bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive NK Cells with Low TIGIT Expression Are Inherently Resistant to Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells
Authors: Sarhan Dhifaf , Cichocki Frank , Zhang Bin , Yingst Ashley , Spellman Stephen R. , Cooley Sarah , Verneris Michael R. , Blazar Bruce R. , Miller Jeffrey S.
Published: August 2016

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV)-induced adaptive natural killer (NK) cells display distinct phenotypic and functional characteristics, including properties of immune memory. We hypothesized that these cells may be more resistant to suppression mediated by immunoregulatory cell subsets, making them attractive for use in cancer therapy. Here we report that relative to conventional NK cells, adaptive NK cells express lower levels of the inhibitory receptor T-cell Ig and ITIM domain (TIGIT), which results in resistance to immune suppression mediated by myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), as derived from cytokine induction in normal blood or patients with myelodysplastic syndrome. In contrast, conventional NK cells were potently suppressed by MDSCs, an effect abrogated completely by TIGIT blockade. Mechanistically, TIGIT signaling in NK cells after MDSC coculture led to a decrease in the phosphorylation of ZAP70/Syk and ERK1/2. These effects were reversed by blocking TIGIT on NK cells or by inhibiting production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by MDSCs, the latter of which upregulated the TIGIT ligand CD155 on MDSCs. Accordingly, the blunted cytotoxicity of NK cells cocultured with MDSCs against tumor cells could be reversed by blocking TIGIT or ROS production. Overall, our results show how adaptive NK cells arising in response to CMV infection can escape MDSC-mediated suppression, and defined TIGIT antagonists as a novel type of checkpoint inhibitor to enhance NK-cell–mediated responses against cancer and infection. Cancer Res; 76(19); 5696–706. ©2016 AACR.
Survival of Del17p CLL Depends on Genomic Complexity and Somatic Mutation
Authors: Yu Lijian , Kim Haesook T. , Kasar Siddha N. , Benien Parul , Du Wei , Hoang Kevin , Aw Andrew , Tesar Bethany , Improgo Reina , Fernandes Stacey M. , Radhakrishnan Saranya , Klitgaard Josephine L. , Lee Charles , Getz Gad , Setlur Sunita R. , Brown Jennifer R.
Published: August 2016

Purpose: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with 17p deletion typically progresses quickly and is refractory to most conventional therapies. However, some del(17p) patients do not progress for years, suggesting that del(17p) is not the only driving event in CLL progression. We hypothesize that other concomitant genetic abnormalities underlie the clinical heterogeneity of del(17p) CLL.

Experimental Design: We profiled the somatic mutations and copy number alterations (CNA) in a large group of del(17p) CLLs as well as wild-type CLL and analyzed the genetic basis of their clinical heterogeneity.

Results: We found that increased somatic mutation number associates with poor overall survival independent of 17p deletion (P = 0.003). TP53 mutation was present in 81% of del(17p) CLL, mostly clonal (82%), and clonal mutations with del(17p) exhibit shorter overall survival than subclonal mutations with del(17p) (P = 0.019). Del(17p) CLL has a unique driver mutation profile, including NOTCH1 (15%), RPS15 (12%), DDX3X (8%), and GPS2 (6%). We found that about half of del(17p) CLL cases have recurrent deletions at 3p, 4p, or 9p and that any of these deletions significantly predicts shorter overall survival. In addition, the number of CNAs, but not somatic mutations, predicts shorter time to treatment among patients untreated at sampling. Indolent del(17p) CLLs were characterized by absent or subclonal TP53 mutation and few CNAs, with no difference in somatic mutation number.

Conclusions: We conclude that del(17p) has a unique genomic profile and that clonal TP53 mutations, 3p, 4p, or 9p deletions, and genomic complexity are associated with shorter overall survival. Clin Cancer Res; 23(3); 735–45. ©2016 AACR.
3 Tesla-Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: The Nephrologist's Point of View
Authors: Lupica Rosaria , Mormina Enricomaria , Lacquaniti Antonio , Trimboli Domenico , Bianchimano Biagio , Marino Silvia , Bramanti Placido , Longo Marcello , Buemi Michele , Granata Francesca
Published: August 2016

Background/Aims: CT, MRI and ultrasound are currently used for screening and follow-up of individuals affected by autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI studies renal perfusion after gadolinium administration, with possible side effects, such as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical application of 3 Tesla (3T)-diffusion tensor image (DTI) in ADPKD patients, correlating its parameters, such as fractional anisotropy (FA), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) with kidney function tests. Methods: Eight ADPKD patients and 6 healthy volunteers (HS) were enrolled. FA and ADC mean values were calculated. And correlations between DTI-parameters, creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were evaluated. Results: Parenchymal FA was significantly lower in ADPKD than HS (FA: 0.17 ± 0.03 vs. 0.22 ± 0.01; p = 0.02), whereas parenchymal ADC was higher in patients than controls (2.48 (×10-3) ± 0.16 vs. 2.28 (×10-3) ± 0.09), but a statistically significant difference was not achieved (p = 0.27). Direct correlations were revealed between eGFR and FA (r = 0.82; p = 0.0003), whereas an inverse correlation was found with creatinine (r = -0.77; p = 0.001). Similarly, ADC closely correlated with creatinine (r = 0.79; p = 0.0006) and eGFR (r = -0.620; p = 0.01). Conclusion: 3T-DTI is a promising radiological tool that could be used by nephrologists to evaluate ADPKD patients, highlighting early micro-structure alterations, without side effects and contrast agent administration.
Nucleus Ruber of Actinopterygians
Authors: Nakayama Tomoya , Miyajima Satoshi , Nishino Hirotaka , Narita Junya , Abe Hideki , Yamamoto Naoyuki
Published: August 2016

