bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Initial Stroke Severity in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation According to Antithrombotic Therapy Before Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Jung Yo Han , Kim Young Dae , Kim Jinkwon , Han Sang Won , Oh Mi Sun , Lee Ji Sung , Lee Kyung-Yul
Published: August 2020

Background and Purpose:

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the leading cause of ischemic stroke. Preventive antithrombotic use, especially for anticoagulation, reduces the incidence of ischemic stroke in patients with AF. Using data from the nationwide multicenter stroke registry, we investigated the trends of preceding antithrombotic medication use in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with AF and its association with initial stroke severity and in-hospital outcomes.

Methods:

This study included 6786 patients with AIS with known AF before stroke admission across 39 hospitals between June 2008 and December 2018. We collected the data on antithrombotic medication use (no antithrombotic/antiplatelet/anticoagulant) preceding AIS. Initial stroke severity was measured using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and in-hospital outcome was determined by modified Rankin Scale score at discharge.

Results:

During the study period, anticoagulant use continued to increase. However, nearly one-third of patients with AIS with known AF did not receive antithrombotics before stroke. Initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores varied according to preceding antithrombotic therapy (
P
<0.001). It was higher in patients who did not receive antithrombotics than in those who received antiplatelets or anticoagulants (median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score: 8 versus 7 and 8 versus 6, respectively). Favorable outcome at discharge (modified Rankin Scale score, 0–2) was more prevalent in patients who received antiplatelets or anticoagulants (
P
<0.001). Use of antiplatelets (odds ratio, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.09–1.38]) and anticoagulants (odds ratio, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.15–1.50]) was associated with a mild initial neurological deficit (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≤5) in patients with AIS with AF.

Conclusions:

Throughout the study period, the proportion of patients taking anticoagulants increased among patients with AIS with known AF. However, a large portion of AF patients still did not receive antithrombotics before AIS. Furthermore, prehospitalization use of anticoagulants was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of a mild initial neurological deficit and favorable outcome at discharge.
Cell-Based Therapy for Stroke
Authors: Park You Jeong , Niizuma Kuniyasu , Mokin Maxim , Dezawa Mari , Borlongan Cesar V.
Published: August 2020

Stem cell-based regenerative therapies may rescue the central nervous system following ischemic stroke. Mesenchymal stem cells exhibit promising regenerative capacity in in vitro studies but display little to no incorporation in host tissue after transplantation in in vivo models of stroke. Despite these limitations, clinical trials using mesenchymal stem cells have produced some functional benefits ascribed to their ability to modulate the host’s inflammatory response coupled with their robust safety profile. Regeneration of ischemic brain tissue using stem cells, however, remains elusive in humans. Multilineage-differentiating stress-enduring (Muse) cells are a distinct subset of mesenchymal stem cells found sporadically in connective tissue of nearly every organ. Since their discovery in 2010, these endogenous reparative stem cells have been investigated for their therapeutic potential against a variety of diseases, including acute myocardial infarction, stroke, chronic kidney disease, and liver disease. Preclinical studies have exemplified Muse cells’ unique ability mobilize, differentiate, and engraft into damaged host tissue. Intravenously transplanted Muse cells in mouse lacunar stroke models afforded functional recovery and long-term engraftment into the host neural network. This mini-review article highlights these biological properties that make Muse cells an exceptional candidate donor source for cell therapy in ischemic stroke. Elucidating the mechanism behind the therapeutic potential of Muse cells will undoubtedly help optimize stem cell therapy for stroke and advance the field of regenerative medicine.
A new species of Lophiaris (Orchidaceae, Oncidiinae) from Quiché, Guatemala, in the L. straminea complex

Authors: MÓ EDGAR , CETZAL-IX WILLIAM , ZACARÍAS-COXIC CESAR J. , CARNEVALI GERMÁN , VEGA HERMES
Published: August 2020

A new species of Lophiaris (Orchidaceae, Onciidinae), Lophiaris quichensis Coxic, Cetzal, Mó & Carnevali, from the department of Quiché, Guatemala, is herein described, illustrated, and characterized based on morphological features. It is here referred to the L. straminea complex (along with L. aurisasinorum, L. sierracaracolensis, and L. straminea) from which it is easily distinguished by the color of the flowers: sepals and petals yellow, and the whole surface covered with pale reddish-brown spots, the claws with a pale reddish-brown stain, the labellum yellow with a reddish-brown blotch covering the central portion of the central lobe, the disc and partially the teeth of the callus, the lateral lobes with a brown spot at the base of the same. The etymology, distribution, ecology, and comparative differences of the new species with respect to other species of L. straminea complex are discussed. We also provide a comprehensive key to identify the species of L. straminea complex. The conservation status of L. quichensis is assessed as CR by the IUCN criteria.
A new species of Meriania (Melastomataceae) with remarkably small flowers from northern Peru

Authors: FERNANDEZ-HILARIO ROBIN , GOLDENBERG RENATO , MICHELANGELI FABIÁN A.
Published: August 2020

