bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parkinsonism Associated with Pathological 123I-FP-CIT SPECT (DaTSCAN) Results as the Initial Manifestation of Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Authors: Carrasco García de León Sira , Cabello Juan Pablo , Ortiz Ramón , Vaamonde Julia
Published: May 2018

Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is a type of progressive, subacute encephalopathy associated with spongiform degeneration of the central nervous system. sCJD includes a broad and heterogeneous spectrum of clinical variants, but extrapyramidal symptoms and signs at disease onset were rarely reported. We describe a case of unilateral parkinsonism associated with pathological 123I-ioflupane SPECT (DaTSCAN) results as the initial manifestation of M129V subtype sCJD patient. To the best of our knowledge, only 2 cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease demonstrating nigrostriatal dopaminergic deficits in vivo using DaTSCAN have been published in the literature.
BET Inhibition Suppresses S100A8 and S100A9 Expression in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells and Synergises with Daunorubicin in Causing Cell Death
Authors: Stewart Helen J. S. , Chaudry Sabah , Crichlow Asante , Luiling Feilding Freya , Chevassut Timothy J. T.
Published: May 2018

S100A8 and S100A9 are both members of the S100 family and have been shown to play roles in myeloid differentiation, autophagy, apoptosis, and chemotherapy resistance. In this study we demonstrate that the BET-bromodomain inhibitor JQ1 causes rapid suppression of S100A8 and S100A9 mRNA and protein in a reversible manner. In addition, we show that JQ1 synergises with daunorubicin in causing AML cell death. Daunorubicin alone causes a dose- and time-dependent increase in S100A8 and S100A9 protein levels in AML cell lines which is overcome by cotreatment with JQ1. This suggests that JQ1 synergises with daunorubicin in causing apoptosis via suppression of S100A8 and S100A9 levels.
Comparison of the Antimicrobial Efficacy of Various Contact Lens Solutions to Inhibit the Growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Laxmi Narayana B. , Rao Pooja , Bhat Sevitha , Vidyalakshmi K.
Published: May 2018

Soft contact lenses provide perfect conditions for the breeding of pathogens. The study is a prospective, experimental study, conducted to know the antimicrobial ability of multipurpose contact lens solution against standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by the stand-alone test. The test method is based on the procedures in the ISO 14729 standard primary stand-alone test. Three multipurpose contact lens care solutions commercially available in Mangalore markets, namely, Biotrue (Bausch & Lomb), Opti-Free Replenish (Alcon), and Aquasoft (Stericon Pharma), were tested for its antimicrobial effect in the microbiology lab at Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. According to this study, the solutions named “Biotrue” and “Aquasoft” met the primary stand-alone and reached the 3log reduction and 5log reduction criteria in the manufacturer recommended time, respectively. No conclusion could be drawn for Opti-Free Replenish since the minimum recommended disinfection time was overnight, whereas it was noted for 6 hr only, and it should have been experimented further. The effectiveness of multipurpose solutions varies against different bacterial species. We have observed that the antimicrobial activity of different solutions varies with respect to time of incubation, and also there was a marked difference in the activity of some solutions against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. So, it is necessary for the contact lens users to store their lenses in solutions for longer duration of hours. It is also recommended to use solutions that clear the ISO 14729 standards for better health conditions of the eye.
Choroidal Thickness in Chinese Children Aged 8 to 11 Years with Mild and Moderate Myopia
Authors: Qi Ya , Li Li , Zhang Fengju
Published: May 2018

Purpose. To investigate macular choroidal thickness (CT), topographical variation, and associations between subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and age, gender, spherical equivalent (SE), and axial length (AL) in Chinese healthy mild and moderate myopia children aged 8 to 11 years. Methods. One hundred twenty eyes from 120 healthy children were studied. Children were divided into mild and moderate myopia groups. AL and CT were evaluated. CTs were measured at the fovea, and 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm nasal, temporal, superior, and inferior to the fovea. Results. SFCT was 252.80 ± 46.95 µm in the whole population. AL was shorter in the mild myopia group (24.18 ± 0.69 mm) than in the moderate myopia group (24.97 ± 0.68 mm, P<0.001), and SFCT was thicker in the mild myopia group (262.00 ± 40.57 µm) than in the moderate myopia group (236.00 ± 55.08 µm, P=0.005). The topographical variation was similar in refraction groups. CTs nasal to the fovea thinned gradually and were all significantly thinner than SFCT. CTs in the other three directions gradually thickened and peaked at locations of 2 mm to the fovea. Then, CTs thinned at 3 mm to the fovea. The thickest choroid is located temporal to the fovea. There were significant negative correlations between AL and SFCT in the mild myopia group and the whole population. No other correlations were found. Conclusions. The topographical variations of choroidal thickness were similar in mild and moderate myopia groups with the thickest locations temporal to the fovea. SFCT was relatively stable in children in narrow range of age and refractive error.
Treatment of Aortic and Iliac Artery Aneurysms with Multilayer Flow Modulator: Single Centre Experiences
Authors: Ovalı Cengiz , Şahin Aykut , Eroğlu Murat , Balçın Sinan , Dernek Sadettin , Sevin Mustafa Behçet
Published: May 2018