Nucleus ruber is known as an important supraspinal center that controls forelimb movements in tetrapods, and the rubral homologue may serve similar functions in fishes (motor control of pectoral fin). However, two apparently different structures have been identified as ‘nucleus ruber' in actinopterygians. One is nucleus ruber of Goldstein (1905) (NRg), and the other nucleus ruber of Nieuwenhuys and Pouwels (1983) (NRnp). It remains unclear whether one of these nuclei (or perhaps both) is homologous to tetrapod nucleus ruber. To resolve this issue from a phylogenetic point of view, we have investigated the distribution of tegmental neurons retrogradely labeled from the spinal cord in eight actinopterygian species. We also investigated the presence/absence of the two nuclei with Nissl- or Bodian-stained brain section series of an additional 28 actinopterygian species by comparing the morphological features of candidate rubral neurons with those of neurons revealed by the tracer studies. Based on these analyses, the NRg was identified in all actinopterygians investigated in the present study, while the NRnp appears to be absent in basal actinopterygians. The phylogenetic distribution pattern indicates that the NRg is the more likely homologue of nucleus ruber, and the NRnp may be a derived nucleus that emerged during the course of actinopterygian evolution.
An Unusual Cause of Rectal Stenosis
Authors: Gruber Maja , Füglistaler Ida , Zettel Andreas , Fox Mark , Manz Michael
Published: August 2016

Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) is a benign disease that is often misdiagnosed. It is characterized by a combination of symptoms, endoscopic findings and histology. Patients present with constipation, rectal bleeding, mucous discharge, pain and a sensation of incomplete defecation. There are many different manifestations of this disease, with or without rectal prolapse. We report an unusual presentation of SRUS as a circular stenosis in a middle-aged male.
Assessing Computational Fractional Flow Reserve From Optical Coherence Tomography in Patients With Intermediate Coronary Stenosis in the Left Anterior Descending Artery
Authors: Ha Jinyong , Kim Jung-Sun , Lim Jaeyeong , Kim Gihoon , Lee Seungwan , Lee Joon Sang , Shin Dong-Ho , Kim Byeong-Keuk , Ko Young-Guk , Choi Donghoon , Jang Yangsoo , Hong Myeong-Ki
Published: August 2016

Background—

Intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging provides limited information on the functional assessment of coronary stenosis. We evaluated a new approach to OCT image–based computation modeling, which can be used to estimate the fractional flow reserve (FFR) in patients with intermediate coronary stenosis.

Methods and Results—

Ninety-two patients with intermediate diameter stenosis in the left anterior descending artery underwent both FFR measurement with pressure wires and OCT examination. Using the OCT data, a computational fluid dynamics algorithm was used to calculate the computational FFR (FFR
OCT
). The diagnostic performance of the FFR
OCT
was assessed based on the pressure wire–based FFR. The median FFR and FFR
OCT
values were 0.86 (0.79–0.89) and 0.89 (0.82–0.94), respectively. The average diameter stenosis in quantitative coronary angiography and area stenosis in OCT were 58.1±13.4% and 67.5±13.5%, respectively. The FFR
OCT
was better correlated to the FFR than were the anatomic variables (
r
=0.72;
P
<0.001 versus
r
=0.46;
P
<0.001 for minimal luminal diameter on quantitative coronary angiography or
r
=0.57;
P
<0.001 for minimal lumen area on OCT). When functionally significant stenosis was defined as an FFR cutoff value of ≤0.8, FFR
OCT
resulted in 88.0% accuracy, 68.7% sensitivity, and 95.6% specificity. The positive and negative predictive values were 84.2% and 89.0%, respectively.

Conclusions—

The computation of FFR
OCT
enables assessment not only of anatomic information, but also of the functional significance of intermediate stenosis. This measurement may be a useful approach for the simultaneous evaluation of the functional and anatomic severity of coronary stenosis.
A Simplified, Langendorff-Free Method for Concomitant Isolation of Viable Cardiac Myocytes and Nonmyocytes From the Adult Mouse Heart
Authors: Ackers-Johnson Matthew , Li Peter Yiqing , Holmes Andrew P. , O’Brien Sian-Marie , Pavlovic Davor , Foo Roger S.
Published: August 2016

Rationale:

Cardiovascular disease represents a global pandemic. The advent of and recent advances in mouse genomics, epigenomics, and transgenics offer ever-greater potential for powerful avenues of research. However, progress is often constrained by unique complexities associated with the isolation of viable myocytes from the adult mouse heart. Current protocols rely on retrograde aortic perfusion using specialized Langendorff apparatus, which poses considerable logistical and technical barriers to researchers and demands extensive training investment.

Objective:

To identify and optimize a convenient, alternative approach, allowing the robust isolation and culture of adult mouse cardiac myocytes using only common surgical and laboratory equipment.

