bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Age-related inequalities in colon cancer treatment persist over time: a population-based analysis
Authors: Hayes Louise , Forrest Lynne , Adams Jean , Hidajat Mira , Ben-Shlomo Yoav , White Martin , Sharp Linda
Published: November 2018

Background

Older people experience poorer outcomes from colon cancer. We examined if treatment for colon cancer was related to age and if inequalities changed over time.

Methods

Data from the UK population-based Northern and Yorkshire Cancer Registry on 31 910 incident colon cancers (ICD10 C18) diagnosed between 1999–2010 were obtained. Likelihood of receipt of: (1) cancer-directed surgery, (2) chemotherapy in surgical patients, (3) chemotherapy in non-surgical patients by age, adjusting for sex, area deprivation, cancer stage, comorbidity and period of diagnosis, was examined.

Results

Age-related inequalities in treatment exist after adjustment for confounding factors. Patients aged 60– 69, 70–79 and 80+ years were significantly less likely to receive surgery than those aged <60 years (multivariable ORs (95% CI) 0.84(0.74 to 0.95), 0.54(0.48 to 0.61) and 0.19(0.17 to 0.21), respectively). Age-related differences in receipt of surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy (but not chemotherapy in non-surgical patients) narrowed over time for the ’younger old’ (aged <80 years) but did not diminish for the oldest patients.

Conclusions

Age inequality in treatment of colon cancer remains after adjustment for confounders, suggesting age remains a major factor in treatment decisions. Research is needed to better understand the cancer treatment decision-making process, and how to influence this, for older patients.
Taking the blame: appropriate responses to medical error
Authors: Tigard Daniel W
Published: November 2018

Medical errors are all too common. Ever since a report issued by the Institute of Medicine raised awareness of this unfortunate reality, an emerging theme has gained prominence in the literature on medical error. Fears of blame and punishment, it is often claimed, allow errors to remain undisclosed. Accordingly, modern healthcare must shift away from blame towards a culture of safety in order to effectively reduce the occurrence of error. Against this shift, I argue that it would serve the medical community well to retain notions of individual responsibility and blame in healthcare settings. In particular, expressions of moral emotions—such as guilt, regret and remorse—appear to play an important role in the process of disclosing harmful errors to patients and families. While such self-blaming responses can have negative psychological effects on the individual practitioner, those who take the blame are in the best position to offer apologies and show that mistakes are being taken seriously, thereby allowing harmed patients and families to move forward in the wake of medical error.
Retailers’ perspectives on selling tobacco in a low-income San Francisco neighbourhood after California’s $2 tobacco tax increase
Authors: Chavez Gladis , Minkler Meredith , McDaniel Patricia A , Estrada Jessica , Thayer Ryan , Falbe Jennifer
Published: November 2018

Background

California’s tobacco tax increased by $2.00 per pack in 2017. Although such increases are among the most effective tobacco control strategies, little is known about their impact from the perspective of corner store owners in low-income neighbourhoods with high concentrations of tobacco outlets.

Methods

We interviewed 38 corner store owners and managers in San Francisco’s Tenderloin, the district with the city’s highest tobacco outlet density, 60–90 days following implementation of the tax increase. Questions focused on perceptions of the impact of the higher tobacco tax on their revenues, customers and tobacco company promotions. We used qualitative content analysis to identify, compare and reconcile key themes.

Results

Most retailers reported a decline in cigarette sales, with customers buying fewer cigarettes, switching to cheaper brands or other products like marijuana, or trying to quit smoking. Retailers described challenges associated with running a small business and selling tobacco and concerns about selling a product that is ‘bad’ for customers’ health. Contrary to expectation, tobacco companies appeared to be offering few product promotions in this neighbourhood.

Conclusions

Small, independent retailers’ concerns, about selling tobacco and about the health and well-being of customers, suggest that such retailers may be important allies in tobacco control efforts,particularly those focused on the point-of-sale.
Quantifying partial migration with sex-ratio balancing
Authors: Ohms Haley A. , Gitelman Alix I. , Jordan Chris E. , Lytle Dave A.
Published: November 2018

Partial migration, the phenomenon in which animal populations are composed of both migratory and nonmigratory individuals, is widespread among migrating animals. The proportion of migrants in these populations has direct influences on population genetics and dynamics, ecosystem dynamics, mating systems, evolution, and responses to environmental change, yet there are very few studies that measure the proportion of migrants. This is because existing methods to estimate the proportion of migrants are time-consuming and expensive. In this paper, we demonstrate a new method for estimating the proportion of migrants in a population based on sex ratio measurements. Many partially migratory taxa exhibit sex-biased migration or residency, and in these cases, the sex ratios of migrants and nonmigrants are fundamentally related to the proportion of migrants in the population. We define this relationship quantitatively and show how it can be used to infer the proportion of migrants in a population through a process we term “sex-ratio balancing”. We obtain Bayesian estimates of proportion of migrants and quantify the uncertainty in these estimates with highest posterior density intervals. Lastly, we validate the sex-ratio balancing approach with a Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Walbaum in Artedi, 1792) data set. Sex-ratio balancing holds promise as a tool for quantifying partial migration and filling a key data gap about partially migratory taxa.
Autophagy and apoptosis in starved and refedNeocaridina davidi(Crustacea, Malacostraca) midgut
Authors: Włodarczyk A. , Student S. , Rost-Roszkowska M.
Published: November 2018