Objective. Presenting early and midterm results of aortic and iliac artery aneurysms treated with Multilayer Flow Modulators (MFM). Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 23 patients (19 males and 4 females) who are admitted to our clinic between April of 2014 and February of 2016, diagnosed with thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm and/or iliac aneurysm, and treated using MFM. The patients were followed up for the development of potential clinical presentations for 12 months. Results. MFM implantation was successfully completed in all the patients. During the process, two patients developed endoleak and so they were treated with postdilatation that was performed through balloon intervention, whereby the patients fully recovered. Although a short-term ischemic cerebrovascular event occurred in one of the patients 36 hours after the MFM, the patient recuperated without any noticeable neurological sequelae. Overall, three patients died after the procedure, one of whom died in hospital three days following the intervention due to acute renal failure, while the second one lost his life at the end of the first month due to the occlusion of superior mesenteric and celiac arteries. The third patient died at the end of the third month due to acute myocardial infarction. The rest of the patients developed no complications or had no mortality at their 12-month follow-ups. Conclusion. MFM can be preferred as an alternative approach in the treatment of aorta and iliac artery aneurysms including major lateral branches. The present results should be confirmed with additional future studies conducted with larger patient groups for longer periods.
Successful Removal of a Chronic Aspirated Foreign Body after Twelve Years
Authors: Reddy Radhika Z. , Carter Yvonne M. , Hsia David W.
Published: May 2018

Chronic retention of aspirated foreign bodies is rare but can result in indolent systemic and respiratory symptoms. Bronchoscopy may show features of tissue reaction to the foreign body, including granulation tissue, endobronchial stenosis, strictures, edema, and airway distortion. The diagnosis of foreign body aspiration is often difficult to establish since some patients may not give a clear history of aspiration or may present late. In addition, patients may be misdiagnosed with chronic pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, or malignancy. We present the case of a 42-year-old male who had a chronically retained piece of an aluminum beverage container in the left mainstem bronchus for 12 years. Careful history, radiographic evaluation, and bronchoscopic examination revealed the foreign body, which was successfully extracted by rigid bronchoscopy.
Contractile Protein Expression and Phosphorylation and Contractility of Gastric Smooth Muscles from Obese Patients and Patients with Obesity and Diabetes
Authors: Li Wen , Sasse Kent C. , Bayguinov Yulia , Ward Sean M. , Perrino Brian A.
Published: May 2018

Ingested food is received, mixed, and ground into chyme by distinct gastric motility patterns. Diabetes impairs gastric muscle function, but the mechanisms underlying diabetes-induced gastric muscle dysfunction are unknown. Here, we compared the expression and phosphorylation of Ca2+sensitization and contractile proteins in human gastric muscles from obese nondiabetic and diabetic patients. We also compared the spontaneous phasic contractions and the contractile responses evoked by electrical field stimulation of cholinergic motor neurons. Fundus and antrum muscles were obtained from sleeve gastrectomies and were used in in vitro myobath contractile studies and for capillary electrophoresis and immunodetection ofγ-actin, CPI-17, pT38-CPI-17, MYPT1, pT853-MYPT1, pT696-MYPT1, myosin light chain (MYL9), pS19-MYL9, myosin light chain kinase (MYLK), protein phosphatase-1δ(PP1δ), and Rho-associated kinase (ROCK2). In diabetic fundus muscles, MYLK, ROCK2, and PP1δexpression was unchanged; MYPT1 and CPI-17 expression was decreased; and the pT853/MYPT1 and pT38/CPI-17 ratios, but not the pT696/MYPT1 ratio, were increased. Although MYL9 expression was increased, the pS19/MYL9 ratio was unchanged in diabetic fundus muscles. In diabetic antrum muscles, MYLK and MYL9 expression was unchanged, but ROCK2, CPI-17, and PP1δexpression was decreased. The pT38/CPI-17 ratio was unchanged, while the pS19/MYL9, pT853/MYPT1, and pT696/MYPT1 ratios were decreased, consistent with the reduced ROCK2 expression. The frequencies of spontaneous phasic contractions from nondiabetic and diabetic gastric fundus and antrum muscles did not significantly differ from each other, regardless of age, sex, or diabetic status. The fold increases in the contractions of diabetic fundus and antrum muscles in response to increased frequencies of electrical field stimulation were significantly lower compared to nondiabetic fundus and antrum muscles. The altered contractile responses and the protein expression and phosphorylation in gastric muscles of obese patients with diabetes illustrate the importance of understanding how smooth muscle Ca2+sensitization mechanisms contribute to gastric motility.
Total Flavones of Rhododendron simsii Planch Flower Protect against Cerebral Ischemia‐Reperfusion Injury via the Mechanism of Cystathionine‐γ‐Lyase‐Produced H2S
Authors: Chen Shuo , Zhang Jian-Hua , Hu You-Yang , Hu Dong-Hua , Gao Shan-Shan , Fan Yi-Fei , Wang Yu-Ling , Jiao Yi , Chen Zhi-Wu
Published: May 2018

