bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cryo-EM structures of DrNKCC1 and hKCC1: a new milestone in the physiology of cation-chloride cotransporters
Authors: Delpire Eric , Guo Jiangtao
Published: November 2019

New milestones have been reached in the field of cation-Cl− cotransporters with the recently released cryo-electron microscopy (EM) structures of the Danio rerio (zebrafish) Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter ( DrNKCC1) and the human K+-Cl− cotransporter (hKCC1). In this review we provide a brief timeline that identifies the multiple breakthroughs in the field of solute carrier 12 transporters that led to the structure resolution of two of its key members. While cation-Cl− cotransporters share the overall architecture of carriers belonging to the amino acid-polyamine-organocation (APC) superfamily and some of their substrate binding sites, several new insights are gained from the two individual structures. A first major feature relates to the largest extracellular domain between transmembrane domain (TMD) 5 and TMD6 of KCC1, which stabilizes the dimer and forms a cap that likely participates in extracellular gating. A second feature is the conservation of the K+ and Cl− binding sites in both structures and evidence of an unexpected second Cl− coordination site in the KCC1 structure. Structural data are discussed in the context of previously published studies that examined the basic and kinetics properties of these cotransport mechanisms. A third characteristic is the evidence of an extracellular gate formed by conserved salt bridges between charged residues located toward the end of TMD3 and TMD4 in both transporters and the existence of an additional neighboring bridge in the hKCC1 structure. A fourth feature of these newly solved structures relates to the multiple points of contacts between the monomer forming the cotransporter homodimer units. These involve the TMDs, the COOH-terminal domains, and the large extracellular loop for hKCC1.
Eye position signals in the dorsal pulvinar during fixation and goal-directed saccades
Authors: Schneider Lukas , Dominguez-Vargas Adan-Ulises , Gibson Lydia , Kagan Igor , Wilke Melanie
Published: November 2019

Sensorimotor cortical areas contain eye position information thought to ensure perceptual stability across saccades and underlie spatial transformations supporting goal-directed actions. One pathway by which eye position signals could be relayed to and across cortical areas is via the dorsal pulvinar. Several studies have demonstrated saccade-related activity in the dorsal pulvinar, and we have recently shown that many neurons exhibit postsaccadic spatial preference. In addition, dorsal pulvinar lesions lead to gaze-holding deficits expressed as nystagmus or ipsilesional gaze bias, prompting us to investigate the effects of eye position. We tested three starting eye positions (−15°, 0°, 15°) in monkeys performing a visually cued memory saccade task. We found two main types of gaze dependence. First, ~50% of neurons showed dependence on static gaze direction during initial and postsaccadic fixation, and might be signaling the position of the eyes in the orbit or coding foveal targets in a head/body/world-centered reference frame. The population-derived eye position signal lagged behind the saccade. Second, many neurons showed a combination of eye-centered and gaze-dependent modulation of visual, memory, and saccadic responses to a peripheral target. A small subset showed effects consistent with eye position-dependent gain modulation. Analysis of reference frames across task epochs from visual cue to postsaccadic fixation indicated a transition from predominantly eye-centered encoding to representation of final gaze or foveated locations in nonretinocentric coordinates. These results show that dorsal pulvinar neurons carry information about eye position, which could contribute to steady gaze during postural changes and to reference frame transformations for visually guided eye and limb movements.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Work on the pulvinar focused on eye-centered visuospatial representations, but position of the eyes in the orbit is also an important factor that needs to be taken into account during spatial orienting and goal-directed reaching. We show that dorsal pulvinar neurons are influenced by eye position. Gaze direction modulated ongoing firing during stable fixation, as well as visual and saccade responses to peripheral targets, suggesting involvement of the dorsal pulvinar in spatial coordinate transformations.
Vestibular, locomotor, and vestibulo-autonomic research: 50 years of collaboration with Bernard Cohen
Authors: Raphan Theodore
Published: November 2019

My collaboration on the vestibulo-ocular reflex with Bernard Cohen began in 1972. Until 2017, this collaboration included studies of saccades, quick phases of nystagmus, the introduction of the concept of velocity storage, the relationship of velocity storage to motion sickness, primate and human locomotion, and studies of vasovagal syncope. These studies have elucidated the functioning of the vestibuloocular reflex, the locomotor system, the functioning of the vestibulo-sympathetic reflex, and how blood pressure and heart rate are controlled by the vestibular system. Although it is virtually impossible to review all the contributions in detail in a single paper, this article traces a thread of modeling that I brought to the collaboration, which, coupled with Bernie Cohen’s expertise in vestibular and sensory-motor physiology and clinical insights, has broadened our understanding of the role of the vestibular system in a wide range of sensory-motor systems. Specifically, the paper traces how the concept of a relaxation oscillator was used to model the slow and rapid phases of ocular nystagmus. Velocity information that drives the slow compensatory eye movements was used to activate the saccadic system that resets the eyes, giving rise to the relaxation oscillator properties and simulated nystagmus as well as predicting the types of unit activity that generated saccades and nystagmic beats. The slow compensatory component of ocular nystagmus was studied in depth and gave rise to the idea that there was a velocity storage mechanism or integrator that not only is a focus for visual-vestibular interaction but also codes spatial orientation relative to gravity as referenced by the otoliths. Velocity storage also contributes to motion sickness when there are visual-vestibular as well as orientation mismatches in velocity storage. The relaxation oscillator concept was subsequently used to model the stance and swing phases of locomotion, how this impacted head and eye movements to maintain gaze in the direction of body motion, and how these were affected by Parkinson’s disease. Finally, the relaxation oscillator was used to elucidate the functional form of the systolic and diastolic beats during blood pressure and how vasovagal syncope might be initiated by cerebellar-vestibular malfunction.
Alterations in sleep, sleep spindle, and EEG power in mGluR5 knockout mice
Authors: Aguilar David D. , Strecker Robert E. , Basheer Radhika , McNally James M.
Published: November 2019