Adult specimens of the freshwater shrimp Neocaridina davidi Bouvier, 1904 (Crustacea) were starved for 7, 14, and 21 days. Specimens from the first and second experimental group were collected for the studies. The majority of animals starved for 21 days died. Additionally, some specimens from each group were refed for 4, 7, and 14 days. The epithelium of the midgut, which is composed of the intestine and hepatopancreas, was analyzed. While the epithelium of the intestine is formed by D- and R-cells, the epithelium of the hepatopancreas has R-, B-, and F-cells. Autophagy and apoptosis in the midgut epithelium were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemical methods. These processes were only observed in the D-cells of the intestine and the F- and B-cells of the hepatopancreas. Starvation led to a reduction in the amount of reserve material in the B-cells. Although this process activated autophagy in both regions of the midgut, the intestine and hepatopancreas, after refeeding, the level of autophagy decreased. Starvation caused an increase in the apoptotic cells in both organs, while the refeeding caused a decrease in the number of apoptotic cells in both organs analyzed. Refeeding after periods of starvation caused an accumulation of reserve material in the hepatopancreas.
Dynamics of small-mammal communities along an elevational gradient
Authors: Benedek A.M. , Sîrbu I.
Published: November 2018

Elevation is one of the most important natural gradients that is strongly shaping communities across relatively small areas. However, few studies have followed the temporal dynamics of elevational patterns, even in organisms for which population and community fluctuations have been extensively studied, such as rodents. Here we report the multiannual dynamics of small-mammal communities along an elevational gradient in the Southern Carpathians. During a 5-year survey, we conducted live-trapping in forested and shrubby habitats, at elevations between 820 and 2040 m. We used partial constrained multivariate analysis and mixed-effects models to test the effect of elevation, year, and their interaction. Community metrics differed significantly between even and odd years and temporal changes had stronger effect on small-mammal communities than elevation. The 2-year pattern of dynamics was especially marked in the yellow-necked field mouse (Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior, 1834)). Species abundance was predicted not only by year and elevation, but also by their interaction. The dominant rodent species, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus (Schreber, 1780)) and A. flavicollis, showed opposite annual patterns in relation to elevation, possibly as a strategy to avoid competition. Failure to consider the fluctuations in montane small-mammal communities may lead to wrong assessment of species’ state and distribution.
Rarefied transitional flow through diverging nano and microchannels: A TRT lattice Boltzmann study
Authors: Kharmiani Soroush Fallah , Roohi Ehsan
Published: November 2018

Rarefied isothermal gaseous flow through long diverging micro and nanochannels is investigated in this paper using the two-relaxation-time (TRT) lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The simulations are performed over a wide range of Knudsen number, pressure ratio, and divergence angle. The Bounce-Back Specular Reflection (BSR) slip boundary condition is applied and is connected to the second-order slip boundary condition coefficients by means of the antisymmetric relaxation time and the bounce-back portion parameter. The effects of the slip coefficients on the wall and centerline Mach numbers, as well as the mass flow rates, are investigated. The numerical results are validated with those of the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) reported in the literature. The results show that the local pressure distributions are almost independent of the slip coefficients with excellent agreements with DSMC over a wide range of the divergence angle. Our results demonstrate that there is a specific divergence angle at each pressure ratio where the local unbounded Knudsen and, as a result, Mach numbers remain constant along the channel. This observation is almost independent of the slip coefficients, and the underlying reason is that the pressure drop is compensated by an increase in the channel area.
An experimentalist’s guide to the semileptonic bottom to charm branching fractions
Authors: Rudolph Matthew
Published: November 2018

This work summarizes the current status of the measured semileptonic branching fractions [Formula: see text]. The sum of exclusive measurements is compared with the inclusive determination, accounting for isospin extrapolation. Further derived quantities are computed, taking into account different explanations for the unmeasured components of the total branching fraction. These quantities focus on the charge breakdown of the final states, and are designed for use as inputs or comparisons in future experimental measurements.
On the mathematical and foundational significance of the uncountable
Authors: Normann Dag , Sanders Sam
Published: November 2018

We study the logical and computational properties of basic theorems of uncountable mathematics, including the Cousin and Lindelöf lemma published in 1895 and 1903. Historically, these lemmas were among the first formulations of open-cover compactness and the Lindelöf property, respectively. These notions are of great conceptual importance: the former is commonly viewed as a way of treating uncountable sets like e.g. [Formula: see text] as “almost finite”, while the latter allows one to treat uncountable sets like e.g. [Formula: see text] as “almost countable”. This reduction of the uncountable to the finite/countable turns out to have a considerable logical and computational cost: we show that the aforementioned lemmas, and many related theorems, are extremely hard to prove, while the associated sub-covers are extremely hard to compute. Indeed, in terms of the standard scale (based on comprehension axioms), a proof of these lemmas requires at least the full extent of second-order arithmetic, a system originating from Hilbert–Bernays’ Grundlagen der Mathematik. This observation has far-reaching implications for the Grundlagen’s spiritual successor, the program of Reverse Mathematics, and the associated Gödel hierarchy. We also show that the Cousin lemma is essential for the development of the gauge integral, a generalization of the Lebesgue and improper Riemann integrals that also uniquely provides a direct formalization of Feynman’s path integral.
Handwritten Devanagari Similar Character Recognition by Fisher Linear Discriminant and Pairwise Classification
Authors: Jangid Mahesh , Srivastava Sumit
Published: November 2018

