbe, as a successful and established sculptor, was invited to tour the Soviet Union. In 1933, Kolbe published a brief account of his travels under the title “In einem anderen Land” (In another country); his observations, enriched with picturesque details, convey a feeling of empathy for the host country and its inhabitants. Only once does Kolbe admit to a certain discomfort with regard to the atmosphere in the Stalinist Soviet Union.
Meridians of Snow
Authors: Bowlt John E. , Misler Nicoletta
Published: October 2017

The article treats of the early land-art or Artifacts (often incorporating snow and ice) produced by Moscow artists Frantsisko Infante and Nonna Goriunova, especially with regard to the notions of landscape, reflectivity, play, infinity, and fluidity or limbo.
A Further Evaluation of Choice of Task Sequence
Authors: Kautz Madeleine E. , DeBar Ruth M. , Vladescu Jason C. , Graff Richard B.
Published: October 2017

Although choice of task has been effective in reducing noncompliance, it may provide an opportunity to escape from less-preferred tasks. We used a reversal design to evaluate the effects of choice of a low-preference task sequence on noncompliance, task engagement, and duration to complete activities across two individuals with autism spectrum disorder and one participant with a speech and language impairment. Choice of task sequence effectively reduced noncompliance across two participants. For the third participant, choice was initially effective although treatment effects failed to replicate. Task engagement was greater during choice than the no-choice condition for one participant, while there were no meaningful differences for the remaining two participants. Duration to complete tasks was similar across conditions across participants. During choice, noncompliance generalized to a novel teacher and the effects maintained across two participants. Social validity of the procedures and outcomes were assessed and found to be favorable.
Resource Allocation and Firm Boundaries
Authors: Levinthal Daniel A.
Published: October 2017

In a modern economy, much of the allocation of financial and nonfinancial resources is mediated by organizations. This essay points to three general features of this mediating role of organizations in the resource allocation process. One line of argument relates to the distinct opportunities and opportunity costs that an organization faces. The set of investment opportunities for organizations differs as a result of their privileged access to different investment opportunities. The second line of argument considers the impact of differential beliefs and perspectives on the resource allocation process. The diversity of independent budgetary entities, both internal to and external to the organization, is argued to importantly influence the heterogeneity of the bases of selection among alternative investment opportunities. Lastly, this mediation of resource allocation by the firm plays a particularly important role with respect to the allocation of resources over time on a given initiative. Organizations do not simply buffer initiatives from selection but potentially provide different bases for interim selection processes.
Organizationally Intractable Decision Problems and the Intellectual Virtues of Heuristics
Authors: Bettis Richard A.
Published: October 2017

There is no theory in strategic management and other related fields for identifying decision problems that cannot be solved by organizations using rational analytical technologies of the type typically taught in MBA programs. Furthermore, some and perhaps many scholars in strategic management believe that the alternative of heuristics or “rules of thumb” is little more than crude guesses for decision making when compared to rational analytical technologies. This is reflected in a paucity of research in strategic management on heuristics. I propose a theory of “organizational intractability” based roughly on the metaphor provided by “computational intractability” in computer science. I demonstrate organizational intractability for a common model of the joint strategic planning and resource allocation decision problem. This raises the possibility that heuristics are necessary for deciding many important decisions that are intractable for organizations. This possibility parallels the extensive use of heuristics in artificial intelligence for computationally intractable problems, where heuristics are often the most powerful approach possible. Some important managerial heuristics are documented from both the finance and strategic management literatures. Based on all of this, I discuss some directions for theory of and research on organizational intractability and heuristics in strategic management.
Resource Allocation and Strategy
Authors: Maritan Catherine A. , Lee Gwendolyn K.
Published: October 2017

Resource allocation is fundamental to strategic management. Yet, surprisingly, there is not a large body of literature specifically about the allocation of financial, physical, technological, and human resources that support firm strategies. This special issue seeks to bring renewed attention to resource allocation as an important topic for strategy research. The curated set of articles and commentaries offer conceptual and empirical contributions that assess the current state of research on the topic, present analyses and new insights, and propose promising directions for future research. Through this special issue, we hope to encourage more research that examines resource allocation as a central focus of study for achieving deeper and better understandings about firm strategies.