Meriania microflora (Merianieae, Melastomataceae), a new species en­demic to the Amazonas-Loreto border, in the Peruvian Amazon, is described and illustrated here. The new spe­cies presents the smallest flowers recorded within the genus, and also differs from other species of Meriania by the combination of appendages on the petioles, white petals, strongly dimorphic stamens and connectives with developed ascending appendages and multilobed descending appendages.
Two new replacements names for South American Cerambycinae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)
Authors: GALILEO MARIA HELENA MAINIERI , ROSA PAOLO , SANTOS-SILVA ANTONIO
Published: August 2020

The late Ubirajara Ribeiro Martins de Souza (1932–2015) described 390 genera in Cerambycidae (including Disteniinae = Disteniidae), alone or with collaborators (especially the first author of this work), and two genera in Languriinae (Erotylidae). Some of them are currently in synonymy, and a few were replaced due to homonymy. Herein we propose new replacement names for two of his Cerambycidae genus-group names. These belong to two different tribes: Elaphidiini (currently with 93 genera) and Eligmodermini (currently with five genera).
Who Is an Indian Child? Institutional Context, Tribal Sovereignty, and Race-Making in Fragmented States
Authors: Brown Hana E.
Published: August 2020

Despite growing interest in state race-making, we know little about how race-making plays out in the everyday practice of policy governance. To address this gap, I examine the implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act (1978), which sought to end generations of state policies that denied tribal sovereignty and forcibly removed Native children from their tribes. ICWA’s protections extend to children based on tribal citizenship, not racial status. Marshalling 40 years of archival data from the government agencies charged with ICWA enforcement, I analyze how ICWA implementers determine a child’s Indian status. I find that authorities routinely eschew the requirement to treat Indian as a citizenship category, re-defining it as a race. Yet whether and how state actors racialize Indianness varies by the institutional contexts in which they work. Comparing state child welfare agencies, state courts, and federal courts, I identify three institutional characteristics that organize race-making practices: evidentiary standards, record-keeping requirements, and incentive structures. These characteristics influence whether state decision-makers operationalize “Indian” as a racial category and the cognitive and ideological processes that undergird their classifications. I also demonstrate that changes in these institutional characteristics yield concomitant shifts in whether and how state agents engage in racialization.
The Association Between Alcoholic Liver Disease and Alcohol Tax
Authors: Aslam Sadaf , Buggs Jacentha , Melo Samantha , Ermekbaeva Aizara , Rogers Ebonie , Shaw Robert , Kumar Ambuj , Kemmer Nyingi
Published: August 2020

Background

The incidence of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) has increased, causing it to become a primary indication for liver transplantation in the United States. We hypothesized an association between alcohol taxation and prevalence of ALD.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of united network for organ sharing (UNOS) waitlist additions for liver transplantation between January 2007 and December 2016. We also analyzed the average excise tax (2007-2016) for beer, wine, and spirits in listing states of liver transplant waitlist additions (LTWA).

Results

There were 104 805 adult UNOS LTWA with assigned diagnoses, an annual increase from 22% to 28%. There were 24 316 LTWA with ALD diagnosis. The mean value for beer tax was significantly lower for ALD patients than for non-ALD patients across all age groups ( P < .001). The analysis demonstrated significantly more ALD in waitlisted patients 35-54 years of age (30%), compared with 18-34 years (10%) and ≥55 years (20%), P < .001. The data confirmed significantly more ALD Medicaid patients in the 35-54 year age group (28%) compared with other age groups, P < .001.

Discussion

Our research demonstrated an association between lower beer tax and higher ALD prevalence across all age groups. We found a larger percentage of middle-aged (35-54 years) Medicaid patients listed with ALD. These findings raise the need for further investigation of a potential public health concern for an association between ALD and beer tax, especially for middle-aged patients of lower socioeconomic status.
Surgical Management of Bronchobiliary Fistula After Thoracoabdominal Trauma
Authors: Coughlin Julia M. , Bonomo Steven , Chan Edie Y. , Hasan Jafar , Grevious Mark A. , Geissen Nicole
Published: August 2020

Bronchobiliary fistulas are exceedingly rare pathological connections between the biliary and the bronchial systems, which result from hepatobiliary neoplasms, abscesses, or thoracoabdominal trauma. Prompt recognition, diagnosis, and intervention is essential in order to prevent the high morbidity and mortality associated with this disease process. Multiple management strategies have been described in the literature; however, the optimal course has not been well defined. We present a case of a 31-year-old male who developed a bronchobiliary fistula 1 month after thoracoabdominal trauma. After conservative management with biliary stenting failed, he successfully underwent latissimus sparing right posterolateral thoracotomy, complete fistulectomy, right lower lobe wedge resection, and diaphragmatic reconstruction with subsequent resolution of his symptoms.
Covered Stents as a First-Line Treatment for Vascular Access Complications During Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: Eight-Year Experience From a Single Center
Authors: Ben Abdallah Iannis , Urena Marina , Sutter Willy , Bezard Charlotte , Pellenc Quentin , Cerceau Pierre , Nguyen Thuy-Hong , Himbert Dominique , Castier Yves
Published: August 2020