The research works in Handwritten Devanagari Characters are continually evolving into new challenges, which exposed the new sources of further research work like, character normalization, gray-level normalization, a discrimination of the similar characters and many more. This paper discusses the discrimination of the similar characters, which is one of the major sources of classification error. The similar shape character has a very minute difference, which is called critical region and used to discriminate them by human beings. The primary goal of the current work is to identify the critical region of the similar character and use the same to generate additional features in order to minimize the classification errors in the end results. It is also quite challenging to identify the critical region as the characters are written in different handwriting styles and fonts. The paper suggestes the Fisher linear discriminant model to detect the critical region, which is used to extract the additional feature. The experiments work was conducted on the standard database, which has 36[Formula: see text]172 handwritten Devanagari characters and significant improvement has been recorded by the aforesaid technique.
A novel adaptive butterfly optimization algorithm
Authors: Singh Bhupinder , Anand Priyanka
Published: November 2018

Butterfly optimization algorithm (BOA) is an interesting bio-inspired algorithm that uses a nature inspired simulation model, based on the food foraging behavior of butterflies. A common problem with BOA is that in early stages of simulation process, it may converge to sub-optimal solutions due to the loss of diversity in its population. The sensory modality is the critical parameter which is responsible for searching new solutions in the nearby regions. In this work, an adaptive butterfly optimization algorithm is proposed in which a novel phenomenon of changing the sensory modality of BOA is employed during the optimization process in order to achieve better results in comparison to traditional BOA. The proposed Adaptive butterfly optimization algorithm (ABOA) is tested against seventeen standard bench mark functions. Its performance is then compared against existing standard optimization algorithms, namely artificial bee colony, firefly algorithm and standard butterfly optimization algorithm. The results indicate that the proposed adaptive BOA with improved parameter calculation mechanism produces superior results in terms of convergence and achievement of the global optimal solution efficiently.
The geochemistry of oil in Cornish granites
Authors: Baba Mas'ud , Parnell John , Bowden Stephen
Published: November 2018

Oil residues in Variscan granites in Cornwall, SW England, preserve biomarker data which indicate an origin from marine source rocks. The biomarkers also indicate a thermal maturity that excludes an origin from the Devono-Carboniferous rocks intruded by the granites, but is similar to that of Jurassic-sourced oil to the east in the Wessex Basin. A suite of five different samples from the South Crofty tin mine are variably biodegraded, implying alteration after emplacement of oil in the granite. These characteristics are compatible with models for updip flow of fluids from offshore Mesozoic sediments into older granite topographical highs.
Engineering characteristics of soils prone to rainfall-induced slope failure in Viti Levu, Fiji
Authors: Ram Arishma R. , Brook Martin S. , Cronin Shane J.
Published: November 2018

Fiji's infrastructure is regularly affected by rainfall-induced slope failures, but the engineering properties of failed soils are rarely described. We report mineralogical, geotechnical and index properties of soils from headscarp exposures of 18 slope failures from tropical residual soils of differing parent rocks in Viti Levu, Fiji. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction revealed that kaolinite and smectite are the dominant clay minerals in the soils. Index properties included
in situ
moisture content (28–114%), dry bulk density (0.7–1.5 g cm
−3
), Atterberg limits (25–56% plastic limit; 38–79% liquid limit), effective particle size (0.4–12.6 μm) and clay fraction (0.6–19%). Geotechnical measurements included field compressive strength (127–461 kPa), hydraulic conductivity (
c.
10
−7
 m s
−1
), shear vane (16–128 kPa), ring shear (9.3–17.4°) and Emerson dispersion. Collectively, results indicated that most of the soils were cohesive, stiff, sensitive and in a plastic state in the field. Soils plotted below the A-line on the plasticity chart as fine silts of intermediate to high plasticity, and can theoretically sustain >50° slopes. Failure of these soils following high rainfall events is influenced by low permeability and the presence of expanding clays (e.g. smectite), causing temporary porewater pressure increases. No explicit relationships between soil properties and parent lithology were evident.
Maladaptive aortic remodeling in hypertension associates with dysfunctional smooth muscle contractility
Authors: Korneva Arina , Humphrey Jay D.
Published: November 2018