Total flavones of Rhododendron simsii Planch flower (TFR) have a significant protective effect against cerebral ischemia‐reperfusion injury. However, its mechanism is unclear. This study investigated the protection of TFR against cerebral ischemia‐reperfusion injury via cystathionine‐γ‐lyase‐ (CSE‐) produced H2S mechanism. CSE-/- mice and CSE‐siRNA‐transfected rat were used. Relaxation of cerebral basilar artery (CBA), H2S, and CSE mRNA were measured. TFR significantly inhibited cerebral ischemia‐reperfusion‐induced abnormal neurological symptom and cerebral infarct in the normal rats and the CSE+/+ mice, but not in the CSE-/- mice, and the inhibition was markedly attenuated in CSE‐siRNA‐transfected rat; TFR elicited a significant vasorelaxation in rat CBA, and the relaxation was markedly attenuated by removal of endothelium or CSE‐siRNA transfection or coapplication of NO synthase inhibitor L‐NAME and PGI2 synthase inhibitor Indo. CSE inhibitor PPG drastically inhibited TFR‐evoked vasodilatation resistant to L‐NAME and Indo in endothelium‐intact rat CBA. TFR significantly increased CSE mRNA expression in rat CBA endothelial cells and H2S production in rat endothelium‐intact CBA. The increase of H2S production resistant to L‐NAME and Indo was abolished by PPG. Our data indicate that TFR has a protective effect against the cerebral ischemia‐reperfusion injury via CSE‐produced H2S and endothelial NO and/or PGI2 to relax the cerebral artery.
Chemokine C-C Motif Ligand 4 Gene Polymorphisms Associated with Susceptibility to Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Kuo Shu-Jui , Huang Chien-Chung , Tsai Chun-Hao , Hsu Horng-Chaung , Su Chen-Ming , Tang Chih-Hsin
Published: May 2018

Chemokine C-C motif ligand 4 (CCL4) gene is a chemokine-encoding gene, and the polymorphism of CCL4 gene has been shown to predict risk of various diseases. We want to investigate whether the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the CCL4 gene can predict the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Between 2007 and 2015, we recruited 217 patients diagnosed with RA and 371 control participants. Comparative genotyping of the rs1634507, rs10491121, and rs1719153 SNPs was performed. When compared with participants with the A/A genotype of rs1719153, those with the A/T genotype were less likely to develop RA, as were those with the A/T+T/T genotype. The protective effect of the T-containing genotype was even more prominent among females. Those with A/T in rs1719153 were 56% less likely to develop RA compared with females with A/A; a similar protective effect was seen for females with the A/T+T/T genotype compared with those with A/A. The GTEx database revealed that patients carrying the T/T genotype had lower levels of CCL4 gene expression than those carrying the A/A genotype. These results indicate that the nucleotide T over the rs1719153 is associated with decreased CCL4 gene expression and decreased risk for RA.
The Plantaris Muscle Tendon and Its Relationship with the Achilles Tendinopathy
Authors: Olewnik Ł. , Wysiadecki G. , Podgórski M. , Polguj M. , Topol M.
Published: May 2018

Purpose. Although the plantaris muscle (PM) is vestigial in humans, it has a significant clinical role in procedures such as grafting. However, recent reports suggest its potential involvement in the tendinopathy of the midportion of the Achilles tendon. The aim of the study is therefore to evaluate morphological variation of the PM with regard to its potential conflict with the Achilles tendon. Material and Methods. Classical anatomical dissection was performed on 130 lower limbs (71 right, 59 left) fixed in 10% formalin solution. The morphology of the PM was assessed regarding the relationship between the course of the plantaris tendon and the calcaneal tendon. Results. The PM was present in 89.2% of cases. The findings indicate the presence of a new type of PM tendon insertion in which the tendon is inserted into the tarsal canal flexor retinaculum, potentially affecting the tendinopathy of the tibialis posterior muscle. In 26 cases (22.4%), insertion blended with the Achilles tendon (Type II), which may increase the risk of Achilles tendinopathy. Conclusion. The anatomical variation of PM tendon morphology may create a potential conflict with the Achilles tendon and the tibialis posterior tendon, thus increasing the possibility of tendinopathy.
Membranous Nephropathy: Approaches to Treatment
Authors: Bomback Andrew S. , Fervenza Fernando C.
Published: May 2018

Background: Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. This review focuses on mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of MN and approaches to treatment of this disease. Summary: Our understanding of the pathogenesis of primary MN has advanced greatly with the identification of M-type phospholipase A2 receptor and thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A as target antigens whose antibodies serve as biomarkers of this disease. Additional research, including investigations into the roles of complement and melanocortin receptors on the podocyte, may further improve our understanding of how best to treat this condition. Immunosuppressive therapies, including corticosteroids alternating with alkylating agents, and calcineurin inhibitors are partially successful in reducing proteinuria in MN, but their use may be associated with significant adverse effects and a high relapse rate. Novel interventions, including targeting B cells with rituximab as well as treatment with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), are being investigated. Key Messages: The understanding of treatment targets and availability of new biomarkers has facilitated diagnosis and improved risk stratification for MN and may also be useful for individualizing treatment with a wider range of therapeutic options for patients with MN. Considerable evidence supports the use of B-cell depletion as initial therapy in nephrotic patients with MN. ACTH should be considered for patients who do not respond to traditional therapies such as alkylating agents and calcineurin inhibitors.
Autoimmune Ascites Responding to Mycophenolate Mofetil: A Case Report
Authors: Simonetto Douglas A. , Fatima Hala , Zijlstra Folkert , Zijlstra Michael K.
Published: May 2018