We report 8-year experience with vascular access complications (VACs) after percutaneous transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). From January 2010 to January 2018, patients with iliofemoral VAC treated by an intervention following percutaneous transfemoral TAVI were included. Major VAC was defined according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium 2 classification. As first-line strategy, VACs were treated using covered nitinol stents (CS). Among 795 percutaneous transfemoral TAVI, 74 (9.3%) patients (female, 57%; 82 ± 8 years) with VAC treated by CS and/or open repair were included in this study: 59 CS cases and 15 open repair cases. Two CS patients were converted to open repair. Technical success for stent implantation was 97%. The main VAC was a persistent bleeding related to percutaneous closure device failure (72%). Thirty-day mortality in the study cohort was 5.4% (4/74), including 1 VAC-related death. One patient had postoperative lower limb ischemia successfully treated by open repair. No amputation, new-onset claudication or in-stent occlusion was recorded. Endovascular intervention using self-expandable nitinol covered stent is safe and effective as a first-line strategy for the treatment of VAC in percutaneous transfemoral TAVI. However, open repair is needed in case of unfeasibility or failure of endovascular therapy.
Constructing the refugee: Comparison between newspaper coverage of the Syrian refugee crisis in Canada and the UK
Authors: Xu Man
Published: August 2020

The media play a key role in informing public opinion during refugee crises. Representations of refugees in the media shape public understanding of what a ‘refugee’ is and policy decisions over who to include or to exclude. Although extensive literature has examined representations of refugees in news media, few systematic comparative investigations look at discourses across types of immigration countries. In this article, the author compares news coverage of the Syrian refugee crisis in Canada and the UK, to consider how media discourse is affected by a nation’s historical relationship with and current policies of immigration. The author follows existing literature in arguing that the dominant discourses in the newspapers racialize refugees through a ‘victim–pariah’ couplet, and further argues that this shared model of racialized representation serves the particular nation-building projects and asylum regimes in the two countries. In addition, a comparison between coverage in newspapers that represent divergent political orientations shows that news stories that attempt to ‘give voice’ to refugees are more prevalent in the more left-leaning newspapers in both countries. Nonetheless, these attempts to ‘re-humanize’ refugees do not invalidate the Orientalist image of refugees as passive victims without agency and history.
Assessment of health education infographics in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Jahan Saulat , Al-Saigul Abdullah Mohammed , Alharbi Ali Mousa
Published: August 2020

Objective:

To evaluate the health education infographics posted on Twitter accounts by major health care institutions in Saudi Arabia.

Method:

Cross-sectional review of health education infographics using a semi-structured evaluation form. The scoring rubric included 10 criteria grouped under 4 main headings: (1) usefulness, (2) legibility, (3) graphics and illustrations and (4) aesthetics. Rated on a scale of 1 to 5, scored items were summed and converted into a percentage. Each infographic was classified as being of high quality (70%–100%), medium quality (40%–69%) or low quality (0%–39%).

Results:

A total of 297 infographics were evaluated. The most common topics concerned chronic diseases and associated risk factors ( n = 72) and healthy lifestyle ( n = 51). The highest re-tweets (524), likes (605) and replies (226) were received by government organisations. Overall, 249 (83.8%) infographics were categorised as of ‘high quality’, 46 (15.5%) as ‘medium quality’, and 2 (0.7%) as ‘low quality’. The highest proportion (93%) of ‘high-quality’ infographics came from government hospitals. Among individual criterion, drawings (17.2%) made up the highest proportion of the ‘low quality’ category followed by overall design (10.8%) and purpose (10.8%). Light text (covering < 50% of the infographic) showed a significant statistical association with the number of replies ( p = .007), number of likes ( p = .003) and number of retweets ( p = .018).

Conclusion:

The majority of infographics were rated as being of ‘high quality’. Government institutions were assessed as having better quality infographics than private hospitals. We recommend that social media design specialists and health education specialists collaborate to design clear infographics with better overall design.
New Light on the Main Instrument of the Samarqand Observatory
Authors: Zotti Georg , Mozaffari S. Mohammad
Published: August 2020

The observatory of Ulugh Beg, erected in Samarqand in the 1420s, represents the culmination in the development of astronomical observatories in the Islamic world. After its rediscovery and excavation in the early twentieth century there have been several attempts to reconstruct its appearance and explain how it worked in detail, based on archaeological finds and the analysis of relevant manuscripts. A new look at illustrated copies of an important manuscript provides new, hitherto unmentioned details to the understanding of this instrument. Based on previous reports, we have created a virtual reconstruction of the observatory and the new version of the instrument, from which we have gained new insights.
Please Help Us (or Don’t): External Interventions and Negotiated Settlements in Civil Conflicts
Authors: McKibben Heather Elko , Skoll Amy
Published: August 2020

How do different types of external intervention affect the likelihood of a negotiated settlement in civil conflicts? Drawing on the negotiation literature, which shows that the nature of the parties’ “best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA)” influences the bargaining process between them, we argue different types of intervention affect governments’ and rebel groups’ BATNAs in different ways. This, in turn, affects the likelihood of a negotiated settlement. To test this argument, we address the fact that interventions are nonrandom, and that characteristics of civil conflicts that lead to different types of intervention also influence the likelihood of a negotiated settlement. We therefore use a two-stage statistical model. The first stage predicts the likelihood of different types of intervention, and drawing on those results, the second stage analyzes the likelihood of a negotiated settlement. The results provide insights into how different types of intervention affect civil conflict outcomes.
Gross Negligence Manslaughter: Is Prosecution of Doctors Always in the Public Interest and Is Specific Prosecutorial Guidance Needed?
Authors: Swift Kristina
Published: August 2020