The type 5 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR5) represents a novel therapeutic target for schizophrenia and other disorders. Schizophrenia is associated with progressive abnormalities in cortical oscillatory processes including reduced spindles (8–15 Hz) during sleep and increased delta (0.5–4 Hz)- and gamma-band activity (30–80 Hz) during wakefulness. mGluR5 knockout (KO) mice demonstrate many schizophrenia-like behaviors, including abnormal sleep. To examine the effects of mGluR5 on the maintenance of the neocortical circuitry responsible for such neural oscillations, we analyzed sleep/wake electroencephalographic (EEG) activity of mGluR5 KO mice at baseline, after 6 h of sleep deprivation, and during a visual method of cortical entrainment (visual steady state response). We hypothesized mGluR5-KO mice would exhibit translationally relevant abnormalities in sleep and neural oscillations that mimic schizophrenia. Power spectral and spindle density analyses were performed across 24-h EEG recordings in mGluR5-KO mice and wild-type (WT) controls. Novel findings in mGluR5 KO mice include deficits in sleep spindle density, wake alpha power, and 40-Hz visual task-evoked gamma power and phase locking. Sigma power (10–15 Hz), an approximation of spindle activity, was also reduced during non-rapid eye movement sleep transitions. Our observations on abnormal sleep/wake are generally in agreement with previous reports, although we did not replicate changes in rapid eye movement sleep. The timing of these phenotypes may suggest an impaired circadian process in mGluR5 KO mice. In conclusion, EEG phenotypes in mGluR5 KO mice resemble deficits observed in patients with schizophrenia. These findings implicate mGluR5-mediated pathways in several translationally relevant phenotypes associated with schizophrenia, and suggest that agents targeting this receptor may have harmful consequences on sleep health and daily patterns of EEG power.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Metabotropic glutamate receptor type 5 (mGluR5) knockout (KO) mice show several translationally relevant abnormalities in neural oscillatory activity associated with schizophrenia. These include deficits in sleep spindle density, sigma and alpha power, and 40-Hz task-evoked gamma power. The timing of these phenotypes suggests an impaired circadian process in these mice. Previously reported rapid eye movement sleep deficits in this model were not observed. These findings suggest mGluR5-enhancing drugs may improve sleep stability and sleep spindle density, which could impact memory and cognition.
Comparison of Properties of Stem Cells Isolated from Adipose Tissue and Lipomas in Dogs
Authors: Teshima Takahiro , Matsuoka Akito , Shiba Maika , Dairaku Kazuho , Matsumoto Hirotaka , Suzuki Ryohei , Koyama Hidekazu
Published: November 2019

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) have been suggested their benefits in regenerative medicine for various diseases. Lipomas, benign neoplasms in adipose tissue, have been reported as a potential source of stem cells. These lipoma-derived mesenchymal stem cells (LDSCs) may be useful for regenerative medicine. However, the detailed characteristics of LDSCs have not been fully elucidated. This study investigated the cellular proteomics and secretomes of canine LDSCs in addition to morphology and proliferation and differentiation capacities. Some LDSCs isolated from canine subcutaneous lipomas were morphologically different from ADSCs and showed a rounded shape instead of fibroblast-like morphology. The phenotype of cell surface markers in LDSCs was similar to those in ADSCs, but CD29 and CD90 stem cell markers were more highly expressed compared with those of ADSCs. LDSCs had noticeably high proliferation ability, but no significant differences were observed compared with ADSCs. In regard to differentiation capacity compared to ADSCs, LDSCs showed higher adipogenesis, but no differences were observed with osteogenesis. Cellular proteomic analysis using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that over 95% of protein spots showed similar expression levels between LDSCs and ADSCs. Secretome analysis was performed using iTRAQ and quantitative cytokine arrays. Over 1900 proteins were detected in conditioned medium (CM) of LDSCs and ADSCs, and 94.0% of detected proteins showed similar expression levels between CM of both cell types. Results from cytokine arrays including 20 cytokines showed no significant differences between CM of LDSCs and that of ADSCs. Our results indicate that canine LDSCs had variability in characteristics among individuals in contrast with those of ADSCs. Cellular proteomics and secretomes were similar in both LDSCs and ADSCs. These findings suggest that LDSCs may be suitable for application in regenerative medicine.
Experimental Study on a New Reinforcement Method for Multilayer Industrial Building’s Vibration
Authors: Xie Kaizhong , Wang Hongwei , Zhou Jianxi , Luo Xiao , Yue Miao
Published: November 2019