Intramural cells are responsible for establishing, maintaining, and restoring the functional capability and structural integrity of the aortic wall. In response to hypertensive loading, these cells tend to increase wall content via extracellular matrix turnover in an attempt to return wall stress and/or material stiffness toward homeostatic values despite the elevated pressure. Using a common rodent model of induced hypertension, we found marked mouse-to-mouse differences in thoracic aortic remodeling over 2–4 wk of pressure elevation, with mechanoadaptation in some but gross maladaptation in most mice despite the same experimental conditions and overall genetic background. Consistent with our hypothesis, we also found a strong correlation between maladaptive aortic remodeling and a dysfunctional ability of the vessel to vasoconstrict, with maladaptation often evidenced by marked adventitial fibrosis. Remarkably, mouse-to-mouse variability did not correlate with the degree or duration of pressure elevation over the 2- to 4-wk study period. These findings suggest both a need to study together the structure, mechanical properties, and function across layers of the wall when assessing aortic health and a need for caution in using common statistical comparisons across small seemingly well-defined groups that may mask important underlying individual responses, an area of investigation that demands increasing attention as we move toward an era of precision diagnosis and patient care.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY There are three primary findings. Marked mouse-to-mouse differences exist in large vessel hypertensive remodeling in an otherwise equivalent cohort of animals. The degree of maladaptation correlates strongly with decreases in smooth muscle contractile capacity. Finally, short-term maladaptive remodeling is independent of the precise degree or duration of the pressure elevation provided that thresholds are exceeded. Therapeutic targets should thus be personalized and focus on both layer-to-layer interactions and early interventions.
Breathing pattern during sequential swallowing in healthy adult humans
Authors: Ouahchi Yacine , Ben Salah Nozha , Mjid Meriem , Hedhli Abir , Abdelhedi Nour , Beji Majed , Toujani Sonia , Verin Eric
Published: November 2018

Sequential liquid swallowing is a common daily occurrence during which coordination of deglutition and breathing are highly regulated to avoid pulmonary aspiration and to maintain hematosis. We studied the effects of sequential water swallowing (SWS) at fixed swallowing rates and with regular succession of swallows on respiration in healthy subjects. Thirty-one normal adults (19 men, 12 women) with a mean age of 27.96 ± 3.68 yr were explored at rest and during SWS (at 12 and 24 swallows/min). Respiration was recorded by intranasal air pressure changes and timing of deglutition by an acoustic method. Oxygen saturation [arterial O2 saturation from pulse oximetry ([Formula: see text])] was monitored with a finger probe. During SWS, we determined the respiratory phase (inspiration or expiration) before and after each ingestion cycle (IC; period of sustained apnea including 1 or more swallows). We also measured inspiratory time (TI), expiratory time (TE), respiratory cycle duration (TT), respiratory rate (RR) and [Formula: see text] at rest and during SWS. We showed that respiration was interrupted by sequential swallows determining a succession of ICs that were often preceded and followed by expiration. During SWS, TI decreased and TE increased compared with rest ( P < 0.01). However, TT, RR, and [Formula: see text] did not change. It seems that the preferential coupling of swallowing with expiration during SWS is favored by an increase in TE to ensure airway protection, although the repetitive swallows, RR, and [Formula: see text] were not altered during SWS. These data may be useful to study the effects of aging and pathological conditions on swallowing and breathing coordination during SWS.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Sequential water swallowing induces ingestion cycles that are often preceded and followed by expiration. Moreover, inspiratory time decreases and expiratory time increases during sequential swallowing compared with rest without changes in ventilatory cycle duration, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation.
Treatment-Induced Tumor Cell Apoptosis and Secondary Necrosis Drive Tumor Progression in the Residual Tumor Microenvironment through MerTK and IDO1
Authors: Werfel Thomas A. , Elion David L. , Rahman Bushra , Hicks Donna J. , Sanchez Violeta , Gonzales-Ericsson Paula I. , Nixon Mellissa J. , James Jamaal L. , Balko Justin M. , Scherle Peggy A. , Koblish Holly K. , Cook Rebecca S.
Published: November 2018

Efferocytosis is the process by which apoptotic cells are cleared from tissue by phagocytic cells. The removal of apoptotic cells prevents them from undergoing secondary necrosis and releasing their inflammation-inducing intracellular contents. Efferocytosis also limits tissue damage by increasing immunosuppressive cytokines and leukocytes and maintains tissue homeostasis by promoting tolerance to antigens derived from apoptotic cells. Thus, tumor cell efferocytosis following cytotoxic cancer treatment could impart tolerance to tumor cells evading treatment-induced apoptosis with deleterious consequences in tumor residual disease. We report here that efferocytosis cleared apoptotic tumor cells in residual disease of lapatinib-treated HER2+ mammary tumors in MMTV-Neu mice, increased immunosuppressive cytokines, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), and regulatory T cells (Treg). Blockade of efferocytosis induced secondary necrosis of apoptotic cells, but failed to prevent increased tumor MDSCs, Treg, and immunosuppressive cytokines. We found that efferocytosis stimulated expression of IFN-γ, which stimulated the expression of indoleamine-2,3-dioxegenase (IDO) 1, an immune regulator known for driving maternal-fetal antigen tolerance. Combined inhibition of efferocytosis and IDO1 in tumor residual disease decreased apoptotic cell- and necrotic cell-induced immunosuppressive phenotypes, blocked tumor metastasis, and caused tumor regression in 60% of MMTV-Neu mice. This suggests that apoptotic and necrotic tumor cells, via efferocytosis and IDO1, respectively, promote tumor ‘homeostasis’ and progression.