Methods and Results:

Cardiac myocytes were isolated with yields comparable to those in published Langendorff-based methods, using direct needle perfusion of the LV ex vivo and without requirement for heparin injection. Isolated myocytes can be cultured antibiotic free, with retained organized contractile and mitochondrial morphology, transcriptional signatures, calcium handling, responses to hypoxia, neurohormonal stimulation, and electric pacing, and are amenable to patch clamp and adenoviral gene transfer techniques. Furthermore, the methodology permits concurrent isolation, separation, and coculture of myocyte and nonmyocyte cardiac populations.

Conclusions:

We present a novel, simplified method, demonstrating concomitant isolation of viable cardiac myocytes and nonmyocytes from the same adult mouse heart. We anticipate that this new approach will expand and accelerate innovative research in the field of cardiac biology.
Long‐Term Prognosis of Brugada‐Type ECG and ECG With Atypical ST‐Segment Elevation in the Right Precordial Leads Over 20 Years: Results From the Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS)
Authors: Tsuneoka Hidekazu , Takagi Masahiko , Murakoshi Nobuyuki , Yamagishi Kazumasa , Yokoyama Yasuhiro , Xu DongZhu , Sekiguchi Yukio , Yamasaki Hiro , Naruse Yoshihisa , Ito Yoko , Igarashi Miyako , Kitamura Akihiko , Okada Takeo , Tanigawa Takeshi , Kuga Keisuke , Ohira Tetsuya , Tada Hiroshi , Aonuma Kazutaka , Iso Hiroyasu ,   for the CIRCS Investigators, Sankai Tomoko , Umesawa Mitsumasa , Chei Choy‐Lye , Yokota Kimiko , Tabata Minako , Imano Hironori , Cui Renzhe , Ikeda Ai , Noda Hiroyuki , Ikehara Satoyo , Muraki Isao , Shimizu Yuji , Ishikawa Yoshinori , Kiyama Masahiko , Nakamura Masakazu , Maeda Kenji , Ido Masatoshi , Konishi Masamitsu , Shimamoto Takashi , Iida Minoru , Komachi Yoshio , Sato Shinichi , Naito Yoshihiko , Ozawa Hideki , Saito Isao , Sakurai Susumu , Hitsumoto Shinichi , Yao Masayuki
Published: August 2016

Background

Brugada syndrome is recognized as being associated with sudden cardiac death; however, the prevalence of non–type 1 Brugada‐type
ECG
(BrS) or atypical
ST
‐segment elevation in the right precordial leads (
STERP
) and the long‐term prognosis for those patients remain unknown.

Methods and Results

We analyzed standard 12‐lead
ECG
s of 7178 apparently healthy participants (age range 40–64 years) who underwent health checkups from 1982 to 1986 in the Circulatory Risk in Communities Study, a prospective, large, community‐based cohort study in Japan.
ECG
s with J point amplitude ≥0.2 mV in the right precordial leads were divided into 3 groups: (1) type 1 BrS, (2) type 2 or 3 BrS (non‐type 1 BrS), and (3)
STERP
. The others served as the non–
ST
‐segment elevation group. We identified 8 participants (0.1%) with type1 BrS, 84 (1.2%) with non–type 1 BrS, and 228 (3.2%) with
STERP
. During a median follow‐up of 18.7 years (133 987.0 person‐years), sudden cardiac death was observed in no participants (0.0%) with type 1 BrS, in 1 (1.2%) with non–type 1 BrS, in 7 (3.1%) with
STERP
, and in 50 (0.7%) with non–
ST
‐segment elevation. Participants with
STERP
had a markedly elevated risk of sudden cardiac death (multivariable hazard ratio 3.9, 95% CI 1.7–9.0).

Conclusions

STERP
was associated with an elevated risk of sudden cardiac death in a middle‐aged population.
Hemodynamic and Autonomic Response to Different Salt Intakes in Normotensive Individuals
Authors: Castiglioni Paolo , Parati Gianfranco , Lazzeroni Davide , Bini Matteo , Faini Andrea , Brambilla Lorenzo , Brambilla Valerio , Coruzzi Paolo
Published: August 2016

Background

Even if sodium sensitivity represents a risk factor at any blood pressure (
BP
) level, limited evidence is available that it may influence cardiovascular control in normotensives, particularly in white individuals. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate whether sodium sensitivity alters hemodynamic or autonomic responses to salt in normotensives.

Methods and Results

We evaluated the Sodium‐Sensitivity Index (
SS
‐Index) in 71 white normotensives after 5 days of high‐ and low‐sodium diets. We measured
BP
continuously at the end of each period, estimating hemodynamic indices from
BP
waveform analysis, and autonomic indices from heart rate (
HR
) and
BP
variability. According to the
SS
‐Index distribution, we defined 1 sodium‐sensitive group (
SS
, with
SS
‐Index >15 mm Hg/[mmol·day]), 1 sodium‐resistant group, (unresponsive to sodium load with −15≤
SS
‐Index ≤+15), and 1 inverse sodium‐sensitive group, responsive to sodium by decreasing
BP
, with
SS
‐Index <−15). We compared the effects of the diets among groups, and correlated autonomic/hemodynamic indices with the
SS
‐Index. After sodium loading, a significant decrease in systemic peripheral resistances,
HR
, spectral indices of
BP
modulation, and a significant increase of indices of
HR
vagal modulation were found in the inverse sodium‐sensitive group but not in
SS
normotensives. Moreover, the highest
SS
‐Indices were associated with the lesser vagal
HR
decelerations.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that salt sensitivity in white normotensive individuals is associated with impaired vasodilation and altered autonomic response to dietary salt. Such dysfunction may critically contribute to induce a
BP
response to dietary salt.
Molecular and morphological systematics of Elysia Risso, 1818 (Heterobranchia: Sacoglossa) from the Caribbean region
Authors: KRUG PATRICK J. , VENDETTI JANN E. , VALDÉS ÁNGEL
Published: August 2016