Ascites is an abnormal accumulation of fluid within the peritoneal cavity. The most common cause of ascites in the United States population is portal hypertension secondary to cirrhosis, accounting for about 80% of the cases. Other etiologies include malignancy, heart failure, tuberculosis, and pancreatic disease. After an extensive literature review, it is to our best knowledge that there have been no cases reported on autoimmune ascites. We present an interesting case of ascites in a 67-year-old Caucasian male with symptoms of recurrent abdominal distention and significant weight gain, refractory to standard therapies. An extensive 3-year long workup was only significant for serum-ascites albumin gradient > 1.1 g/dL, ascitic fluid protein of 3.0 g/dL, and peritoneal biopsies showing minor inflammatory changes. Both common and rare causes of ascites were ruled out. Empiric treatment with mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept) resulted in resolution of symptoms with no need for a repeat paracentesis for > 2 years, suggesting the diagnosis of autoimmune ascites.
Seeing Is Believing: Headway27 as a Highly Visible and Versatile Microcatheter with Ideal Dimensions for Stroke Thrombectomy
Authors: Ares William J. , Zussman Benjamin M. , Kenmuir Cynthia L. , Weiner Gregory M. , Ziayee Habibullah , Burke Devin , Jadhav Ashutosh P. , Jovin Tudor G. , Jankowitz Brian T. , Gross Bradley A.
Published: May 2018

Introduction: Microcatheter selection is an infrequent focus of stroke thrombectomy technique evaluation. The Headway27 microcatheter strikes an excellent balance of microcatheter dimensions (156 cm length, 2.6 Fr distal OD, ID 0.027 inches) and visibility, making it ideal for stroke thrombectomy. Methods: We evaluated a prospectively maintained acute stroke thrombectomy database containing 50 consecutive cases using the Headway27 microcatheter. From the database, patient demographics, clinical and angiographic information as well as procedural technical details and complications were extracted. Results: Manual aspiration thrombectomy (MAT) was performed alone in 72% of cases, stentriever-assisted MAT was performed in 6% of cases, and a combination was used in 22% of cases. Median groin puncture to final recanalization time was 27 min and mTICI 2B/3 recanalization was achieved in 94% of cases. There were 2 intra-procedural complications, neither related to the microcatheter. In all cases, the Headway27 reached the intended target vessel: M1 (n = 4), M2 (n = 26), M3 (n = 13), P2 (n = 3), P3 (n = 1), and basilar artery (n = 3). There were no cases requiring usage of an additional or alternative microcatheter. In 45/47 cases of MAT, the reperfusion catheter tracked over the Headway to the clot/intended target; in two cases, the microcatheter was used to deploy a stentriever that then allowed the reperfusion catheter to track to the clot. Conclusion: The Headway27 microcatheter reliably facilitated rapid clot access in anterior and posterior circulation acute large vessel occlusions with no microcatheter-associated complications.
Esophageal Large-Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma with Inconsistent Response to Treatment in the Primary and Metastatic Lesions
Authors: Tomiyama Takashi , Orino Masahiro , Nakamaru Koh , Tanaka Toshihiro , Suzuki Ryo , Okazaki Takashi , Fukata Norimasa , Ando Yugo , Danbara Naoyuki , Fukui Toshiro , Miyasaka Chika , Okazaki Kazuichi
Published: May 2018

Esophageal large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) is a rare malignant tumor that is characterized by high-grade malignancy and a poor prognosis. However, the rarity of esophageal NEC has prevented the development of an established treatment, and no reports have described a discrepancy in the effectiveness of cisplatin plus irinotecan between primary and metastatic lesions. A 43-year-old Japanese man was referred to our hospital with refractory epigastralgia. A previous gastrointestinal endoscopy had revealed a 50-mm type 2 tumor in the abdominal esophagus. The pathological findings indicated poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a metastatic liver tumor. One cycle of fluorouracil and cisplatin was not effective, and endoscopy was repeatedly performed. The pathological findings indicated a large-cell malignant tumor with tumor cells that were positive for CD56, synaptophysin, and Ki-67 (> 80%). Based on a diagnosis of esophageal large-cell NEC with a metastatic liver tumor, the patient received cisplatin plus irinotecan biweekly. After 4 months, computed tomography revealed marked shrinkage of the metastatic tumor, but the patient complained of dysphagia. Endoscopy revealed enlargement of the primary tumor, which was then treated using radiotherapy plus fluorouracil and cisplatin. The primary tumor subsequently shrank, and the patient’s symptoms were relieved, but the metastatic tumor grew. Thus, chemoradiotherapy could be an option for managing a primary esophageal large-cell NEC that does not respond to chemotherapy alone. However, the possibility of an inconsistent response to therapy in primary and metastatic lesions should be considered.
Hypothermia-Related Acute Pancreatitis
Authors: Lin Kyawzaw , Ofori Emmanuel , Lin Aung Naing , Lin Sithu , Lin Thinzar , Rasheed Ameer , Vasudevan Viswanath , Reddy Madhavi
Published: May 2018