There have been recent criticisms of the prosecution of doctors for gross negligence manslaughter (GNM) and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been under the spotlight. The CPS must make decisions to prosecute based on the evidential test and public interest test. There has been much attention on the evidential stage with a focus on how the CPS approach the threshold of GNM and the use of experts in this regard. The public interest stage by comparison has been subject to little scrutiny and it is time to redress that balance. It is not inevitable that the public interest test will be met in all GNM cases; the public interest test must be satisfied to support the decision to prosecute. It will be appropriate to consider the use of offence-specific prosecutorial guidance for assisted suicide and question whether this lends support to the use of such an approach to guide the exercise of discretion in GNM cases or points to a need for caution. If a specific policy was viewed desirable, the feasibility of the undertaking must be evaluated. There is a need to critically consider the circumstances that may lead to a conclusion that it is not in the public interest to prosecute and whether a policy could be constructed to facilitate this task.
Effect of carbonization temperature on characterization and water vapor adsorption of coffee-shell activated carbon
Authors: Sun Shengnan , Yu Qiongfen , Li Ming , Zhao Hong , Wang Yunfeng , Ji Xu
Published: August 2020

Coffee shells, which are abundant in cellulose and lignin, are good raw materials to prepare activated carbon. In this paper, coffee shells were selected as raw materials for activated carbon preparation by KOH chemical activation. Influence of carbonization temperature on adsorption capacity of water vapor over activated carbon was researched. Thermogravimetric analysis was employed to select the scope of carbonization temperature. Activation energies of coffee shells pyrolyzed at different heating rates were calculated. Nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherm and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were adopted to characterize the activated carbon. And water vapor adsorption isotherms were simulated by the finite simplification model of Do-Do adsorption model. The results show that activation energies of coffee shells pyrolysis process with heating rates of 5, 10 and 20 K/min are 17.21, 18.01 and 57.52 kJ/mol, respectively. The optimal carbonization temperature of coffee shells is 923 K. The adsorption amount of water vapor can reach about 702.3 mg/g under experiment temperature of 298 K and relative humidity of 70%. The highest total pore volume and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface area are 1.41 cm3/g and 2817 m2/g, respectively. The simulation results of the finite simplification model are consistent well with water vapor adsorption experiment results. The results show that activated carbon prepared at the optimal condition would be the potential candidate for solar drying system.
Anointed or appointed? Father–daughter succession within the family business
Authors: McAdam Maura , Brophy Martina , Harrison Richard T
Published: August 2020

With the focus on events and outcomes shaping most of the existing family business research on intra-family succession, the subtleties of the incumbent–successor relationship and the dynamic nature of succession as a process of becoming is somewhat neglected. In particular, we have limited understanding of how successor identities are constructed as legitimate between incumbent and successor during father–daughter succession. This article addresses this gap in understanding by exploring how the daughter successor engages in identity work with the father incumbent during the process of succession and the role of father–daughter gendered relations in shaping her successor identity. Using a two-stage research design strategy, we draw upon empirical evidence derived from 14 individual and joint semi-structured interviews to present a narrative analysis of five father–daughter dyads. In so doing, we unveil how the daughter’s successor identity was co-constructed as legitimate and how father–daughter gendered relations influenced this process. Although daughters rely on certain father–daughter relations (preparation, endorsement and osmotic credibility) for legitimacy, they also need to develop independently of their father to heighten their own visibility and establish credibility.
Lexical fixedness and compositionality in L1 speakers’ and L2 learners’ intuitions about word combinations: Evidence from Italian
Authors: Fioravanti Irene , Senaldi Marco Silvio Giuseppe , Lenci Alessandro , Siyanova-Chanturia Anna
Published: August 2020

The present investigation focuses on first language (L1) and second language (L2) speakers’ sensitivity to lexical fixedness and compositionality of Italian word combinations. Two studies explored language users’ intuitions about three types of word combinations: free combinations, collocations, and idioms. In Study 1, Italian Verb+Noun combinations were embedded in sentential contexts, with control conditions created by substituting the verb with a synonym. L1 and L2 speakers rated sentence acceptability. In Study 2, the original verb was removed from sentences. Participants chose the verb from the list provided they felt was most acceptable. Computational measures were used to measure compositionality of word combinations. Mixed-effects modelling revealed that L1 and L2 speakers judged target word combinations differently in terms of lexical fixedness. In line with phraseological models, L1 speakers judged the use of a synonym as less acceptable in collocations than free combinations. On the contrary, L2 learners judged the use of a synonym as more acceptable in collocations than free combinations. However, all participants perceived idioms as least flexible of the three combination types. Results further showed an interesting effect of compositionality on the speakers’ intuitions about the use of word combinations. Taken together, the findings provide new insights into how L1 and L2 speakers perceive word combinations that vary along the continua of lexical fixedness and compositionality.
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound for the preoperative assessment of laryngeal carcinoma: a preliminary study
Authors: Hu Qiao , Zhu Shang Yong , Liu Ruo Chuan , Zheng Hong Yu , Lun Hai Mei , Wei Hai Ming , Weng Jing Jin
Published: August 2020

Background

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is considered an attractive imaging technique to evaluate tumor microcirculation. However, the validity of CEUS for assessing laryngeal carcinoma is unclear.