The Caribbean is a biodiversity hotspot for photosynthetic sea slugs, with about 27 described species in the genus Elysia Risso, 1818. However, many species are poorly known or have complex taxonomic histories, complicating assessments of regional biodiversity and impeding studies of plastid symbiosis, speciation, and larval biology. Using an integrative approach, we address the taxonomy and systematics of Caribbean elysiids by performing robust tests of existing species hypotheses, and describe six new species. Species delimitation included DNA barcoding of up to 189 nominal conspecific specimens; nuclear gene sequences were then used to confirm that divergent lineages were genetically distinct candidate species. New synonymies and species descriptions are based on external anatomy, penial and radular morphology, developmental characters, and host ecology of all species described from the region, plus a critical review of the literature. We synonymized three species (Elysia annedupontae Ortea, Espinosa & Caballer in Ortea, Caballer, Moro & Espinosa, 2005, Elysia clarki Pierce et al. 2006, and Elysia leeanneae Caballer, Ortea & Espinosa in Ortea, Espinosa, Buske & Caballer, 2013), transfered one species from Bosellia (Elysia marcusi), and described six new species (Elysia pawliki n. sp., Elysia zemi n. sp., Elysia christinae n. sp., Elysia hamanni n. sp., Elysia taino n. sp., and Elysia buonoi n. sp.). We resurrected the name Elysia velutinus Pruvot-Fol, 1947, a senior synonym of Elysia tuca Ev. Marcus & Er. Marcus, 1967. Based on a four-gene phylogeny of 76 Elysia spp., we identified shifts in host use and penial armature that may explain patterns of endemic diversification in Elysia, invoking both ecological and non-ecological mechanisms. Non-monophyly of stylet-bearing species rejects previous attempts to classify species based on presence of a stylet (i.e., the genus Checholysia Ortea, Caballer, Moro & Espinosa, 2005). Our findings show how integrative approaches can resolve the taxonomic status of problematic species (e.g., Elysia papillosa Verrill, 1901) for soft-bodied marine taxa.
Political motivations for intra-European migration
Authors: Bygnes Susanne , Flipo Aurore
Published: August 2016

Motivations for migrating within the European Union have mainly been attributed to economic, career and lifestyle choices. This article suggests that political dissatisfaction is also an important motivator of recent intra-European migration. In our analysis of in-depth interviews with Romanian migrants in Spain and with Spanish migrants in Norway, we found a common emphasis on the political dimensions of their decision to migrate. In the interviews, the economic component of migration was often related to bad governance and negative perceptions of the state. The similarities of Spanish and Romanian migration narratives are especially striking because Spain and Romania represent substantially different migratory, political and economic contexts. However, migration is more obviously intertwined with conventional acts of political protest in the Spanish case. We suggest that differences in democratic contexts are pivotal in people’s reactions to and framing of their deep dissatisfaction with domestic politics, as found in many European countries today.
Effects of EFL Individual Learner Variables on Foreign Language Reading Anxiety and Metacognitive Reading Strategy Use
Authors: Lien Hsin-Yi
Published: August 2016

Past research has shown an association between foreign language reading anxiety and reading strategy. However, individual variables tend to affect foreign language anxiety and strategy use. The present study examined a hypothesized model that specified direct and indirect effects among English and foreign languages readers’ distinct variables, including academic level; self-perceived English level; and satisfaction with reading proficiency, reading anxiety, and metacognitive awareness of reading strategies. A total of 523 volunteer Taiwanese college students provided 372 valid responses to a written questionnaire (281 women and 91 men; M age = 19.7 years, SD = 1.1) containing the translated versions of Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale, Survey of Reading Strategies Inventory, and self-assessment background questionnaire. The results showed that self-evaluation of reading proficiency did not correlate with academic level and readers’ perceptions. Satisfaction had a direct effect on foreign language reading anxiety but not on metacognitive awareness of reading strategies. Results of path analysis demonstrated that the perception learners who had their own reading proficiency predicted their foreign language reading anxiety and was a mediating variable for metacognitive reading strategy use.
A Brief Exploratory Report of Coping Strategies Among Police Recruits During Academy Training
Authors: Patterson George T.
Published: August 2016

Few longitudinal studies have investigated the use of coping strategies among police recruits. This study investigated perceived life and work stressors, appraisal, and coping over a seven-month police recruit academy training program. Participants were 81 police recruits who completed the Ways of Coping Questionnaire at three time points approximately three months apart. The average age of the recruits was 27.6 years ( SD = 5.1, range 20–51). Separate repeated measures analyses of variance were conducted to examine coping scores. Statistically significant decreases, although small, were observed in reported emotion-focused, problem-focused, and seeking social support coping strategies. Results suggested that as police recruits undergo academy training, they rely on fewer coping strategies to deal with life and work stress. More longitudinal studies are needed that assess the methods police recruits utilize to manage stress during academy training. Such results can inform stress management interventions.
Simulative analysis of the bending property of woven fabric by the comprehensive handle evaluation system for fabrics and yarns
Authors: Sun Fengxin , Chen Chaoyu , Liu Sai , Jin Huanhuan , He Linge , Du Zhaoqun , Yu Weidong
Published: August 2016