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease presenting from mild localized inflammation to severe infected necrotic pancreatic tissue. In the literature, there are a few cases of hypothermia-induced AP. However, the association between hypothermia and AP is still a myth. Generally, mortality from acute pancreatitis is nearly 3–6%. Here, we present a 40-year-old chronic alcoholic female who presented with acute pancreatitis induced by transient hypothermia. A 40-year-old chronic alcoholic female was hypothermic at 81°F on arrival which was improved to 91.7°F with warming blanket and then around 97°F in 8 h. Laboratory tests including complete blood count, lipid panel, and comprehensive metabolic panels were within the normal limit. Serum alcohol level was 0.01, amylase 498, lipase 1,200, ammonia 26, serum carboxyhemoglobin level 2.4, and β-HCG was negative. The entire sepsis workup was negative. During rewarming period, she had one episode of witnessed generalized tonic-clonic seizure. It was followed by transient hypotension. Fluid challenge was successful with 2 L of normal saline. Sonogram (abdomen) showed fatty liver and trace ascites. CAT scan (abdomen and pelvis) showed evidence of acute pancreatitis without necrosis, peripancreatic abscess, pancreatic mass, or radiopaque gallstones. The patient was managed medically and later discharged from the hospital on the 4th day as she tolerated a normal low-fat diet. In our patient, transient hypothermia from chronic alcohol abuse and her social circumstances might predispose to microcirculatory disturbance resulting in acute pancreatitis. Early and aggressive fluid resuscitation prevents complications.
Complete Remission of Recurrent Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma after the Administration of Gemcitabine and Docetaxel as First-Line Adjuvant Chemotherapy: A Case Report
Authors: Da Silva Filipe Rocha , Lima Alan Vitor Jerônimo , Albuquerque Erick Willian Rocha Pereira  , Moreira-Silva Carlos Augusto , De Oliveira Nicole Maués Flexa , Ohana Jorge Alberto Langbeck , Carvalho Luís Eduardo Werneck
Published: May 2018

Retroperitoneal liposarcoma is a rare type of cancer. Relapse after surgery is frequent, and relapsing tumors tend to be more aggressive and less differentiated each episode, worsening the prognosis. This report describes the case of a 42-year-old female diagnosed with retroperitoneal liposarcoma after complete tumor resection. At the 3-month follow-up, another expansive lipomatous mass in the retroperitoneal area almost the same size as the previous one was detected. The patient underwent a new surgery, followed by first-line treatment with a gemcitabine- and docetaxel-based regimen for 8 cycles. Finally, the patient achieved complete tumor remission confirmed by CT after the end of the treatment proposed. Although recurrence is a well-known characteristic of this neoplasia, no other case with such a vast expansion of a new tumor shortly after complete resection was found in the literature.
Ascaris lumbricoides: A Startling Discovery during Screening Colonoscopy
Authors: Shah Jamil , Shahidullah Abul
Published: May 2018

Intestinal parasitic infections are a major public health issue across the world and particularly in rural and urban areas of tropical and subtropical countries. Those at increased risk include inhabitants of poor and disadvantaged regions, which are more likely to have inadequate environmental sanitation, insufficient water supply, greater contact rates with reservoirs of infection, limited health literacy, and socioeconomic disparities. Of the intestinal nematodes (roundworms) that parasitize the human gastrointestinal tract, Ascaris lumbricoides is the largest in terms of size. It causes ascariasis, a “neglected tropical disease,” or NTD, that is among the most common helminthic human infections worldwide with an estimated 800 million to 1.2 billion people infected. It causes more than 60,000 deaths annually. However, in more than 85% of cases, infections do not result in symptoms – especially in individuals infected with a small number of worms. Thus, many individuals with intestinal ascariasis remain undiagnosed for years until either they experience symptoms and seek medical attention, the macroscopic adult worms are passed with the stool, or the adult worms are incidentally discovered during routine endoscopic procedures. Here, we present an interesting case of an elderly Bangladeshi man with seemingly innocuous complaints of intermittent mild abdominal symptoms and no recent travel history, who was discovered to have intestinal ascariasis during a screening colonoscopy.
Deficiency of FAM3D (Family With Sequence Similarity 3, Member D), A Novel Chemokine, Attenuates Neutrophil Recruitment and Ameliorates Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Development
Authors: He Li , Fu Yi , Deng Jingna , Shen Yicong , Wang Yingbao , Yu Fang , Xie Nan , Chen Zhongjiang , Hong Tianpei , Peng Xinjian , Li Qingqing , Zhou Jing , Han Jingyan , Wang Ying , Xi Jianzhong , Kong Wei
Published: May 2018

Objective—

Chemokine-mediated neutrophil recruitment contributes to the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and may serve as a promising therapeutic target. FAM3D (family with sequence similarity 3, member D) is a recently identified novel chemokine. Here, we aimed to explore the role of FAM3D in neutrophil recruitment and AAA development.

Approach and Results—

FAM3D was markedly upregulated in human AAA tissues, as well as both elastase- and CaPO
4
-induced mouse aneurysmal aortas. FAM3D deficiency significantly attenuated the development of AAA in both mouse models. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that
FAM3D
−/−
mice exhibited decreased neutrophil infiltration in the aorta during the early stage of AAA formation compared with their wild-type littermates. Moreover, application of FAM3D-neutralizing antibody 6D7 through intraperitoneal injection markedly ameliorated elastase-induced AAA formation and neutrophil infiltration. Further, in vitro coculture experiments with FAM3D-neutralizing antibody 6D7 and in vivo intravital microscopic analysis indicated that endothelial cell–derived FAM3D induced neutrophil recruitment. Mechanistically, FAM3D upregulated and activated Mac-1 (macrophage-1 antigen) in neutrophils, whereas inhibition of FPR1 (formyl peptide receptor 1) or FPR2 significantly blocked FAM3D-induced Mac-1 activation, indicating that the effect of FAM3D was dependent on both FPRs. Moreover, specific inhibitors of FPR signaling related to Gi protein or β-arrestin inhibited FAM3D-activated Mac-1 in vitro, whereas FAM3D deficiency decreased the activation of both FPR-Gi protein and β-arrestin signaling in neutrophils in vivo.