In order to study a new reinforcement method for multilayer (4 layers) industrial building’s vibration, firstly, a new reinforcement method using a short‐pier shear wall was put forward. Secondly, an engineering example of a multilayer industrial building with abnormal vibration was introduced. A three‐dimensional finite element model of multilayer industrial building was established, and field vibration test was carried out. Test results showed that abnormal vibration of industrial building was caused by resonance between machines and multilayer industrial building. Finally, multilayer industrial building was reinforced by a new reinforcement method, and vibration experiment was carried out after reinforcement. The results show that the new reinforcement method has a good reinforcement effect. Strength and stiffness of multilayer industrial building were obviously improved, and natural frequency of industrial building in the length direction increased from 2.45 Hz to 5.87 Hz, natural frequency of industrial building in the width direction increased from 2.94 Hz to 7.83 Hz, frequencies of machines and frequencies of multilayer industrial building were not in resonance range, acceleration and velocity vibration characteristics of multilayer industrial building were improved, which can provide reference for the reinforcement of multilayer industrial building with a similar structural configuration.
Critical Frequency foF2 Variations at Korhogo Station from 1992 to 2001 Prediction with IRI-2012
Authors: Guibula Karim , Zerbo Jean Louis , Kaboré M’Bi , Ouattara Frédéric
Published: November 2019

In this paper we report the foF2 data measured at Korhogo station (Lat. 9.3° N; Long. 354.6° E; dip. 0.6° S) compared to predictions with IRI-2012 subroutine URSI and CCIR for different solar cycle phases (minimum, ascending, maximum, descending) and different geomagnetic activity classes (quiet, fluctuating, recurrent, shock). According to our investigations, predictions with IRI are in agreement with the measured data during daytime and show significant differences between them at night-time and especially before sunrise. Except at solar minimum, the gap between predictions and measured data are more appreciable during recurrent and shock conditions compared to quiet and fluctuating conditions. Our results also show that only URSI model expresses the signature of EXB drift phenomenon at solar maximum phase during the recurrent days and at ascending phase for fluctuating activity.
Clinical Survey of Decreased Blood Flow Rate in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: A Retrospective Observational Study
Authors: Harada Makoto , Ooki Masafumi , Kohashi Kaede , Ichikawa Tohru , Kobayashi Mamoru
Published: November 2019

Background. Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is an essential procedure for patients with acute kidney injury in intensive care. It is important to maintain an adequate blood flow rate during CRRT. Several previous studies have reported the relationships between blood flow rate and filter lifespan, or circuit life, in CRRT. Here, we aim at elucidating the incidence and factors associated with a decreased blood flow rate in CRRT.Methods. This is a retrospective observational study. From January 2014 to June 2017, 119 patients who underwent CRRT in the intensive care unit were enrolled. The definition of a decreased blood flow rate included situations in which the medical staff needed to decrease the blood flow volume. We statistically analyzed the association of the decreased blood flow rate with patients’ clinical characteristics.Results. Of 119 patients, 52 required a decreased blood flow rate during CRRT. Almost half of the cases occurred within one day of starting CRRT. None of the clinical factors (age, sex, height, sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, catheter position, systemic infection, albumin, hemoglobin, and activating coagulation time) were significantly associated with decreased blood flow rate.Conclusions. A decreased blood flow rate often occurs during CRRT. Clinical factors significantly associated with the occurrence of the decreased blood flow rate were not detected in the current study. Further investigation regarding the occurrence of a decreased blood flow is warranted.
A Feature-Driven Decision Support System for Heart Failure Prediction Based on χ2 Statistical Model and Gaussian Naive Bayes
Authors: Ali Liaqat , Khan Shafqat Ullah , Golilarz Noorbakhsh Amiri , Yakubu Imrana , Qasim Iqbal , Noor Adeeb , Nour Redhwan
Published: November 2019

Heart failure (HF) is considered a deadliest disease worldwide. Therefore, different intelligent medical decision support systems have been widely proposed for detection of HF in literature. However, low rate of accuracies achieved on the HF data is a major problem in these decision support systems. To improve the prediction accuracy, we have developed a feature-driven decision support system consisting of two main stages. In the first stage, χ2 statistical model is used to rank the commonly used 13 HF features. Based on the χ2 test score, an optimal subset of features is searched using forward best-first search strategy. In the second stage, Gaussian Naive Bayes (GNB) classifier is used as a predictive model. The performance of the newly proposed method (χ2-GNB) is evaluated by using an online heart disease database of 297 subjects. Experimental results show that our proposed method could achieve a prediction accuracy of 93.33%. The developed method (i.e., χ2-GNB) improves the HF prediction performance of GNB model by 3.33%. Moreover, the newly proposed method also shows better performance than the available methods in literature that achieved accuracies in the range of 57.85–92.22%.
Superior Vena Cava Duplication: The Red Herring of Central Line Placement
Authors: Gunther Karin , Lam Carmen , Siegel David
Published: November 2019

5 million central venous access lines are placed every year in the United States, and it is a common surgical bedside procedure. We present a case of a central venous catheter placement with port for chemotherapy use, during which a duplication of a superior vena cava was discovered on CTA chest after fluoroscopy could not confirm placement of the guidewire. Due to its potential clinical implications, superior vena cava duplication must be recognized when it occurs.
Knowledge of and Utilization of Emergency Contraceptive and Its Associated Factors among Women Seeking Induced Abortion in Public Hospitals, Eastern Tigray, Ethiopia, 2017: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Abraha Desta , Welu Guesh , Berwo Meresa , Gebretsadik Mulu , Tsegay Tesfay , Gebreheat Gdiom , Gebremariam Hadush
Published: November 2019