The comprehensive handle evaluation system for fabrics and yarns can be used to measure the bending property of fabrics and yarns based on three-point bending, in principle. In order to gain a better understanding of the bending mechanism of woven fabrics under three-point bending and to better interpret the influencing factors in the bending process, weaving-structure models of woven fabrics were built using finite element analysis based on ABAQUS software. Simulated bending force–displacement curves were compared with experimental curves based on the bending characteristic parameters extracted from the curves, and stress distribution on the fabric and the pressing pin were visually displayed during the bending process. The results show that the simulated curves have good agreement with the experimental curves. The effects of the property parameters of materials, including the Poisson’s ratio, friction coefficient and modulus of yarns and the structure phase and thread arrangement density of fabrics, as well as apparatus parameters, including diameters, the interval of the supporting pins and the distance of the jaws, on bending test were investigated. It is expected that the three-point bending method will help better characterize the bending property of textile materials.
Can a eunuch be baptized?
Authors: Percy Emma
Published: August 2016

In Acts 8 Philip baptizes an Ethiopian eunuch. In this article I note that the eunuch is someone who falls outside the gender binary of male and female. Although our gender questions are different to first-century ones, can the inclusion offered to the eunuch in baptism point us to a more inclusive stance in today’s church? Can this story speak to those who challenge gender binaries particularly intersex and transgender individuals, and can that challenge the Church to think beyond such binaries?
Permission to rant
Authors: Jameson Reverend Beverley
Published: August 2016

Contemporary Christian worship is based largely on praise and adoration. When disaster strikes and we are angry towards God, Christians feel guilty, accused of lack of faith, finding no vent for their emotions. The psalms of lament provide a means of praying honestly and brutally to God demanding that he responds. Regardless of specific circumstances, the emotions expressed in the psalms are relevant to the emotions experienced by modern readers. They help them pray with equal bold frankness and relate to the movement in the psalms of lament towards a restored relationship with God.
Difficult Texts: John 11.44
Authors: Loades Ann
Published: August 2016

This is one of the most terrifying and problematic parts of just one Gospel; it has a life of its own in culture. We are faced with the question of what place it may have within a Christian tradition and liturgical expression that has lost the sense of how the ‘raising of Lazarus’ might be read and praised as a text even in circumstances that seem too terrible to contemplate.
The Fisk channels and the De Soto crossing (A.D. 1541): A clarification
Authors: McNutt Charles
Published: August 2016

Students of the Hernando De Soto expedition are in general agreement that he crossed the Mississippi River at Quizquiz on June 18, 1541. There has been considerable debate about the location of Quizquiz, but not a great deal about the location of the Mississippi River when De Soto crossed it. Following the conclusion of Phillips in the Phillips, Ford, and Griffin volume it was generally assumed that Fisk’s River Stage 15 approximated the location of the river in 1541. This conclusion is questioned and more appropriate channel correlations are suggested.
Hoofprint of Empire: An Environmental History of Fodder in Mughal India (1650–1850)
Authors: Arha Abhimanyu Singh
Published: August 2016

The Mughal Empire did not feed itself only on its agrarian surpluses. While extraction from its vast agrarian hinterland was a crucial source of revenue, realizing those surpluses was critically dependent on the Mughal horse-borne cavalry, which comprised its main fighting arm and was a defining feature of its military strength. However, supporting this equine-based resource depended on enabling a constant and voluminous supply of fodder. The Mughal Empire, in other words, sought to sustain an ecological hoofprint, so to speak, that involved the cultivation and systematic transport of a range of nutritious grasses.
Caregiver characteristics and bereavement needs: Findings from a population study
Authors: DiGiacomo Michelle , Hatano Yutaka , Phillips Jane , Lewis Joanne , Abernethy Amy P , Currow David C
Published: August 2016

Background:

Globally, most care for people with life-limiting illnesses is provided by informal caregivers. Identifying characteristics of caregivers that may have unmet needs and negative outcomes can help provide better support to facilitate adjustment.

Aim:

We compared characteristics, expressed unmet needs and outcomes for spousal caregivers, with other caregivers at the end of life, by gender and age.

Design:

The South Australian Health Omnibus is an annual, random, face-to-face, cross-sectional survey wherein respondents are asked about end-of-life care.

Setting/participants:

Participants were aged over 15 years, resided in households in South Australia and had someone close to them die from a terminal illness in the last 5 years.

Results:

Of the 1540 respondents who provided hands-on care for someone close at the end of life, 155 were widows/widowers. Bereaved spousal caregivers were more likely to be older, female, better educated, have lower incomes, less full-time work, English as second language, sought help with grief and provided more day-to-day care for longer periods. Spousal caregivers were less likely to be willing to take on caregiving again, less able to ‘move on’ with life and needed greater emotional support and information about illness and services. The only difference between widows and widowers was older age of spouse in women. Younger spousal caregivers perceived greater unmet emotional needs and were significantly less likely to be able to ‘move on’.