Conclusions—

FAM3D, as a dual agonist of FPR1 and FPR2, induced Mac-1-mediated neutrophil recruitment and aggravated AAA development through FPR-related Gi protein and β-arrestin signaling.
Release calls of Moroccan spadefoot toad, Pelobates varaldii (Anura, Pelobatidae)
Authors: Márquez Rafael , Beltrán Juan F. , Pita-Vaca Ignacio , Samlali Mohamed Amine , S’Khifa Abderrahim , Slimani Tahar , El Mouden El Hassan
Published: May 2018

Release calls of Pelobates varaldii Pasteur and Bons (1959) are described quantitatively based on airborne recordings obtained from 4 males and 12 females from a population of the extreme north of its range. The calls are sequences of pulsed notes with a variable number of pulses per note. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on the acoustic repertoire of this endemic endangered species from Morocco.
The Impact of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement on Constitutional Reform and Judicial Activism in Ukraine
Authors: Petrov Roman
Published: May 2018

This article looks at the first phase of the implementation and application of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, which triggered unprecedented political, economic and legal reforms in Ukraine. In particular, the article focuses on the constitutional challenges that have arisen for Ukraine in the course of implementing the Association Agreement into its legal system. Two issues form the focus of consideration in the article. The first issue is effective implementation and application of the Association Agreement within the Ukrainian legal order. The second issue is compatibility between the Association Agreement and the Ukrainian Constitution. The latest political and legal developments in Ukraine are analyzed through the prism of effective implementation of the Association Agreement and the rise of pro-European judicial activism in Ukraine. In conclusion it is argued that the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement enhanced the adaptability of the national constitutional order to the European integration project and European common values.
Consumer Arbitration and Subtle Variances in its Effectiveness in Selected EU Member States (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Germany)
Authors: Chovancová Katarína
Published: May 2018

Thorough legal regulation of arbitration involving consumers is significant for their protection, which is provided in the EU by the restrictive model, embedded in Council Directive 93/13/EEC on Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts. It is submitted that EU Member States’ legislative reaction to achieve compatibility of their national laws with Directive 93/13 EEC was not identical and led to a debate on the effectiveness of consumer arbitration in the EU. The following article is an attempt to inform this debate. It provides a compact analysis of consumer arbitration agreements and discusses relevant arbitration law and practice in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria and Germany – four EU Member States and also neighbors with intertwined mutual relationships. The thesis of this article is that even the most consumer-friendly legislation does not secure the success of consumer arbitration in all arbitrated cases. Equally, strongly pro-consumer legislation does not always mean arbitration-friendly legislation when legislative assimilation of litigation with arbitration is not avoided – indeed, quite the opposite.
Law as an Instrument and as a Mirror of Official Memory Politics: The Mechanism for Rehabilitating Victims of Communism in Serbia
Authors: Đureinović Jelena
Published: May 2018

This article examines the mechanism for judicial rehabilitation in Serbia as a tool and as a reflection of state-sanctioned memory politics of the Second World War and Yugoslav state socialism. The mechanism of rehabilitation seeks to accommodate victims of unfair trials by revising them or declaratively and collectively rehabilitating victims of political persecution. In the case of Serbia, the legislation enables rehabilitation of persons responsible for collaboration and crimes during the Second World War as long as it can be argued that political and ideological grounds were also involved in their judicial or extrajudicial persecution. Acknowledging that individuals were unjustly persecuted in the postwar period, the article is primarily concerned with prominent military and political actors of the Second World War. Discussing rehabilitation in the context of the relation of history, memory and law, the article represents a perspective of history and memory studies rather than a purely legal-dogmatic analysis.
Postvernacular Prufrock
Authors: Boyden Michael
Published: May 2018

This article offers an explorative reading of a parodic Yiddish rendition of T.S. Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” entitled “Der shir hashirim fun Mendl Pumshtok” that was composed by Isaac Rosenfeld and Saul Bellow during their student years in Chicago. The article argues that, by measuring themselves against the main representative of high modernism and by giving a markedly ethnic inflection to Eliot’s poem, Brooks and Rosenfeld attempted to transcend the assumed provincialism of their situation and elbow their way into the American literary canon. More generally, the article suggests that parodic “translations” of this kind, by highlighting the postvernacular dimension of literary language (Shandler), extend the purview of translingual studies by valuing performativity, orality, and collaboration over and against competency as defining elements of linguistic border crossing in an age that has sometimes too hastily been characterized as post-national or post-Romantic. The article thus points to the relevance of what the author calls literary amphilingualism, a prevalent but understudied phenomenon in translingual studies.
Heterographics as a Literary Device
Authors: Bodin Helena
Published: May 2018