Background. In developing countries, most maternal deaths are related to the lack of accessibility and availability of reproductive health services. In those nations, emergency contraceptive pills are the most commonly used family planning methods to prevent unintended pregnancy. However, women do not use this family planning method for different reasons. Consequently, women expose to unsafe abortion which results in maternal morbidity and mortality. Objective. To assess the knowledge of and utilization of emergency contraceptive and its associated factors among women seeking induced abortion in public hospitals, Eastern Tigray, Ethiopia, 2017. Methods. Hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 380 women, who came for safe termination of pregnancy from April to July 2017. Systematic random sampling technique was used. Pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect data through interview. Data were entered using Epi Info version 7 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Data were presented using descriptive statistics. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was carried out to see if there was significant association between variables at P<0.05 and 95% confidence interval (CI). Result. Out of the total 369 respondents, 149 (40.4%) had the knowledge about emergency contraceptive pills. The magnitude of utilization of emergency contraceptive among respondents was found to be 45 (12.2%). Protestant in religion (AOR = 60.85, CI (5.34–693.29)), previous utilization of any contraceptive method (AOR = 0.13, CI (0.05–0.36)), and women who were not knowledgeable about emergency contraceptive (AOR = 0.030, CI (0.006–0.14)) were significantly associated with the utilization of emergency contraceptive. Conclusion. Most of the women were not knowledgeable about emergency contraceptive and utilization of emergency contraceptive was also very low. In conclusion, religion, knowledge, and previous utilization of emergency contraceptive were associated with the utilization of emergency contraceptive.
MiR-6803-5p Promotes Cancer Cell Proliferation and Invasion via PTPRO/NF-κB Axis in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Yan Shushan , Cheng Min , Duan Quanhong , Wang Zengfang , Gao Wenfeng , Ren Bin , Xu Donghua
Published: November 2019

Accumulated studies have implicated microRNAs (miRNAs) exert modifying effects on colorectal cancer (CRC). Protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor type O (PTPRO) has been identified as a tumor suppressor in several kinds of cancer, including CRC. Previously, we have found that exosome-encapsulated miR-6803-5p is increased in CRC. However, the mechanism of miR-6803-5p in CRC is not clear yet. This study is aimed at elucidating the effect of miR-6803-5p in colorectal carcinogenesis. Expression of miR-6803-5p and PTPRO mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of CRC patients is estimated by real-time PCR. PTPRO protein in CRC cells is detected by western blot. To verify the association of miR-6803-5p with PTPRO, luciferase reporter assay is performed. CCK-8 and EdU assays are conducted to assess cell proliferation. Real-time PCR and ELISA are applied to detect cytokine expression in CRC cells. Cell invasion and migration assays are evaluated by transwell and scratch tests. Immunofluorescence is carried out to determine the activation of NF-κB in HCT116 cells. Negative correlation is demonstrated between miR-6803-5p and PTPRO in CRC. PTPRO is demonstrated to be a direct target of miR-6803-5p. miR-6803-5p can promote cancer cell proliferation and invasion and enhance inflammation through PTPRO/NF-κB axis in CRC, which serves as a useful target for CRC.
Organotypic Cocultures of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived-Neurons with Mammalian Inner Ear Hair Cells and Cochlear Nucleus Slices
Authors: Hyakumura Tomoko , McDougall Stuart , Finch Sue , Needham Karina , Dottori Mirella , Nayagam Bryony A.
Published: November 2019

Stem cells have been touted as a source of potential replacement neurons for inner ear degeneration for almost two decades now; yet to date, there are few studies describing the use of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) for this purpose. If stem cell therapies are to be used clinically, it is critical to validate the usefulness of hPSC lines in vitro and in vivo. Here, we present the first quantitative evidence that differentiated hPSC-derived neurons that innervate both the inner ear hair cells and cochlear nucleus neurons in coculture, with significantly more new synaptic contacts formed on target cell types. Nascent contacts between stem cells and hair cells were immunopositive for both synapsin I and VGLUT1, closely resembling expression of these puncta in endogenous postnatal auditory neurons and control cocultures. When hPSCs were cocultured with cochlear nucleus brainstem slice, significantly greater numbers of VGLUT1 puncta were observed in comparison to slice alone. New VGLUT1 puncta in cocultures with cochlear nucleus slice were not significantly different in size, only in quantity. This experimentation describes new coculture models for assessing auditory regeneration using well-characterised hPSC-derived neurons and highlights useful methods to quantify the extent of innervation on different cell types in the inner ear and brainstem.
A Trial‐and‐Error Congestion Pricing Method for Day‐to‐Day Dynamic Network Flows considering Travelers’ Heterogeneous Inertia Patterns
Authors: Zhou Bojian , Xu Min , Zhang Yong
Published: November 2019