Conclusion:

Spousal caregivers are different from other caregivers, with more intense needs that are not fully met. These have implications for bereavement, health and social services.
Science, states, and salmon: Communicating through disagreement over a Cold War fault line
Authors: Ferguson-Cradler Gregory
Published: August 2016

How are scientific communication and knowledge-production possible even in a politicized atmosphere pervaded by distrust and animosity? This essay takes the Soviet–Japanese Fisheries Convention of the Northwest Pacific Ocean of 1956 as a case study to consider the nature and characteristics of scientific disputes in highly politically-charged contexts outside frameworks of nation-states or international bodies. It shows that disagreements in this atmosphere were both scientific and political. What counted as evidence, reliable data, responsible resource management, and risk were contingent and deeply conditioned by geopolitics, political economies, and epistemological traditions. No purely scientific solution to the debate was possible. Methods to enable fruitful dialogue despite disagreement had to be both social and epistemic. Mathematical models of population dynamics proved particularly useful in this regard.
Arthroscopic Bankart Repair Versus Open Bristow-Latarjet for Shoulder Instability
Authors: Blonna Davide , Bellato Enrico , Caranzano Francesco , Assom Marco , Rossi Roberto , Castoldi Filippo
Published: August 2016

Background:

The arthroscopic Bankart repair and open Bristow-Latarjet procedure are the 2 most commonly used techniques to treat recurrent shoulder instability.

Purpose:

To compare in a case control–matched manner the 2 techniques, with particular emphasis on return to sport after surgery.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A study was conducted in 2 hospitals matching 60 patients with posttraumatic recurrent anterior shoulder instability with a minimum follow-up of 2 years (30 patients treated with arthroscopic Bankart procedure and 30 treated with open Bristow-Latarjet procedure). Patients with severe glenoid bone loss and revision surgeries were excluded. In one hospital, patients were treated with arthroscopic Bankart repair using anchors; in the other, patients underwent the Bristow-Latarjet procedure. Patients were matched according to age at surgery, type and level of sport practiced before shoulder instability (Degree of Shoulder Involvement in Sports [DOSIS] scale), and number of dislocations. The primary outcomes were return to sport (Subjective Patient Outcome for Return to Sports [SPORTS] score), rate of recurrent instability, Oxford Shoulder Instability Score (OSIS), Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV), Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI), and range of motion (ROM).

Results:

After a mean follow-up of 5.3 years (range, 2-9 years), patients who underwent arthroscopic Bankart repair obtained better results in terms of return to sport (SPORTS score: 8 vs 6; P = .02) and ROM in the throwing position (86° vs 79°; P = .01), and they reported better subjective perception of the shoulder (SSV: 86% vs 75%; P = .02). No differences were detectable using the OSIS or WOSI. The rate of recurrent instability was not statistically different between the 2 groups (Bankart repair 10% vs Bristow-Latarjet 0%; P = .25), although the study may have been underpowered to detect a clinically important difference in this parameter. The multiple regression analysis showed that the independent variables associated with return to sport were preoperative DOSIS scale, type of surgery, and recurrent dislocations after surgery. Patients who played sports with high upper extremity involvement (eg, swimming, rugby, martial arts) at a competitive level (DOSIS scale 9 or 10) had a lower level of return to sport with both repair techniques.

Conclusion:

Arthroscopic stabilization using anchors provided better return to sport and subjective perception of the shoulder compared with the open Bristow-Latarjet procedure in the population studied. Recurrence may be higher in the arthroscopic Bankart group; further study is needed on this point.
Labour as a Commons: The Example of Worker-Recuperated Companies
Authors: Azzellini Dario
Published: August 2016

This article argues that labour can be understood as a commons, located in the discussion of how commons can advance the transformation of social relations and society. To manage labour as a commons entails a shift away from the perception of labour power as the object of capital’s value practices, towards a notion of labour power as a collectively and sustainably managed resource for the benefit of society. Given that social change is largely a result of social struggle, it is crucial to examine germinal forms of labour as a commons present in society. I focus my analysis on worker-recuperated companies in Latin America and Europe. Worker-recuperated companies are enterprises self-managed by their workers after the owners close them down. Despite operating within the hegemonic capitalist market, they do not adopt capitalist rationality and are proven viable. Worker-recuperated companies offer a new perspective on labour as a commons.
Secondary Antisemitism, the Economic Crisis and the Construction of National Identity in the Austrian Print Media
Authors: Stoegner Karin
Published: August 2016

This paper deals with the question of antisemitism in relation to the construction of national identity in late capitalist and post-Nazi societies. Its argument centres on the concept of ‘secondary antisemitism’, as developed within the Critical Theory tradition. Thus, I will elaborate on the complex relationships between post-Nazi antisemitism, the culture industry and the radical destruction of memory in late capitalist societies. The aim is to show the contemporary relevance of secondary antisemitism beyond the immediate context of the task of remembering the Nazi past. In the second section of this paper I will illustrate this by an analysis of examples from print media debates in Austria on the recent financial crisis and show that instances of secondary antisemitism are utilized for the discursive construction of an exclusive national(ist) unity.
Neolithic to Bronze Age (4850–3450 cal. BP) fire management of the Alpine Lower Engadine landscape (Switzerland) to establish pastures and cereal fields
Authors: Dietre Benjamin , Walser Christoph , Kofler Werner , Kothieringer Katja , Hajdas Irka , Lambers Karsten , Reitmaier Thomas , Haas Jean Nicolas
Published: August 2016