Heterographics (“other lettering”) refers to the use of two scripts in one text or a translation of a text from one script to another. How might the occasional use of heterographics in literary texts highlight issues of cultural diversity? Drawing on intermedial theory and studies of literary multilingualism, literary translation, and pluriliteracies, this article examines various functions of heterographics in selected contemporary literary texts. Examples of embedded Greek, Chinese, Cyrillic, and Arabic script are analysed in works published in Swedish, French, and English between 2004 and 2015, selected because they thematise cultural diversity and linguistic boundaries. The conclusion is that heterographic devices emphasise the heteromediality of literary texts, thereby heightening readers’ awareness of the visual-spatial features of literary texts, as well as of the materiality of scripts. Heterographics influence readers’ experiences of cultural affinity or alterity, that is, of inclusion or exclusion, depending on their access to practices of pluriliteracies.
Response to Special Issue of Journal of World Literature on Literary Translingualism
Authors: Kellman Steven G.
Published: May 2018

The articles in this special issue on Literary Translingualism by Helgesson and Kullberg, Robinson, Boyden, and Bodin all insist on language as fluid and non-discrete. What Boyden calls “amphilingualism” is a useful way to describe the porousness of languages. These and other scholars of translingualism are at odds with the ascendant nativism that is enforcing boundaries between nations and languages. Translations further problematize the sovereignty of language and national culture, and they are crucial to the process of elevating a text in the global hypercanon. What Bodin calls “heterographics,” the coexistence of separate scripts within a single text, is a useful extension of literary translingualism.
Stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) from Brazilian Amazon: checklist and new records
Authors: DA SILVA VALERIA JULIETE , DOS SANTOS CLEVERSON RANNIERI MEIRA , FERNANDES JOSE ANTONIO MARIN
Published: May 2018

A list of the stink bugs (Pentatomidae) species of the Brazilian Amazon is provided for the first time, based on literature review and identification of the specimens of Pentatomidae deposited in the entomological collection of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG). Amazonian data base presented here has 324 species of Pentatomidae belonging to 102 genera, ten tribes and five subfamilies: Asopinae, Cyrtocorinae, Discocephalinae, Edessinae and Pentatominae. The Pentatominae has the largest number of species registered to Brazilian Amazon (144 species). The MPEG entomological collection has 122 species distributed in 53 genera, nine tribes and five subfamilies. Forty species from eight tribes and four subfamilies are recorded for the first time to Brazilian Amazon, including species from Podisus Herrich-Schäffer (Asopinae); Adoxoplatys Breddin, Macropygium Spinola, Neoadoxoplatys Kormilev, Ochlerus Spinola and Platycarenus Fieber (Discocephalinae); Edessa Fabricius (Edessinae); Arocera Spinola, Arvelius Spinola, Banasa Stål, Dichelops Spinola, Euschistus Dallas, Mormidea Amyot & Serville, Oebalus Stål, Pellaea Stål, Piezodorus Fieber, Proxys Spinola and Thyanta Stål (Pentatominae). Three of these species–Podisus maculiventris (Say, 1831) Neoadoxoplatys saileri Kormilev, 1956 and Edessa laticornis Stål, 1872—are new records to South America. The number of species of Pentatomidae to Brazilian Amazon represents approximately 50% of the species registered to Brazil. Such list of species is important to better understand the distributional range and diversity of the species of Pentatomidae in the Amazon region.
Pinguisoperla, a new fossil genus of Perlidae (Insecta: Plecoptera) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber
Authors: CHEN ZHI-TENG
Published: May 2018

A new fossil stonefly genus and species of the family Perlidae, Pinguisoperla yangzhouensis gen. et sp. nov., is proposed as the second known genus from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. The new genus is characterized by its dark coloration and the basally enlarged and curved cerci. Morphological characters of the new genus and species are described, illustrated, and compared with related taxa.
Larva of Halesus nurag Malicky 1974 (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae) and diagnostic key for the limnephilid larvae of Sardinia
Authors: WARINGER JOHANN , MALICKY HANS
Published: May 2018

This paper gives a description of the hitherto unknown larva of Halesus nurag Malicky 1974 (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae). Information on the morphology of the larva is given, and the most important diagnostic features are figured. In the context of the European Halesus species, the larva of H. nurag is morphologically close to H. appenninus Moretti & Spinelli Batta 1979, H. digitatus (Schrank 1781), H. radiatus (Curtis 1834), and H. tessellatus (Rambur 1842). This new morphological dataset was used for providing a key to the Sardinian limnephilid larvae. In this context, H. nurag can be separated from the other Sardinian species with single-filament gills described so far by chaetotaxonomical characters, mandible morphology, and details of the lateral protuberance of abdominal segment I.
Retrieving Global Wilson Currents from Electrified Clouds Using Satellite Passive Microwave Observations
Authors: Peterson Michael , Deierling Wiebke , Liu Chuntao , Mach Douglas , Kalb Christina
Published: May 2018

High-altitude atmospheric electricity measurements have been used to calculate the conduction (Wilson) currents that are supplied to the global electric circuit (GEC) by individual electrified clouds. Quantifying the global average current and assessing its temporal variability is a challenge, however, because it requires measurements in every stormy region of the world. Thus, a retrieval algorithm has been developed to infer the electric fields and Wilson currents above electrified weather from NASA ER-2 passive microwave high-altitude aircraft observations that are also common satellite products.