This study proposes a trial‐and‐error congestion pricing method to achieve system optimum under day‐to‐day flow dynamics with unknown demand. Travelers are assumed to adjust their route choice day by day so that the resultant traffic flow under a trial of tolls evolves from one day to another. We rigorously demonstrate that if psychological inertia is considered in travelers’ day‐to‐day route choice behavior, the convergence of the proposed trial‐and‐error congestion pricing method can be guaranteed without requiring the observed network flows to be in user equilibrium. Furthermore, the proposed method also allows tolls to be updated at irregular time intervals, which greatly relaxes the implementation requirements of existing congestion pricing schemes in the literature. This study is very significant from a practical point of view because it provides a flexibility approach that greatly reduces the implementation time of the traditional trial‐and‐error congestion pricing method. Numerical experiments are conducted to validate our theoretical findings.
Shared Genetic Etiology of Obesity-Related Traits and Barrett's Esophagus/Adenocarcinoma: Insights from Genome-Wide Association Studies
Authors: Böhmer Anne C. , Hecker Julian , Schröder Julia , Gharahkhani Puya , May Andrea , Gerges Christian , Anders Mario , Becker Jessica , Hess Timo , Kreuser Nicole , Thieme René , Noder Tania , Venerito Marino , Veits Lothar , Schmidt Thomas , Fuchs Claudia , Izbicki Jakob R. , Hölscher Arnulf H. , Dietrich Arne , Moulla Yusef , Lyros Orestis , Lang Hauke , Lorenz Dietmar , Schumacher Brigitte , Mayershofer Rupert , Vashist Yogesh , Ott Katja , Vieth Michael , Weismüller Josef , Moebus Susanne , Knapp Michael , Neuhaus Horst , Rösch Thomas , Ell Christian , Nöthen Markus M. , Whiteman David C. , Tomlinson Ian , Jankowski Janusz , Fitzgerald Rebecca C. , Palles Claire , Vaughan Thomas L. , Gockel Ines , Thrift Aaron P. , Fier Heide , Schumacher Johannes
Published: November 2019

Background:

Obesity is a major risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) and its precursor Barrett's esophagus (BE). Research suggests that individuals with high genetic risk to obesity have a higher BE/EA risk. To facilitate understanding of biological factors that lead to progression from BE to EA, the present study investigated the shared genetic background of BE/EA and obesity-related traits.

Methods:

Cross-trait linkage disequilibrium score regression was applied to summary statistics from genome-wide association meta-analyses on BE/EA and on obesity traits. Body mass index (BMI) was used as a proxy for general obesity, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) for abdominal obesity. For single marker analyses, all genome-wide significant risk alleles for BMI and WHR were compared with summary statistics of the BE/EA meta-analyses.

Results:

Sex-combined analyses revealed a significant genetic correlation between BMI and BE/EA (rg = 0.13, P = 2 × 10−04) and a rg of 0.12 between WHR and BE/EA (P = 1 × 10−02). Sex-specific analyses revealed a pronounced genetic correlation between BMI and EA in females (rg = 0.17, P = 1.2 × 10−03), and WHR and EA in males (rg = 0.18, P = 1.51 × 10−02). On the single marker level, significant enrichment of concordant effects was observed for BMI and BE/EA risk variants (P = 8.45 × 10−03) and WHR and BE/EA risk variants (P = 2 × 10−02).

Conclusions:

Our study provides evidence for sex-specific genetic correlations that might reflect specific biological mecha-nisms. The data demonstrate that shared genetic factors are particularly relevant in progression from BE to EA.

Impact:

Our study quantifies the genetic correlation between BE/EA and obesity. Further research is now warranted to elucidate these effects and to understand the shared pathophysiology.
Sex Disparity Observed for Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score in Predicting Mortality Among Patients with Early Stage ER-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Wang Fei , Reid Sonya , Zheng Wei , Pal Tuya , Meszoely Ingrid , Mayer Ingrid A. , Bailey Christina E. , Park Ben Ho , Shu Xiao-Ou
Published: November 2019

Purpose:

Prognostic value of Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score (RS) in male patients with breast cancer is understudied. We evaluated associations of RS with overall mortality in male patients with breast cancer and compared it with female counterparts.

Experimental Design:

With a cohort of 848 male and 110,898 female patients with breast cancer identified from the National Cancer Database (2010–2014), we estimated HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overall mortality associated with RS using Cox regression models. RS was evaluated continuously, as well as by categorization following respective traditional (≤17, 18–30, and ≥31) and TAILORx (≤10, 11–25, and ≥26) cutoffs.

Results:

RS was positively associated with mortality in male patients (HR = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02–1.26 per unit RS increment) up to RS > 21, after which the risk plateaued. Among female patients, mortality began to increase with RS only when RS > 23 (HR = 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.02 per unit of RS increment). The intermediate- (HR = 5.37; 95% CI, 1.79–16.11) and high-risk diseases (HR = 4.28; 95% CI, 1.22–14.97) defined by TAILORx, but not traditional cutoffs established for female patients, were associated with elevated mortality risk in men even after adjustment for demographic, clinical characteristics, and treatments, except chemotherapy.

Conclusions:

RS is associated with mortality in male patients with breast cancer at a much lower threshold than that for female patients. Studies are needed to establish specific guidelines for RS thresholds for male patients with breast cancer.
Effect of single dose follicle stimulating hormone on follicular aspiration, in vitro fertilization and pregnancy rate
Authors: Moraes Mayara Ellen Bardi de , Adona Paulo Roberto , Guemra Samuel , De Bem Tiago Henrique Camara , Miranda Moysés Dos Santos
Published: November 2019