Purpose

To compare the performance of CEUS with conventional US and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in the diagnosis and preoperative T-staging of laryngeal carcinoma.

Material and Methods

Forty-one consecutive patients with laryngeal carcinoma underwent conventional high-frequency US, CEUS, and CECT before surgery. The CEUS characteristics of laryngeal carcinoma were recorded. The imaging findings of CEUS and conventional US were compared with CECT findings and the postoperative pathological examination.

Results

CEUS showed hyperenhancement in 38 cases and isoenhancement in three cases. Homogeneous distribution of contrast agent was found in 20 cases and heterogeneous distribution in 21 cases, of which 16 cases showed local perfusion defects. In the enhanced phase, rapid entry was observed in 37 cases, synchronous entry was observed in two cases, and slow entry was observed in two cases. Rapid exit was observed in 25 cases and slow exit was observed in 16 cases. The pretherapeutic T-staging accuracy was not significantly different between conventional US, CEUS, and CECT ( P ≥ 0.500). A high sensitivity and specificity were achieved by CEUS in the evaluation of involvement of thyroid cartilage.

Conclusion

Compared with conventional US and CECT, CEUS has a reliable initial T-staging accuracy and diagnostic properties for detecting laryngeal cartilage invasion.
Ultrasound-assisted diagnosis of intraoperative cardiac tamponade during hemihepatectomy: a case report
Authors: Wang Jia-Wan , Chen Ying-Qi
Published: August 2020

Cardiac tamponade is a rare complication that occurs during hemihepatectomy. This particular complication has a high degree of mortality and morbidity. A 51-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for surgical treatment of a malignant liver tumor. During surgery, she developed sudden hemodynamic instability and signs suggesting cardiac tamponade, which was confirmed via transthoracic echocardiogram. Cardiac compression and creation of a pericardial window resulted in immediate hemodynamic improvement. At completion of surgery, a repeated transthoracic echocardiogram showed no pericardial effusion. Early ultrasound-assisted diagnosis and treatment of cardiac tamponade are crucial. Although cardiac tamponade rarely occurs during hemihepatectomy, medics should be aware of this possibility to ensure prompt diagnosis. Our findings strongly support the use of early cardiac compression in cardiac arrest during surgery with echocardiography for prompt and accurate diagnosis of cardiac tamponade. Additionally, our findings will hopefully make anesthesiologists aware of the need to maintain a high index of suspicion for cardiac tamponade with sudden hypotension and a large reduction in differential pressure, and encourage early use of echocardiography and timely cardiac compression.
SDC1 knockdown induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition and invasion of gallbladder cancer cells via the ERK/Snail pathway
Authors: Liu Zixiang , Jin Hao , Yang Song , Cao Haiming , Zhang Ziyan , Wen Bo , Zhou Shaobo
Published: August 2020

Background

Expression levels of the cell adhesion molecule syndecan-1 (SDC1) have been shown to be inversely proportional to tumor differentiation and prognosis. However, its role in the development of gallbladder cancer (GBC) remains unclear.

Methods

We knocked down SDC1 in GBC cells by RNA interference and determined its roles in cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration by Cell Counting Kit-8, colony-formation, flow cytometry, Hoechst 33342 staining, transwell invasion, and scratch wound assays. Expression levels of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/Snail pathway proteins were determined by western blotting and immunofluorescence.

Results

Cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were all increased in GBC cells with SDC1 knockdown, compared with cells in the blank control and negative control groups, but apoptosis was similar in all three groups. E-cadherin and β-catenin expression levels were significantly lower and N-cadherin, vimentin, p-ERK1/2, and Snail expression were significantly higher in the SDC1 knockdown group compared with both controls, while ERK1/2 levels were similar in all groups. Reduced E-cadherin and increased vimentin levels were confirmed by immunofluorescence.

Conclusions

SDC1 knockdown promotes the proliferation, invasion, and migration of GBC cells, possibly by regulating ERK/Snail signaling and inducing EMT and cancer cell invasion.
Diagnosis of lung cancer: a necropsy-based study of 128 cases (1997–2016)
Authors: Barbieri Pietro Gino , Mirabelli Dario
Published: August 2020

Background:

The diagnosis of lung cancer (LC) may be difficult to make in the elderly. We report on the diagnostic elements available in life in an LC necropsy case series of asbestos-exposed workers and describe the frequency of non-neoplastic asbestos-related diseases as biological exposure indices.

Methods:

We reviewed pathologic and clinical records of an unselected series of autopsies (1997–2016) in patients with LC employed in the Monfalcone shipyards. We assessed the consistency with autopsy results of diagnoses based on, respectively, radiologic, cytologic, and histologic findings.