Agro-pastoral activities in the past act as environmental legacy and have shaped the current cultural landscape in the European Alps. This study reports about prehistoric fire incidents and their impact on the flora and vegetation near the village of Ardez in the Lower Engadine Valley (Switzerland) since the Late Neolithic Period. Pollen, charcoal particles and non-pollen palynomorphs preserved in the Saglias and Cutüra peat bog stratigraphies were quantified and the results compared with the regional archaeological evidence. Anthropogenic deforestation using fire started around 4850 cal. BP at Saglias and aimed at establishing first cultivated crop fields (e.g. cereals) and small pastoral areas as implied by the positive correlation coefficients between charcoal particles and cultural and pastoral pollen indicators, as well as spores of coprophilous fungi. Pressure on the natural environment by humans and livestock continued until 3650 cal. BP and was followed by reforestation processes until 3400 cal. BP because of climatic deterioration. Thereafter, a new, continuous cultivation/pastoral phase was recorded for the Middle to Late Bronze Age (3400–2800 cal. BP). After rather minor human impact during the Iron Age and Roman Period, intensive agriculture was recorded for the Medieval Period. The area around Ardez was used for crop cultivation from about 1000 cal. BP until the start of the ‘Little Ice Age’ (600 cal. BP). Despite a land-use reorganisation, the following gradual decrease in agricultural activities led to the extant mixture of a cultivated, grazed and forested landscape in the Lower Engadine. In addition, this study demonstrates the excellent value of the fungus Gelasinospora as a highly local marker of past and today’s fire incidents, as well as of the use of micro-charcoals from pollen slides and macro-charcoals (>150 µm) from pollen sample residues for the reconstruction of short- and long-term fire histories.
Integrity of Amygdala Subregion-Based Functional Networks and Emotional Lability in Drug-Naïve Boys With ADHD
Authors: Yu Xiaoyan , Liu Lu , Chen Wai , Cao Qingjiu , Zepf Florian Daniel , Ji Gongjun , Wu Zhaomin , An Li , Wang Peng , Qian Qiujin , Zang Yufeng , Sun Li , Wang Yufeng
Published: August 2016

Objective: This study evaluated the functional networks of amygdala subregions (basolateral [BLA], centromedial [CMA], and superficial amygdala [SFA]) in ADHD and their association with emotional lability (EL) symptoms. Method: Resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of amygdala subregions and their correlations with EL scores were evaluated in 35 drug-naïve boys with ADHD and 30 age-matched healthy controls (HC). Results: Compared with HC, altered RSFC were detected differently for each amygdala subregion in ADHD: altered RSFC of BLA with the thalamus and vermis; aberrant RSFC of CMA with the superior temporal gyrus/pole and insula, precuneus and cerebellum; reduced RSFC of SFA with dorsal frontoparietal cortices. Within ADHD, higher EL scores were associated with reduced negative RSFC of SFA with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and inferior parietal lobe. Conclusion: Diffuse alterations of amygdala subregion-based networks are associated with ADHD, and the weaker SFA–frontoparietal networks might be involved in the hypothesized top–down effortful regulation of emotion.
The impact of drugs for multiple sclerosis on sleep
Authors: Lanza Giuseppe , Ferri Raffaele , Bella Rita , Ferini-Strambi Luigi
Published: August 2016

Although there is a growing literature on the presence of sleep disorders in multiple sclerosis (MS), few studies have specifically addressed the impact of drugs on sleep of these patients. Moreover, even when sleep is considered, quantitative assessment by standardized questionnaires or polysomnography is lacking. The studies that have been done highlight that interferon-beta and some symptomatic medications may affect sleep, thus contributing to fatigue, depression, and poor quality of life; conversely, natalizumab and cannabinoids may improve sleep. Common limitations of the literature reviewed here are small sample size, selection bias, and often a lack of objective outcome measures. Clinicians need to remember to ask about sleep in all MS patients and intervene when appropriate. A systematic approach that takes sleep into account is recommended to enhance recognition and appropriate management of sleep disruption, including disorders related to medication. Consideration of the impact on sleep should also be part of the design of trials of new therapies.
Electronic data capture on athletes’ pre-participation health and in-competition injury and illness at major sports championships: An extended usability study in Athletics
Authors: Karlsson David , Timpka Toomas , Jacobsson Jenny , Alonso Juan-Manuel , Kowalski Jan , Nilsson Sverker , Depiesse Frédéric , Branco Pedro , Edouard Pascal
Published: August 2016

This study set out to identify factors critical for the usability of electronic data collection in association with championships in individual sports. A qualitative analysis of electronic data collection system usability for collection of data on pre-participation health from athletes and in-competition injury and illness from team physicians was performed during the 2013 European Athletics Indoor Championships. A total of 15 athletes and team physicians participated. Athletes were found to experience few problems interacting with the electronic data collection system, but reported concerns about having to reflect on injury and illness before competitions and the medical terminology used. Team physicians encountered problems when first navigating through the module for clinical reporting, but they were not subjected to motivational problems. We conclude that athletes’ motivation to self-report health data and the design of the human–computer interface for team physicians are key issues for the usability of electronic data collection systems in association with championships in individual sports.
The story of ‘Oh’, Part 2: Animating transcript
Authors: Macbeth Douglas , Wong Jean
Published: August 2016