The present study evaluated Brangus cows treated with single doses of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) subjected to follicular aspiration after 24 h to assess oocyte recovery, in vitro fertilization and pregnancy rate. Follicles exceeding 3 millimeters in diameter were aspirated, 200 mg of FSH was administered 2 days later, and a new ovum pickup was performed 24 h afterward. These methods were performed 3 times every 3 days. In control, follicular aspirations occurred at intervals of 1-week without FSH administration o. The aspirated oocytes were evaluated, submitted to in vitro fertilization and the embryos were transferred to the recipients. The average recovery of oocytes was higher (p<0.05) in control cows (12.4±1.8) than in treated cows (9.4±1.3). There was no difference (p>0.05) in the mean percentage of viable oocytes (52.0±3.9 and 62.7±4.7%) or the mean percentage of embryos (41.4±4.8 and 41.5±4.2%) among control and treated cows, respectively. The mean percentage of pregnancy did not differ (p>0.05) for control cows (43.8±2.7%), and treated cows (40.9±6.8%). In conclusion, FSH treatment did not improve oocyte recovery, in vitro fertilization, and pregnancy percentage. However, there is possibility of several consecutive ovum pickup every t3 days, concentrating the in vitro fertilization and the pregnancy percentage.
Qualidade de vida em pacientes adultos com paralisia cerebral
Authors: Mendes Ana Paula Oliveira , Binha Anny Michelly Paquier , Silveira Valéria Cassefo
Published: November 2019

Paralisia cerebral (PC) é um grupo de desordens permanentes do desenvolvimento motor e postural que são atribuídas a distúrbios não progressivos que ocorreram no encéfalo em desenvolvimento. Diversos fatores podem interferir na qualidade de vida desses pacientes e com o aumento da longevidade é importante prevenir e intervir precocemente nos aspectos que comprometem a qualidade de vida. Objetivo: Verificar como os pacientes adultos com PC atendidos no ambulatório da AACD auto avaliam sua atual condição de saúde e correlacionar com alguns fatores que interferem na qualidade de vida dessa população. Método: Foi aplicado um questionário de triagem para avaliação de qualidade de vida dos pacientes via telefone (CDC HRQOL-4) e foi preenchido um protocolo de avaliação utilizando o prontuário. A coleta de dados foi realizada do dia 13 de março até 30 de junho de 2016. Realizada a análise estatística dos dados. Resultados: Foram atendidos 349 pacientes e 66 pacientes que obedeciam aos critérios de inclusão responderam ao questionário via telefone. A idade média geral foi de 26,5 anos. A divisão por sexo foi igual (50%); a idade máxima foi de 52 anos. Houve predomínio de pacientes com diparesia espástica para ambos os sexos (57,5% para mulheres e 54,5% para os homens). Entre as mulheres, 77,5% não estava praticando nenhuma atividade. No geral, 19,7% referiram alguma dor crônica e 31,8% tiveram queixa de alteração de humor nos últimos 30 dias. Na auto avaliação sobre a saúde em geral, 25,8% referiu estar excelente e apenas 10,6% regular. A maioria era solteiro(a), não tinha filhos e morava com a família (pais e irmãos). Conclusão: Os pacientes adultos com PC atendidos no ambulatório da AACD Ibirapuera são predominantemente adultos jovens, solteiros e que estão vivendo com seus familiares. Em geral, eles referem ter uma saúde muito boa ou excelente e menos de 20% convive com alguma dor crônica, mas esta não interfere nas atividades do cotidiano. Já em relação às alterações de humor, mais de um terço referiu ter estresse, tristeza ou ansiedade, mas também não tem forte influência na sua qualidade de vida.
Confiabilidade das mensurações de testes isocinéticos para articulação do tornozelo
Authors: Luna Natália Mariana Silva , Alonso Angélica Castilho , Eliezer Daniele , Quintana Marília Simões Lopes , Borin Gabriela , Tarallo Fernanda Botta , Canônica Alexandra Carolina , Greve Júlia Maria D’Andréa
Published: November 2019

O teste isocinético do tornozelo tem uma grande relevância, já que é possível estabelecer protocolos com velocidades e modos de contração semelhantes aos das atividades funcionais e esportivas. Desta forma, são necessários estudos que mostram a confiabilidade desta ferramenta para auxiliarem na prevenção de lesões do tornozelo. Objetivo: Elaborar uma revisão de literatura sobre estudos que abordaram a confiabilidade de testes isocinéticos da articulação do tornozelo. Métodos: A busca na literatura foi realizada nas bases de dados Pubmed, Lilacs, Pedro, Scielo, Scopus e Cochrane com os descritores científicos ankle e isokinetic e reliability. Foram identificados 34 artigos, 4 foram excluídos por não estudarem humanos e 27 foram incluídos (10 referentes à confiabilidade de testes isocinéticos para inversores e eversores do tornozelo e 17 referentes à confiabilidade de testes para flexores-plantares e dorsiflexores). Resultados: A confiabilidade da avaliação isocinética dos flexores-plantares e dorsiflexores tem sido descrita para diferentes dinamômetros, posições, modos e populações. Os valores de coeficientes de correlação intraclasse variam de 0,55-0,98; e a de eversores e inversores, variam de 0,54-0,99, classificados na faixa de satisfatório a excelente. Conclusão: Os protocolos isocinéticos da articulação do tornozelo devem ser elaborados de acordo com a musculatura recrutada e com a população (com presença ou não de patologia).
Research Needs and Priorities for Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Al-Khatib Sana M. , Benjamin Emelia J. , Buxton Alfred E. , Calkins Hugh , Chung Mina K. , Curtis Anne B. , Desvigne-Nickens Patrice , Jais Pierre , Packer Douglas L. , Piccini Jonathan P. , Rosenberg Yves , Russo Andrea M. , Wang Paul J. , Cooper Lawton S. , Go Alan S. , Healey Jeff S. , Link Mark S. , Marrouche Nassir F. , Noseworthy Peter A. , Sanders Prashanthan , Hills Melanie True , Yao Xiaoxi , Zieman Susan J.
Published: November 2019