Significance:

These findings show in a model of HER2+ breast cancer that necrosis secondary to impaired efferocytosis activates IDO1 to drive immunosuppression and tumor progression.
Optimizing Time to Treatment to Achieve Durable Biochemical Disease Control after Surgery in Prostate Cancer: A Multi-Institutional Cohort Study
Authors: Awasthi Shivanshu , Gerke Travis , Park Jong Y. , Asamoah Francis A. , Williams Vonetta L. , Fink Angelina K. , Balkrishnan Rajesh , Lee David I. , Malkowicz S. Bruce , Lal Priti , Dhillon Jasreman , Pow-Sang Julio M. , Rebbeck Timothy R. , Yamoah Kosj
Published: November 2018

Background:

The impact of treatment delays on prostate cancer–specific outcomes remains ill-defined. This study investigates the effect of time to treatment on biochemical disease control after prostatectomy.

Methods:

This retrospective study includes 1,807 patients who received a prostatectomy as a primary treatment at two large tertiary referral centers from 1987 to 2015. Multivariate cox model with restricted cubic spline was used to identify optimal time to receive treatment and estimate the risk of biochemical recurrence.

Results:

Median follow-up time of the study was 46 (interquartile range, 18–86) months. Time to treatment was subcategorized based on multivariate cubic spline cox model. In multivariate spline model, adjusted for all the pertinent pretreatment variables, inflection point in the risk of biochemical recurrence was observed around 3 months, which further increased after 6 months. Based on spline model, time to treatment was then divided into 0 to 3 months (61.5%), >3 to 6 months (31.1%), and 6 months (7.4%). In the adjusted cox model, initial delays up to 6 months did not adversely affect the outcome; however, time to treatment >6 months had significantly higher risk of biochemical recurrence (HR, 1.84; 95% confidence interval, 1.30–2.60; P < 0.01).

Conclusions:

The initial delays up to 6 months in prostate cancer primary treatment may be sustainable without adversely affecting the outcome. However, significant delays beyond 6 months can unfavorably affect biochemical disease control.

Impact:

Time to treatment can aid clinicians in the decision-making of prostate cancer treatment recommendation and educate patients against unintentional treatment delays.
Computational Immune Monitoring Reveals Abnormal Double-Negative T Cells Present across Human Tumor Types
Authors: Greenplate Allison R. , McClanahan Daniel D. , Oberholtzer Brian K. , Doxie Deon B. , Roe Caroline E. , Diggins Kirsten E. , Leelatian Nalin , Rasmussen Megan L. , Kelley Mark C. , Gama Vivian , Siska Peter J. , Rathmell Jeffrey C. , Ferrell P. Brent , Johnson Douglas B. , Irish Jonathan M.
Published: November 2018

Advances in single-cell biology have enabled measurements of >40 protein features on millions of immune cells within clinical samples. However, the data analysis steps following cell population identification are susceptible to bias, time-consuming, and challenging to compare across studies. Here, an ensemble of unsupervised tools was developed to evaluate four essential types of immune cell information, incorporate changes over time, and address diverse immune monitoring challenges. The four complementary properties characterized were (i) systemic plasticity, (ii) change in population abundance, (iii) change in signature population features, and (iv) novelty of cellular phenotype. Three systems immune monitoring studies were selected to challenge this ensemble approach. In serial biopsies of melanoma tumors undergoing targeted therapy, the ensemble approach revealed enrichment of double-negative (DN) T cells. Melanoma tumor-resident DN T cells were abnormal and phenotypically distinct from those found in nonmalignant lymphoid tissues, but similar to those found in glioblastoma and renal cell carcinoma. Overall, ensemble systems immune monitoring provided a robust, quantitative view of changes in both the system and cell subsets, allowed for transparent review by human experts, and revealed abnormal immune cells present across multiple human tumor types.
Mind the Gap: Genetic Variation and Personalized Therapies for Cardiomyopathies
Authors: Zhang Yichi , MacCosham Aaron
Published: November 2018