This study documents the adaptation of the passive microwave electric field and the Wilson current retrieval algorithm for use with satellite platforms. Three distinct variants on the algorithm are produced to respond to specific use cases that differ in 1) whether swath or microwave feature data are available to describe the lateral extent of electrified clouds, 2) the availability of coincident radar data to characterize the vertical structure of electrified clouds, and 3) the prioritization of scientific accuracy or computational expense and product latency. The Wilson currents produced by the satellite retrievals are compared with each other and also with coincident lightning measurements and the Carnegie curve. The advantages, caveats, and limitations of each variant are discussed.
Introducing undergraduate research in Numerical Analysis of Engineering Systems course
Authors: Bishay Peter L
Published: May 2018

Undergraduate research has a significant positive impact on the students’ educational experience but has many implementation challenges in curricular or co-curricular activities. This paper presents an approach for introducing undergraduate research to engineering students in a Numerical Analysis of Engineering Systems course, which is typically a junior-level undergraduate course in most engineering departments. A course project was designed to allow the participating students to work in teams, read an assigned research paper that presents an exact solution of a problem related to smart materials and structures, locate the main equations, and write a computer code that uses these equations to regenerate the published results. Each team of students gave a presentation on the assigned paper, the main equations, the code developed to regenerate the results and graphs, with interpretations and conclusions. The project is contributing to the course outcomes and learning objectives as well as multiple ABET student outcomes. Final survey showed the effectiveness of the proposed project in introducing students to undergraduate research, and giving them the chance to understand the technical and mathematical language used in research papers, and experience working on new challenging problems. The approach does not need involvement of multiple faculty members, or large funds and resources. The theme of the assigned research papers is dependent on the instructor’s field of research. The approach can be easily extended to other courses that teach computational methods and tools. The paper presents sample student projects and lessons learned in implementing the proposed approach.
Knowledge Spillovers and Local Industry Growth: A Patent Citation Approach
Authors: Song Kejun , Simons Gerald , Sun Wei
Published: May 2018

We create unique patent-based measures of Marshall–Arrow–Romer (MAR) and Jacobs knowledge spillovers using patent citations data and use them to test the Glaeser et al. model of local industry employment growth on three emerging technology categories, namely, computing and communications, drugs and medical, and electrics and electronics. We test growth in 45 U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and consolidated metropolitan statistical areas (CMSAs) for eight two-digit industries over the period 1994 to 2000. We find strong evidence for MAR spillovers from specialization, but little for Jacobs spillovers from diversity. Our results suggest that regional specialization, but not diversity, boosts local industry employment growth in these knowledge fields.

JEL classifications: J21, L16
Identifying Food Literacy Educational Opportunities for Youth
Authors: Amin Sarah A. , Panzarella Carolyn , Lehnerd Megan , Cash Sean B. , Economos Christina D. , Sacheck Jennifer M.
Published: May 2018

Background. Recent efforts supporting children’s dietary behaviors suggest the importance of food literacy (FL), which is a multidimensional concept that encompasses food-related knowledge, skills, and behaviors. To date, FL has been largely informed by adult and adolescent research. Aims. To assess the FL experiences, perceived skills, and knowledge of school-age children to inform FL educational opportunities. Method. Six focus groups were conducted with children (age 9-12 years) from three Massachusetts elementary schools. Two team members independently reviewed and coded a portion of the transcripts to assess interrater reliability. Predominant themes connected to children’s perceived FL skills and knowledge were identified using an inductive and deductive content analysis approach. Results. There were five central FL themes identified during the focus groups ( n = 31 children), including (1) food systems concepts; (2) food safety and food freshness; (3) gardening environment, perceived skills, and knowledge; (4) cooking environment, perceived skills, and safety; and (5) autonomy of meal preparation. Discussion. The themes that emerged in these focus groups with children provided new information surrounding children’s perceived FL skills and knowledge as well as important context regarding the food environment (school vs. home). These findings captured important concepts across the “farm to plate” spectrum and highlight potential school-based opportunities where FL topics could be expanded upon most successfully. Conclusion. This formative research informed educational opportunities for a FL curriculum, which holds promise for improving food-based education and programs, designing more effective interventions, and developing measurement tools.
Thinking and Researching Relationally
Authors: Gerlach Alison
Published: May 2018

Decolonizing methodologies are gaining increasing prominence in diverse research contexts in which Indigenous peoples are researchers, research partners, participants, and knowledge users. As political and intellectual allies committed to actively resisting and redressing the colonizing potential of research and advancing social change, non-Indigenous scholars are also enacting decolonizing methodologies. By drawing on the author’s experiences as a non-Indigenous researcher partnering with an Indigenous early childhood program in Canada, this article illustrates the interconnected ways in which relationality provides the necessary epistemological scaffolding to actualize the underlying motives, concerns, and principles that characterize decolonizing methodologies. Relationality draws attention to the multiple intersecting influences that shape research and knowledge itself, emphasizes reciprocity, and is compatible with many Indigenous worldviews. This article contributes toward the ongoing international dialogue about decolonizing methodologies and is directed primarily to non-Indigenous researchers and graduate students who are questioning how to “do” community-based decolonizing research involving Indigenous peoples.