Results:

Data on 128 autopsy-confirmed LC cases were available; in life, 119 had been diagnosed as LC. Among these, 49 had histologic confirmation of diagnosis (17 with immunophenotyping); histology had been negative in 4. Cytology had been the main positive finding and the basis for diagnosis in 24 cases, but had been negative in 13. Chest computed tomography had been the basis for diagnosis in 45; in 18 cases, it had been negative. Nine patients had received a diagnosis different from LC, among whom 4 had been suspected to have malignant pleural mesothelioma by chest computed tomography. Pleural plaques were found in 124 and histologic asbestosis in 46 cases.

Conclusions:

Autopsies confirmed all LC diagnoses received in life, including 46 that would have been considered only possible LC based on clinical workup. The overall survival in this case series was poor. The high prevalence of pleural plaques and asbestosis suggest severity of asbestos exposures.
Prevalence of Equus caballus Papillomavirus Type-2 Infection and Seropositivity in Asymptomatic Western Canadian Horses
Authors: Greenwood Sarah , Chow-Lockerbie Betty , Ramsauer Sophie , Wachoski-Dark Garrett , Knight Cameron , Wobeser Bruce
Published: August 2020

Equus caballus papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV-2) has been recognized as a potential cause of a subset of genital squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) in horses. In the current study, we measured EcPV-2 seropositivity in 50 healthy horses from Western Canada, and these were compared to a herd of horses with known EcPV-2 exposure. Second, the presence of EcPV-2 DNA was measured using EcPV-2-specific PCR (polymerase chain reaction), performed on a variety of tissues collected at necropsy from 70 horses that lacked any history, gross, or histologic evidence of neoplasia or papillomavirus-associated disease. EcPV-2-specific RNA in situ hybridization (R-ISH) was performed on PCR-positive samples to identify the specific tissues infected. The prevalence of asymptomatic infection with EcPV-2 in Western Canadian horses was 20/70 (29%). Exposure to EcPV-2 as measured by seropositivity was 18/50 (36%). EcPV-2 positivity by anatomic location, as measured by R-ISH, was as follows: penis 10/29 (35%), vulva 5/34 (15%), eyelid 8/68 (12%), oral mucosa 7/65 (11%), skin from muzzle 7/68 (10%), and retropharyngeal lymph node 2/64 (3%). The youngest horses with EcPV-2 infection, based on PCR, were fetuses, suggesting for the first time that vertical transmission of EcPV-2 occurs in horses. The current study observed an increased prevalence of EcPV-2 as compared to previous studies. We suggest that this difference is due to our use of biopsies in place of superficial swabs. We propose that EcPV-2 infection in asymptomatic horses is more common than previously reported and that the virus’ role in equine genital SCCs may be more complex than originally thought.
High-handed sin and the Promised Land: The rhetorical relationship between law and narrative in Numbers 15
Authors: Noonan Benjamin J
Published: August 2020

The rhetorical relationship between law and narrative has received increasing attention in recent Pentateuchal scholarship. An especially interesting case study is the legal material of Num. 15, which is placed directly after the narrative of the Israelites’ refusal to enter the land of Canaan (Num. 13-14) and itself contains a short narrative (Num. 15.32-36). Scholars have offered explanations for some of the material in Num. 15, but the rationale for this chapter’s diverse content—especially the pericope regarding unintentional and ‘high-handed’ sins (Num. 15.22-31)—remains largely unexplained. This article addresses this lacuna by examining the relationship between law and narrative in Num. 15. Specifically, this article argues that (1) the rhetorical function of Num. 15.22-31 is to show that the Israelites committed a high-handed sin when they failed to take the land, and (2) that the Israelites’ sin is contextually linked with God’s rest.
Vascular actions of peripheral CGRP in migraine-like photophobia in mice
Authors: Mason Bianca N , Wattiez Anne-Sophie , Balcziak Louis K , Kuburas Adisa , Kutschke William J , Russo Andrew F
Published: August 2020

Background

Calcitonin gene-related peptide is recognized as a key player in migraine, yet the mechanisms and sites of calcitonin gene-related peptide action remain unknown. The efficacy of calcitonin gene-related peptide-blocking antibodies as preventative migraine drugs supports a peripheral site of action, such as the trigeminovasculature. Given the apparent disconnect between the importance of vasodilatory peptides in migraine and the prevailing opinion that vasodilation is an epiphenomenon, the goal of this study was to test whether vasodilation plays a role in calcitonin gene-related peptide-induced light aversive behavior in mice.

Methods

Systemic mean arterial pressure and light aversive behavior were measured after intraperitoneal administration of calcitonin gene-related peptide and vasoactive intestinal peptide in wild-type CD1 mice. The functional significance of vasodilation was tested by co-administration of a vasoconstrictor (phenylephrine, endothelin-1, or caffeine) with calcitonin gene-related peptide to normalize blood pressure during the light aversion assay.

Results

Both calcitonin gene-related peptide and vasoactive intestinal peptide induced light aversion that was associated with their effect on mean arterial pressure. Notably, vasoactive intestinal peptide caused relatively transient vasodilation and light aversion. Calcitonin gene-related peptide-induced light aversion was still observed even with normalized blood pressure. However, two of the agents, endothelin-1 and caffeine, did reduce the magnitude of light aversion.