Inherited cardiomyopathies are cardiovascular disorders that are one of the leading causes of death and are strongly associated with genetic mutations. These include hypertrophic, dilated, restrictive, as well as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathies. Among the patients presenting with these specific forms of cardiomyopathies, there is significant phenotypic, genotypic, and environmental heterogeneity. Over the years, the identification of the underlying mutations common to specific forms of cardiomyopathies have facilitated clinic diagnosis. However, the variation between patient genetics and phenotypes highlights the need for improved understanding of these diseases and the development of innovative treatments. To better understand the diseases, researchers are capitalizing on two innovative technologies: cardiac reprogramming and gene editing using CRISPR-Cas9. Deriving cardiomyocytes from patient blood samples and gene editing allows for the efficient generation of cellular and animal models that allow researchers to model the disease more accurately. In addition, the recent advances in high throughput drug screening allows for the efficient testing of patient-derived cardiomyocytes for patient-specific susceptibility to various drugs that are currently approved. In addition, this technology can facilitate the development of new pharmacological compounds for the treatment of specific cardiomyopathies. Overall, the recent technological advances in molecular medicine now presents an opportunity to gain unprecedented insight into solving the complex issue of inherited cardiomyopathies. These techniques pave the way for the new generation of personalized medicine in treating cardiovascular diseases.
Increased Weight Gain During the Long Interdialytic Period Is Associated with Minor Effects on Blood Pressure Control in Clinically Stable In-Centre Haemodialysis Patients
Authors: Shantier Mohamed , Martin William P. , Singh Rajneet , McDermott Paul , Gallen Rory , Suleiman Sami , Reddan Donal N. , Giblin Louise , Lappin David , O’Meara Yvonne M. , Griffin Matthew D.
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Three-day-a-week chronic haemodialysis (cHD) involves 1 long (72 h) and 2 short (48 h) inter-dialytic periods (IDPs). We aimed to determine whether BP control following the long IDP is inferior to the short IDPs. Methods: All pre- and post-dialysis BP and weight measurements over a 4-week period were retrospectively analyzed among 135 clinically stable cHD patients at 2 academic centres with comparisons between measurements recorded following short and long IDPs. Subsequently, 23 clinically stable cHD patients underwent 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) during the final day/night cycle of the long IDP and 1 short IDP within the same week. Results: In combined and separate analyses of the 2 retrospective cohorts, pre-dialysis BP parameters were not different following long and short IDPs despite greater inter-dialytic weight gain (IDWG) during the long IDP. Subgroup analyses of the total cohort showed no evidence for inferior BP control during the long IDP among those with high %IDWG. In the ABPM study, nocturnal hypertension and loss of nocturnal dipping were frequent. Furthermore, daytime systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse pressure were modestly higher during the last day/night cycle of the long compared with short IDP. Conclusion: In stable cHD patients, the greater IDWG that occurred during the long IDP was not associated with overtly inferior BP control as reflected in pre-dialysis BP measurements. However, modestly higher daytime SBP was evident towards the end of the long IDP by 24 h ABPM. Thus, while fluid gain has well-documented associations with hypertension and adverse cardiovascular outcomes, the excess IDWG that occurs during the long IDP exerts relatively minor effects on BP control in patients on well-established dialysis regimens that are better identified by ambulatory monitoring.
Canopy Homolog 2 Expression Predicts Poor Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Tumor Hemorrhage
Authors: Wang Dong , Wang Zhi-Ming , Zhang Sai , Wu Hai-Jun , Tao Yi-Ming
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Canopy homolog 2 (CNPY2) is a signature gene highly associated with tumor progression, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The presence of tumor hemorrhage (TH) implies a fast-growing and worse tumor microenvironment. We examined a possible association between CNPY2 levels and TH and evaluated their prognostic values in patients with HCC. Methods: CNPY2 mRNA and protein levels were respectively determined in two independent cohorts of HCC specimens using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry of tissue microarrays. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were executed to evaluate the prognosis of HCC. CNPY2 knockout HCC cell lines were established by the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system, and the functional role of CNPY2 in HCC cell proliferation and growth was examined in vitro and in vivo. Results: qRT-PCR showed that CNPY2 expression was significantly higher in HCC tumor tissue than in adjacent non-tumor tissue. Immunohistochemistry of HCC tissue microarrays demonstrated that CNPY2 expression was significantly correlated with TH and clinicopathological features indicating worse HCC progression. The prognostic value of CNPY2 expression and TH was validated by Cox proportional hazards analyses. Furthermore, CNPY2 knockout resulted in the significant suppression of MHCC97H cell proliferation, tumor growth, and hemorrhage. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that CNPY2 was closely associated with the expression levels of 6 positive impact genes in HCC, namely, ROMO1, BOLA2, HSF1, ATG4B, ATF4, and DENR, which are implicated in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment. Conclusion: CNPY2 is an oncogene that plays a critical role in the progression of HCC with TH. CNPY2 could be exploited as a novel prognostic marker and potential target for therapeutic intervention in HCC.
Comparative Analyses of the Transcriptome and Proteome of Comte de Paris and Smooth Cayenne to Improve the Understanding of Ethephon-Induced Floral Transition in Pineapple
Authors: Liu Chuan-He , Liu Yan , Shao Xue-Hua , Lai Duo
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Ethylene is usually used to induce floral transition in pineapple. However, its successful induction in plants categorized as Cayenne is difficult or completely ineffective, and information concerned is limited. The present study was undertaken to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this obstacle. Methods: Transcriptome and proteome comparative analyses were performed to explore the important regulation and pathway variations after ethephon induction in the induction-easy ‘Comte de Paris’ (CP) and induction-hard ‘Smooth Cayenne’ (SC) cultivars via RNA-seq (RNA-sequencing) and iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification). Results: CP and SC exhibited basic differences at the transcriptomic and proteomic levels before ethephon treatment, including the expression of genes and proteins related to ethylene signal transduction. After ethephon induction, the expression of genes and proteins involved in plant ethylene signal transduction and carbohydrate metabolism responded more strongly in CP than in SC. The expression of the floral meristem identity (FMI) genes AG, TFL and FT exhibited greater changes in CP, and more transcription factors responded in SC. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses revealed that many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in CP were annotated to terms and pathways involved in photoperiodism and shared components involved in carbohydrate metabolism and plant hormone signal transduction. Conclusion: These findings contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying the variation between CP and SC in response to ethephon-mediated floral induction.
Caracterização petrográfica da Formação Emborêcom base em dados dos poços 2-CST-1-RJ e 9-BRF-1D-RJ(região emersa da Bacia de Campos)
Authors: Brêda Thaís Coelho , Mello Claudio Limeira , Silva Junior Gerson Cardoso da , Alves Maria da Gloria , Neiva Eduardo Batista
Published: November 2018