Catheter ablation has brought major advances in the management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). As evidenced by multiple randomized trials, AF catheter ablation can reduce the risk of recurrent AF and improve quality of life. In some studies, AF ablation significantly reduced cardiovascular hospitalizations. Despite the existing data on AF catheter ablation, numerous knowledge gaps remain concerning this intervention. This report is based on a recent virtual workshop convened by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to identify key research opportunities in AF ablation. We outline knowledge gaps related to emerging technologies, the relationship between cardiac structure and function and the success of AF ablation in patient subgroups in whom clinical benefit from ablation varies, and potential platforms to advance clinical research in this area. This report also considers the potential value and challenges of a sham ablation randomized trial. Prioritized research opportunities are identified and highlighted to empower relevant stakeholders to collaborate in designing and conducting effective, cost-efficient, and transformative research to optimize the use and outcomes of AF ablation.
Algorithms and Interoperability between Drama and Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Pizzo Antonio , Lombardo Vincenzo , Damiano Rossana
Published: November 2019

Computation has played a notable role in contemporary performance, a trend that has paired with the emersion of intermediality. A look at a few historical examples along with an evaluation of more recent research suggests that the notion of algorithm may provide a new approach to the dichotomy between media and performance. From the systems that aim to facilitate the interoperability of content in performance to the seminal distinction between content structures and control structures, it is possible to foresee a new perspective on the relation between algorithms and drama.
Plato, Procedures, and Artificial Everything
Authors: Dorsen Annie
Published: November 2019

Nearly 10 years after Hello Hi There (2010), the proliferation of algorithmically generated fakes, copies, frauds, bots, and trolls casts the project of algorithmic theatre in a newly ambiguous light. How should theatre, with its long history of problematizing questions of appearance, impersonation, illusion, truth, and falsehood, respond to these new forms of data-driven representations?
Streaking
Authors: McGlotten Shaka
Published: November 2019

Streaking is a naked dash in public. “Streaking” is also used to describe forms of gamified sociability that emerged from social media apps like Snapchat, where the term refers to ongoing and uninterrupted series of “Snaps.” The history of technologies and their disparate impacts on marginalized groups endure in algorithmic and other violences explored by artists Jol Thomson, Mimi Onuoha, Ayo Okunseinde, and Stephanie Dinkins.
From a Legal Proof to a Historical Fact: Trajectories of an Ottoman Document in a Franciscan Monastery, Sixteenth to Twentieth Century
Authors: Sekulić Ana
Published: November 2019

While scholarship on the Ottoman Empire has explored its rich archives with great enthusiasm, there has been little work on the circulation of documents among the Empire’s subjects. This paper explores the archive of a Franciscan monastery in Ottoman Bosnia by following a single document in Ottoman Turkish from its issuance in the mid-sixteenth century to its interpretation within a historical monograph in the early twentieth. I address the ways in which the document circulated beyond the imperial offices and how the Franciscans transformed it through strategies including storing, marking, interpreting, cataloging, and silencing. The paper sheds light on the convergence between the deployment of the Ottoman documents and the rise of the Franciscan authority, indicating how Franciscan usage of the archive produced useful narratives beyond the confines and control of the Empire.
Copied and Collected: Firmans, Petitions, and the Political History of Qajar Iran
Authors: Ashraf Assef
Published: November 2019

This article uses two manuscripts, comprising collections (majmūʿa) of firmans, petitions, and letters from Qajar Iran, as a lens through which to explore Qajar governance. It begins by introducing the manuscripts, and then discusses who copied them and why, how the contents of the collections circulated in Qajar Iran prior to their compilation, what that circulation says about Qajar Iran, and finally, how collections how such manuscript compilations such as these open new avenues of research in Qajar political history.
Documenting the World in Indo-Persianate & Imperial English: Idioms of Textual Authority in Hyderabad
Authors: Beverley Eric Lewis
Published: November 2019

In late-nineteenth-century Hyderabad, the Persian administrative idiom gave way to bilingual English/Urdu conduct of governance, along with rising prominence of other languages, networks, and political ideologies. Before and after this shift, state bureaucrat-intellectuals published exhaustive accounts of Hyderabad’s administrative and political structure and history in Persian, Urdu, and English. This article considers several documentary texts and their authors’ social trajectories in the context of multiple scales of governance. It identifies a reorientation to a shifting global context in Hyderabadi documentary culture, and a productive engagement with British rule and colonial knowledge forms amidst other social and political possibilities.
Entanglements between the Tanzimat and al-Nahḍah: Jurjī Zaydān between Tārīkh ādāb al-lughah al-turkiyyah and Tārīkh ādāb al-lughah al-ʿarabiyyah
Authors: Arslan C. Ceyhun
Published: November 2019

This article analyzes comparisons between Arabic and Turkish literatures in literary histories from the late Ottoman period, with a particular focus on works by Jurjī Zaydān (1861-1914). Drawing upon Alexander Beecroft’s concept of “literary biomes,” it argues that these comparisons overlooked intersections of Arabic and Turkish literatures in the “Ottoman literary biome” and depicted them as belonging to two separate “biomes.” I define the “Ottoman literary biome” as the transcultural space of the Ottoman Empire that allowed the circulation of a multilingual textual repertoire and cultivated a cultural elite. Through foregrounding the transcultural context of Ottoman literary biome, I demonstrate that modern Arabic and Turkish literatures morphed in a reciprocal entanglement. My work finally calls for the fields of Arabic literature and comparative literature to further flesh out the diversity of literary biomes in which Arabic texts circulated.
Al-Sharīf al-Raḍī and Nahj al-balāghah: Rhetoric, Dispossession, and the Lyric Sensibility
Authors: Stetkevych Suzanne Pinckney
Published: November 2019