Conclusion

We propose that perivascular calcitonin gene-related peptide causes light-aversive behavior in mice by both vasomotor and non-vasomotor mechanisms.
An Arthroscopic “Inlay” Bristow Procedure With Suture Button Fixation for the Treatment of Recurrent Anterior Glenohumeral Instability: 3-Year Follow-up
Authors: Shao Zhenxing , Song Qingfa , Cheng Xu , Luo Hao , Lin Lin , Zhao Yuqing , Cui Guoqing
Published: August 2020

Background:

Coracoid graft positioning, fixation, and bone union are key factors affecting the clinical outcomes of Bristow and Latarjet procedures. We developed an arthroscopic “inlay” Bristow procedure based on the “mortise-tenon” joint structure concept using suture button fixation to achieve more stable fixation and better bone union of the graft.

Purpose:

To evaluate the positioning of the coracoid graft, bone union rate, and clinical outcomes of this arthroscopic inlay Bristow procedure with suture button fixation.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A total of 62 patients who received the arthroscopic inlay Bristow procedure with suture button fixation between June 2015 to June 2016 were eligible for inclusion, and 56 patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study. Radiological assessment on 3-dimensional computed tomography scan was performed preoperatively, immediately after the operation, and postoperatively at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and the final follow-up. Pre- and postoperative clinical results were also assessed.

Results:

A total of 56 patients were included in this study. The mean ± SD follow-up time was 36.1 ± 3.7 months. Coracoid grafts (middle point) were positioned at 4 o’clock (range, 123.8°± 12.3°) in the sagittal view. In the axial view, 94.6% (53/56) of the graft positioning was measured as flush and 5.4% (3/56) as medial. Neither lateral nor too medial positioning was noted. The bone union rate was 96.4% at final follow-up. The mean visual analog scale score for pain during motion, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, and Rowe score all improved significantly after surgery—from 4.8 ± 2.6 to 1.1 ± 1.0, 69.2 ± 12.5 to 92.5 ± 7.0, and 33.5 ± 12.1 to 96.0 ± 4.9 at last follow-up, respectively. Almost all patients (98%; 55/56) returned to sports within 1 year after surgery at the same or higher level as compared with their preinjury performance. The mean subjective value for sports participation was 90.3% ± 7.1% (range, 70%-100%) as compared with the normal shoulder. The overall complication rate was 3.6%. No degenerative changes were noted in any patients.

Conclusion:

This study reported the first series of an inlay Bristow procedure with suture button fixation for recurrent shoulder dislocation, providing a satisfactory union rate and excellent graft positioning with a low complication rate. The mortise-tenon joint structure can provide excellent graft fixation and healing, while using suture button fixation instead of screw fixation could reduce osteolysis and complications related to hardware implantation.
Minimal Clinically Important Difference, Substantial Clinical Benefit, and Patient Acceptable Symptomatic State After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Kim Dong Min , Kim Tae Hyung , Kholinne Erica , Park Jeong Hee , Shin Myung Jin , Kim Hyojune , Park Dongjun , Jeon In-Ho , Koh Kyoung Hwan
Published: August 2020

Background:

Minimal clinically important difference (MCID), substantial clinical benefit (SCB), and patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS) are emerging criteria for patient-based treatment assessments. However, few studies have investigated these measures after rotator cuff repair.

Purpose:

(1) To determine MCID, SCB, and PASS values for pain visual analog scale (pVAS), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) score after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. (2) To determine factors for achieving the MCID, SCB, and PASS.

Study Design:

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

We analyzed prospectively collected data from a rotator cuff surgery registry between March 2018 and February 2019. Eighty-two patients were included, and anchor questions for deriving MCID, SCB, and PASS values were applied at 1-year follow-up after the surgery. The MCID and SCB for the pVAS, ASES, SANE, and UCLA scores were then derived via 2 methods: a sensitivity- and specificity-based approach, which was used alone to derive PASS values, and a between-patients approach. Additionally, univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine factors for achieving the MCID, SCB, and PASS.

Results:

All 4 scores showed acceptable areas under the curve. MCID, SCB, and PASS values for the pVAS were 1.5, 2.5, and 1.7; for ASES scores, 21.0, 26.0, and 78.0; for SANE, 13.0, 20.0, and 71.0; and for UCLA scores, 6.0, 8.0, and 23.0, respectively. Poor preoperative scores demonstrated significantly higher odds ratios (ORs) for achieving the MCID and SCB and lower ORs for achieving the PASS. Retear, large to massive tear, and older age showed lower ORs for achieving the MCID or SCB. For PASS items, male sex and biceps tenodesis had higher ORs, and older age had lower ORs. MCID, SCB, and PASS values per the sensitivity- and specificity-based approach were applied in factor analyses.