O presente estudo teve como objetivo a caracterização sedimentológica e petrográfica da Formação Emborê, com base na descrição de amostras de arenitos de dois poços profundos localizados na área emersa da Bacia de Campos (2-CST-1-RJ e 9-BRF-1D-RJ). Buscou-se ampliar o conhecimento sobre os aspectos texturais e composicionais dessa unidade litoestratigráfica, ainda muito pouco estudada e que apresenta um grande potencial hídrico, contendo o mais importante aquífero do estado do Rio de Janeiro, foco da pesquisa que ensejou este artigo. No poço 2-CST-1-RJ foram descritas amostras de testemunhos e no poço 9-BRF-1D-RJ foram analisadas amostras de calha e plugs laterais. Os intervalos sedimentares analisados nos dois poços são semelhantes quanto aos aspectos sedimentológicos, sendo predominantemente areníticos, com intercalações de lamitos. Após a caracterização sedimentológica dos testemunhos e amostras de calha, foram selecionadas amostras de arenitos dos testemunhos do poço 2-CST-1-RJ e os plugs laterais do poço 9-BRF-1D-RJ para a descrição microscópica em lâminas petrográficas. Os arenitos são, em geral, finos a grossos, moderadamente a mal selecionados, de coloração acinzentada a esverdeada, com grãos angulosos a subangulosos, quartzosos e feldspáticos, com presença significativa de litoclastos graníticos nas amostras do poço 9-BRF-1D-RJ. Correspondem principalmente a arcósios, subarcósios e arcósios líticos, sendo atribuídos ao Membro São Tomé da Formação Emborê. Os aspectos texturais e mineralógicos evidenciam uma baixa maturidade. Na maior parte das amostras, verificou-se a presença de matriz argilosa do tipo epimatriz, proveniente da dissolução de grãos de feldspatos e a sua posterior infiltração nos poros. A porosidade atinge até cerca de 20%, sendo essencialmente de origem secundária, gerada pelo encolhimento da matriz, dissolução ou fraturamento dos grãos, com baixa conectividade entre os
Disentangling the diversity and taxonomy of Hymenophyllaceae (Hymenophyllales, Polypodiidae) in the Mascarene archipelago, with ecological implications
Authors: DUBUISSON JEAN-YVES , LE PECHON TIMOTHÉE , BAURET LUCIE , ROUHAN GERMINAL , REEB CATHERINE , BOUCHERON-DUBUISSON ELODIE , SELOSSE MARC-ANDRÉ , CHAUSSIDON CÉCILE , DAJOZ ISABELLE , PYNEE KERSLEY , GRANGAUD EDMOND , ROBERT YANNIS , TAMON JEAN-MAURICE , HENNEQUIN SABINE
Published: November 2018

We here explore the diversity and ecology, and update the taxonomy of the fern family Hymenophyllaceae, which forms one of the most diverse and emblematic fern assemblages in rainforests of the Mascarene archipelago in western Indian Ocean. Since 1999, we extracted data from floras, literature, and field investigations conducted, and from an exhaustive examination of the collections at P, REU, and MAU. Our checklist recognizes 26 taxa involving 23 species, 2 local varieties and 1 new forma. We reconsider area of distribution in Mascarene Hymenophyllaceae and at least 3 species appear to be restricted to the archipelago. We discuss the updated taxonomy and discrimination of each taxon (including a new nomenclatural proposition for Hymenophyllum tenellum here renamed as H. fumarioides) and provide a dichotomous key. We present and discuss the ecology and elevational distribution of each species, in addition to the local endemicity. Finally, we emphasize the importance of threatened lowland rainforests and of wet ravines in semi-dry forests, which host a high level of diversity in the context of local conservation of habitats.
Monochaetia sinensis sp. nov. from Yunnan Province in China
Authors: DE SILVA NIMALI I. , MAHARACHCHIKUMBURA SAJEEWA S. N. , BHAT DARBHE J. , PHOOKAMSAK RUNGTIWA , Al-SADI ABDULLAH M. , LUMYONG SAISAMORN , HYDE KEVIN D.
Published: November 2018

This study embodies description of a novel Monochaetia species, from dead leaf of a Quercus sp. collected from Lijiang in Yunnan Province, China. Morphologically, it conforms to the characters of Monochaetia by presence of single apical and basal appendage on the conidia. The new species forms a sister clade to M. ilexae in the combined LSU-ITS and TUB2 sequence data based phylogenetic analyses and remain distinct from the latter species in having larger conidia, long apical appendage, long basal appendage and long conidiogenous cells. Therefore, we introduce Monochaetia sinensis as a novel taxon with a comprehensive description and illustration.
Magnolia kachinensis (Magnoliaceae), a new species from northern Myanmar
Authors: ZHOU SHI-SHUN , TAN YUN-HONG , LI REN , QUAN RUI-CHANG , MAUNG KYAW WIN , LIU QIANG , SIMA YONG-KANG
Published: November 2018