In conversation analysis (CA), through Sacks, Schegloff, Jefferson, and others, the conceptual architecture is joined at the hip to a technical architecture of transcripts, sequence, and turn productions. That the conceptual was to be found and demonstrated in the material detail of temporal productions was central to CA’s extraordinary innovations. As with CA, an Epistemic CA has the task of giving evidence of its conceptual order in actual materials, and thus animating the materials to show them. The task and relationship are emblematically reflexive: we shall find the expression ‘Oh’ indexing ‘changes of state’ or ‘inapposite inquiries’, for example, as of the account-able animations of turns and sequences of turns. Our shared attachments to sequential analysis deliver the expectation that we shall see how Epistemic order is achieved on actual occasions, through actual materials, rendered as transcript. The discussion turns to how the Epistemic Program (EP) engages and acquits this analytic expectation.
A new medium for boriding of Ti6Al4V alloy for biomedical applications
Authors: Kaplan Yavuz , Cetin Can Ahmet , Ulukoy Arzum
Published: August 2016

This study presents a low-cost and environmentally friendly medium for the pack boriding (boronizing) of a Ti6Al4V alloy. Titanium and its alloys are known to be highly reactive and to have extreme oxygen affinity. Therefore, boriding is performed under vacuum or in protective atmospheric conditions. This work evaluated the pack boriding heat treatments of a Ti6Al4V alloy under atmospheric conditions via the various boriding media used by previous researchers. In addition, a new pack boriding medium was developed by adding aluminum. Consequently, this study demonstrated that it is possible to obtain an undamaged titanium surface by applying solid-state boriding under atmospheric conditions.
A matter of conflict: How events and parties shape the news coverage of EU affairs
Authors: Guinaudeau Isabelle , Palau Anna M
Published: August 2016

This article argues that external factors of EU coverage in the media need to be reassessed against domestic factors, in particular how parties modulate media attention to EU affairs. We explain which parties may set the EU on the media agenda, and how parties interact with events depending on the level of conflict over EU issues. Drawing on the first long-term analysis of partisan agenda-setting of EU affairs in the media – based on ARIMA time-series models of monthly data collected for six newspapers from 1990 to 2015 – we determine the scale of partisan agenda-setting and find partial support for our model. Political parties do not face the intrusion of EU issues, but some of them are actively involved in this process.
Impingement characteristics of an early injection gasoline direct injection engine: A numerical study
Authors: Beavis Nicholas J , Ibrahim Salah S , Malalasekera Weeratunge
Published: August 2016

This article describes the use of a Lagrangian discrete droplet model to evaluate the liquid fuel impingement characteristics on the internal surfaces of an early injection gasoline direct injection engine. This study focuses on fuel impingement on the intake valve and cylinder liner between start of injection and 20° after start of injection using both a single- and a multi-component fuels. The single-component fuel used was iso-octane and the multi-component fuel contained fractions of iso-pentane, iso-octane and n-decane to represent the light, medium and heavy fuel fractions of gasoline, respectively. A detailed description of the impingement and liquid film modelling approach is also provided. Fuel properties, wall surface temperature and droplet Weber number and Laplace number were used to quantify the impingement regime for different fuel fractions and correlated well with the predicted onset of liquid film formation. Evidence of film stripping was seen from the liquid film formed on the side of the intake valve head with subsequent ejected droplets being a likely source of unburned hydrocarbons and particulate matter emissions. Differences in impingement location and subsequent location of liquid film formation were also observed between single- and multi-component fuels. A qualitative comparison with experimental cylinder liner impingement data showed the model to well predict the timing and positioning of the liner fuel impingement.
Retentive Cup Arthroplasty in Selected Hip Fracture Patients—A Prospective Series With a Minimum 3-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Yassin Mustafa , Garti Avraham , Khatib Muhammad , Weisbrot Moshe , Robinson Dror
Published: August 2016

Objective:

To evaluate the efficacy of the use of retentive cup primary total hip replacement (THR) in high-dislocation risk subcapital fracture patients.

Methods:

During the years 2008 to 2012, 354 patients with displaced subcapital fracture were operated at our institute. The patients were selected to undergo primary constrained THR according to the following criteria: (1) a preinjury grade 4 or more on the Functional Independence Measure mobility item “5. Locomotion: walking/wheelchair” and grade 4 is defined as “4. Minimal assistance Requiring incidental hands-on help only” (patient performs >75% of the task) and (2) a disease leading to poor motor control. Exclusion criteria were normal muscular control and known infection of the involved joint.

Results:

Of the 354 patients, 87 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and underwent constrained total hip. Average age was 78 years with a female predominance (73%). Fifteen patients had prior hemiparesis, 19 had Parkinson disease, and 35 had generalized sarcopenia. Eighty-five patients had an uneventful recovery, with an average Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) of 76 ± 7 at 2 years. In 2 patients, the prostheses dislocated. In both cases, the dislocation was due to ring displacement and the inner head dislocated. One case was infected and the patient was treated by a Girdlestone procedure. In the other case, the prosthetic head was revised. The patient remained asymptomatic and at 4-year follow-up had an HOOS of 85.

Discussion:

It appears that constrained prosthesis is a suitable treatment for patients with poor muscular control having subcapital fractures. The functional results appear to be superior to those of bipolar arthroplasty and similar to the results of primary total hip arthroplasty while the dislocation risk is <3%.

Conclusion:

Semielective total hip arthroplasty using a retentive cup liner appears to offer good functional results with a low dislocation rate in patients with poor muscular control.