Conclusion:

Reliable MCID, SCB, and PASS values were obtained from patient evaluations 1 year after arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery. Poor preoperative score (MCID and SCB), male sex, and biceps tenodesis showed higher ORs, whereas poor preoperative score (PASS), retear, large to massive tear, and older age demonstrated lower ORs.
“Tindersluts” and “Tinderellas”: Examining the Digital Affordances Shaping the (Hetero)Sexual Scripts of Young Womxn on Tinder
Authors: Christensen MacKenzie A.
Published: August 2020

This study examines how the digital affordances of Tinder shape the (hetero)sexual scripts of young womxn. Findings indicate that while Tinder alleviates the boundaries of an on-campus hookup culture, the app has yet to completely rewrite the sexual and romantic scripts of young adults. Instead, participants describe the development of a hybrid hookup script. This multilevel script reintegrates traditional dating scripts, which are absent in an on-campus hookup culture, while maintaining the expectation of a hookup. Yet, not all participants enacted the hybrid hookup script to the same extent. Facing a lack of same-race matches and compounding racist and sexist interactions, womxn of color were overrepresented among those who opted out altogether. Overall, by situating this study within a broader nexus of scholarship on gendered sexual scripts and technological affordances, results offer a new interpretation of young adult sexuality that accounts for the sociotechnical mechanisms shaping contemporary (hetero)sexual scripts.
Preparation of spherical cobalt hydroxystannate and its flame retardant and smoke suppressant effect in poly(vinyl chloride)
Authors: Liu Fuya , Wen Zewei , Zhang Ning , Zhao He , Hu Weidong , Xu Jianzhong , Jiao Yunhong
Published: August 2020

Spherical cobalt hydroxystannate was prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analyzer–Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Results showed that cobalt hydroxystannate spheres have an average particle size of 440 nm and disperse uniformly. The flame-retardant flexible poly(vinyl chloride) treated with cobalt hydroxystannate was studied by the limiting oxygen index, universal tensile testing machine, thermogravimetric analyzer–Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and laser Raman spectra methods. Compared with the pure poly(vinyl chloride), the limiting oxygen index value of the poly(vinyl chloride) sample (PVC/10) treated with 10 phr of cobalt hydroxystannate is increased by 4% points, and its total heat release and total smoke production decreased by 18% and 50%, respectively. The result could be attributed to the water produced by the dehydration of cobalt hydroxystannate, and the interaction of cobalt hydroxystannate and the poly(vinyl chloride) matrix, which produces dense and highly graphitized char residue containing hexagonal phase graphite, CoCl2, Co2O3, and Co3O4.
Interactions Between Intensive Care and Palliative Care Are Influenced by Training, Professionals’ Perceptions and Institutional Barriers
Authors: Calle María Camila , Pareja Sara Lucia , Villa María Margarita , Román-Calderón Juan Pablo , Lemos Mariantonia , Navarro Stella , Krikorian Alicia
Published: August 2020

Background: There is growing interest in the use of a Palliative care approach in Intensive care. However, it tends to remain inconsistent, infrequent or non-existent, as does its acceptance by intensive care physicians. This study sought to explore the perceptions, level of knowledge, perceived barriers, and practices of physicians regarding palliative care practices (PC) in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Methods: Descriptive-correlational study. Participating physicians working in ICU in Colombia (n = 101) completed an ad hoc questionnaire that included subscales of perceptions, knowledge, perceived barriers, and PC practices in ICU. A Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) was used to examine the reciprocal relationships between the measured variables and those that could predict interaction practices between the 2 specialties. Results: First, results from the measurement model to examine the validity and reliability of the latent variables found (PC training, favorable perceptions about PC, institutional barriers, and ICU-PC interaction practices) and their indicators were obtained. Second, the structural model found that, a greater number of hours of PC training, a favorable perception of PC and a lower perception of institutional barriers are related to greater interaction between PC and ICU, particularly when emotional or family problems are detected. Conclusions: PC-ICU interactions are influenced by training, a positive perception of PC and less perceived institutional barriers. An integrated ICU-PC model that strengthens the PC training of those who work in ICU and provides clearer guidelines for interaction practices, may help overcome perceived barriers and improve the perception of the potential impact of PC.
Efficacy of Fosphenytoin as First-Line Antiseizure Medication for Neonatal Seizures Compared to Phenobarbital
Authors: Alix Veronica , James Mansi , Jackson Anthony H. , Visintainer Paul F. , Singh Rachana
Published: August 2020

Currently used treatment protocols for neonatal seizures vary among centers with limited evidence to support the choice of a given antiseizure medication. Because of concerns about the potential negative impact of phenobarbital on long-term neurodevelopment outcomes, our unit transitioned to fosphenytoin as the first-line antiseizure medication. A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted to compare the acute and long-term outcomes of fosphenytoin and phenobarbital as first-line antiseizure medication for neonatal seizure treatment. The 2 study groups had similar baseline characteristics for neonatal variables as well as maternal antenatal complications. We did not find any differences in the acute outcomes between the 2 groups. However, significantly fewer infants in the fosphenytoin group had moderate-to-severe neurodevelopmental delay at the 18- and 24-month assessments. In conclusion, although both medications were equally efficacious for acute neonatal seizure control, fosphenytoin had the potential for significantly better neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18-24 months of age.
Qualitative Sampling Methods
Authors: Gill Sara L.
Published: August 2020

Qualitative sampling methods differ from quantitative sampling methods. It is important that one understands those differences, as well as, appropriate qualitative sampling techniques. Appropriate sampling choices enhance the rigor of qualitative research studies. These types of sampling strategies are presented, along with the pros and cons of each. Sample size and data saturation are discussed.