Magnoliaceae include about 350 species that are widely distributed in tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate regions of Asia and the Americas, from near sea level to 3400 m elevation (Vázquez-García et al. 2016). Numerous phylogenetic studies of Magnoliaceae in the last two decades (Law 1984, Figlar & Nooteboom 2004, Xia et al. 2008, Sima & Lu. 2012, Kim & Suh 2013, Romanov & Dilcher 2013), have ultimately led to almost universal acceptance of the classification of Figar & Nooteboom (2004), consisting of only two genera: Liriodendron Linneaus (1753: 535) with only two species, and a broad concept of Magnolia Linneaus (1753: 535) including all other species. Myanmar currently has only 21 species of Magnolia (Govaerts et al. 2017).
Striga musselmanii (Orobanchaceae): A new species of Striga from Western Ghats, India
Authors: MOOLAYIL OMALSREE , SREENIVAS V. K.
Published: November 2018

Striga musselmanii, a new species from Western Ghats is described. A detailed description, data on distribution and ecology are provided along with SEM data.
Molecular insights into the phylogenetic placement of the poorly known genus Niceforonia Goin & Cochran, 1963 (Anura: Brachycephaloidea)
Authors: ACOSTA-GALVIS ANDRÉS R. , STREICHER JEFFREY W. , MANUELLI LUIGI , CUDDY TRAVIS , DE SÁ RAFAEL O.
Published: November 2018

Among New World direct-developing frogs belonging to the clade Brachycephaloidea (= Terraranae), there are several genera with uncertain phylogenetic placements. One notable example is the genus Niceforonia Goin & Cochran 1963, which includes three species that are endemic to Colombia. Three specimens of the species Niceforonia nana were collected and for the first time the genus is included in a molecular phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial (mtDNA; 12S and 16S) and nuclear (nucDNA; TYR and RAG1) markers. Molecular phylogenetic inference based on concatenated and separate mtDNA and nucDNA analyses recovered Niceforonia nana nested within Hypodactylus Hedges et al. 2008, rendering the latter genus paraphyletic. Consequently, herein we place the genus Hypodactylus in the synonymy of Niceforonia to resolve the paraphyly and place Niceforonia in the subfamily Hypodactylinae. Based on our revised concept of the genus Niceforonia we conducted preliminary morphological comparisons using specimens and literature descriptions. Finally, Nicefornia nana is quite divergent from other species of Niceforonia (uncorrected genetic distances of ca. 10% 16S and 7% TYR) suggesting that further taxonomic revision may be warranted.
Revision of the penthimiine leafhopper genus Tambila Distant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) of the Indian subcontinent
Authors: SHOBHARANI M. , VIRAKTAMATH C.A. , WEBB M.D.
Published: November 2018

The genus Tambila Distant of the deltocephaline tribe Penthimiini of the Indian Subcontinent is revised. Tambila opulenta Distant is placed as a junior synonym of Tambila greeni Distant and Tambila gravelyi Distant as a junior synonym of Tambila majuscula (Distant). All valid taxa are redescribed, illustrated and a key to the eight known species from the subcontinent is included. A new record is given for T. gravely from Mauritius (on mango).
Pseudomastax graciollii sp. nov., a new monkey-grasshopper species from the Amazon and comments on other species of the genus (Orthoptera: Eumastacidae: Pseudomastacinae)
Authors: OLIVIER RENAN DA SILVA
Published: November 2018

Pseudomastacinae is a monogeneric subfamily with 22 valid species, distributed among five South American countries. Species of Pseudomastax are very similar morphologically and especially in respect of their coloration, which is typically black with white/yellow detail in males and brown in females. The most evident differences are in male cerci and phallic complex, structures typically used in the taxonomy of the group. Herein is described a new species for the genus, Pseudomastax graciollii sp. nov. In addition, the female of P. personata is redescribed and new records are presented for this species and P. nigroplagiata.
The snakehead fish Channa aurolineata is a valid species (Teleostei: Channidae) distinct from Channa marulius
Authors: ADAMSON ELEANOR A. S. , BRITZ RALF
Published: November 2018

Channa aurolineata is a valid species of the Marulius group. Previously treated as a synonym of C. marulius, C. aurolineata is readily distinguished from C. marulius by a different colour pattern, in which a conspicuous white posterior margin is present on the black scales that form the dark lateral blotches in larger juveniles and adults (vs. scales without white margin but with white spots in C. marulius). Channa aurolineata also differs from C. marulius by having more lateral line scales (65–71 vs 62–65), more dorsal-fin rays (55–58 vs 52–56) and more vertebrae (63–66 vs 59–63). In addition to these morphological differences, C. aurolineata is genetically more than 8% different (uncorrected p-distance) from C. marulius at the COI barcoding gene, a difference consistent with levels of genetic divergence observed among different species. The same characters that distinguish C. aurolineata from C. marulius also distinguish it from C. pseudomarulius, the other Indian member of the Marulius group. Channa aurolineata has a widespread distribution in larger rivers in Myanmar, including the Chindwin, Ayeyarwaddy, Sittaung and Thanlwin river basins. The Indo-Burman ranges appear to delineate the western geographical limit of this species, with C. marulius restricted to the western side of this mountain chain.