This study explores the relationship between the extraordinary poetic achievement of Sharīf al-Raḍī (d. 406/1016) in his highly lyrical and influential Dīwān, on the one hand, and the literary-religious accomplishment of his unrivalled compilation of the sermons, epistles, and sayings of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, Nahj al-balāghah, on the other. It examines the interplay among the contemporary Mutanabbī-dominated literary scene, the Imāmī Shīʿite dominated Baghdādī politico-religious scene, and, in Islamic scholarship generally, the increasingly balāghah- (rhetoric)-focused theological discourse on iʿjāz al-Qurʾān (the miraculous inimitability of the Qurʾān). Finally, the paper attempts to connect al-Raḍī’s sense of alienation and dispossession from his hereditary right to rule—one that he has found so strikingly expressed in the sermons of his forefather ʿAlī—and the extraordinary lyrical-elegiac strain in his own poetry.
Emotional Defence Lawyers
Authors: Flower Lisa
Published: November 2019

The emotions of defence lawyers have garnered little sociological attention. This is surprising, as their role requires them to show loyalty to clients, representing them in court irrespective of the client or the crime. Theirs is thus an emotionally demanding role, requiring the management of inappropriate emotions. This essay explores this by showing that justice systems have structurally embedded emotional regimes guiding emotional performances. My study reveals these invisible rules, along with the ways in which one category of legal professional in particular – defence lawyers – performs its role in the Swedish justice system. The material considered includes fieldnotes gathered from an extensive courtroom ethnography and interviews with defence lawyers. The analysis looks at how defence lawyers perform their duty of loyalty, and finds it to be an interactional accomplishment demanding emotion management and impression management strategies ensuring conformity to the emotional regime of law.
Hypocrellin B Encapsulated in Triphenyl Phosphonium-Modified Cationic Liposomes for Photodynamic Treatment of Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Chen Hongxia , Deng Hong , Zou Xianbiao , Zhao Jingquan
Published: November 2019

Verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been approved for the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) for over a decade. However, its extensive application has been impeded by inevitably collateral tissue damage and immediate induction of angiogenesis, in addition
to the need of multiple treatments. In order to develop prospective photosensitizers for clinical use, a triphenyl phosphonium-modified cationic liposomal hypocrellin B (TPP cationic LHB) for angiogenic targeting and endothelial internalization was constructed. With optimal PDT parameters,
TPP cationic LHB can lead to death of choroid-retinal vascular endothelial cells while cause negligible damage to collateral retinal pigment epithelium cells. This is likely due to the mitochondria targeting and effective intracellular singlet oxygen generation of TPP cationic LHB in vascular
endothelial cells. Additionally, in vivo chick chorioallantoic membrane assay indicated the elevated neovessel-targeting ability and photo-induced anti-angiogenic activity of TPP cationic LHB. Furthermore, TPP cationic LHB PDT is able to maintain neovessel occlusion for an extended
period of time compared with verteporfin PDT, without inducing significant increased expression of some angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor and integrin αvβ3. This study describes a facile strategy that may be useful
for developing new-generation photosensitizers to circumvent the limitations of PDT treatment of exudative AMD.
Delivery of High Mobility Group Box-1 siRNA Using Brain-Targeting Exosomes for Ischemic Stroke Therapy
Authors: Kim Minkyung , Kim Gyeungyun , Hwang Do Won , Lee Minhyung
Published: November 2019

Ischemic strokes are caused by decreased blood flow into the brain, due to narrowed cerebral arteries. In the ischemic brain, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is released into extracellular spaces and induces inflammatory reactions. In this study, HMGB1 small interfering RNA (siRNA)
was delivered into ischemic brains by intravenous administration using rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG) peptide-decorated exosomes. A fusion protein of RVG and Lamp2b was expressed in 293T cells. Since Lamp2b is an exosome membrane-integral protein, RVG-Lamp2b is integrated into the exosomes,
producing RVG-decorated exosomes (RVG-Exo). HMGB1-siRNA was loaded into RVG-Exo and unmodified exosomes (Unmod-Exo) by electroporation. The exosomes were homogenous with a size of less than 50 nm and a negative surface charge. In vitro delivery assays showed that RVG-Exo showed higher
efficiency to Neuro2A cells than Unmod-Exo. Also, HMGB1 levels were reduced more effectively by RVG-Exo/HMGB1-siRNA. In vivo delivery efficiency and therapeutic effects of RVG-Exo/HMGB1-siRNA were evaluated in a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. RVG-Exo/HMGB1-siRNA, Unmod-Exo/HMGB1-siRNA,
and PEI25k/HMGB1-siRNA were administrated into the MCAO model intravenously through the tail vein. The results showed that HMGB1, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and apoptosis levels in the brain were reduced in the RVG-Exo/HMGB1-siRNA group more efficiently than
the other groups. In addition, the infarct size was decreased in the RVG-Exo/HMGB1 group more effectively than the other groups. These results suggest that RVG-Exo with HMGB1-siRNA may have potential as a therapeutic system for the treatment of ischemic strokes.