bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Myotonic Plot Thickens: Electrical Myotonia in Antimuscle-Specific Kinase Myasthenia Gravis
Authors: Magnussen Marcus , Karakis Ioannis , Harrison Taylor B.
Published: December 2015

Electrical myotonia is known to occur in a number of inherited and acquired disorders including myotonic dystrophies, channelopathies, and metabolic, toxic, and inflammatory myopathies. Yet, electrical myotonia in myasthenia gravis associated with antibodies against muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) has not been previously reported. We describe two such patients, both of whom had a typical presentation of proximal muscle weakness with respiratory failure in the context of a significant electrodecrement in repetitive nerve stimulation. In both cases, concentric needle examination revealed electrical myotonia combined with myopathic motor unit morphology and early recruitment. These findings suggest that MuSK myasthenia should be included within the differential diagnosis of disorders with electrical myotonia.
Polynomial Chaos Expansion Approach to Interest Rate Models
Authors: Di Persio Luca , Pellegrini Gregorio , Bonollo Michele
Published: December 2015

The Polynomial Chaos Expansion (PCE) technique allows us to recover a finite second-order random variable exploiting suitable linear combinations of orthogonal polynomials which are functions of a given stochastic quantityξ, hence acting as a kind of random basis. The PCE methodology has been developed as a mathematically rigorous Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) method which aims at providing reliable numerical estimates for some uncertain physical quantities defining the dynamic of certain engineering models and their related simulations. In the present paper, we use the PCE approach in order to analyze some equity and interest rate models. In particular, we take into consideration those models which are based on, for example, the Geometric Brownian Motion, the Vasicek model, and the CIR model. We present theoretical as well as related concrete numerical approximation results considering, without loss of generality, the one-dimensional case. We also provide both an efficiency study and an accuracy study of our approach by comparing its outputs with the ones obtained adopting the Monte Carlo approach, both in its standard and its enhanced version.
Experimental Study to Determine the Failure Criteria of Concrete at Its Early-Age
Authors: Ding Hongyan , Zhang Lei , Zhang Puyang
Published: December 2015

The failure criteria and the constitutive relation of materials for an early-age concrete are the most common reasons to conduct the nonlinear analysis and to assess the concrete structures during the construction stage. The delay of theoretical advancement in this field resulted into a mismatch between the rough theories and the advanced algorithms, which were adopted for the estimation and analysis of early-age concrete structures. It is often impossible to find an appropriate way to determine the failure criteria and its constitutive relation that may serve as a baseline. As a consequence, the development and the application of advanced techniques of construction, for example, early dismantling construction technique of formwork, have severely been restrained. Therefore, the study of the failure criteria and its constitutive relation of concrete materials at early-age are important. In this paper, the cubic compressive strength, the prismatic compressive strength, and the axial tensile strength are determined by carrying out a strength test on C20 concrete material at an early-age. Next, the failure criteria of C20 early-age concrete material in the octahedral stress space have been studied and analyzed by using the regression analysis and by deriving the mathematical relation.
Modeling and Electromagnetic Analysis of Multilayer Through Silicon Via Interconnect for 3D Integration
Authors: Yan Zhaowen , Kang Ting , Zhang Wei , Wang Jianwei
Published: December 2015

Convergence of multiple functions in a single device is the main thought behind the development of the current electronic trends. So, the requirement for higher integration in electronic devices has become more important in present days than in the past. Through silicon via (TSV) is the latest interconnect technology proposed mainly for higher integration and higher frequency. Therefore, cross talk will be an essential issue that needs to be taken into consideration. In this paper, we study the electrical property of a GSSG (S-Signal, G-Ground) TSV structure and propose the accurate lumped model which can be used to predict the TSV performance. Since more dies are used within one chip, the single layer TSV cannot satisfy the requirement. Hence, we propose the multilayer TSV structure and study how the bump radius, bump height, and underfill material affect the TSV transmission performance and coupling issue, so that we can conduct a good TSV design. Furthermore, three multilayer 4 × 4 TSV array models are proposed with different GS distribution to analyze the detailed coupling results.
Antibody-Based Assays for Phenotyping of Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Pugholm Lotte Hatting , Revenfeld Anne Louise Schacht , Søndergaard Evo Kristina Lindersson , Jørgensen Malene Møller
Published: December 2015

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous population of membrane-enclosed vesicles. EVs are recognized as important players in cell-to-cell communication and are described to be involved in numerous biological and pathological processes. The fact that EVs are involved in the development and progression of several diseases has formed the basis for the use of EV analysis in a clinical setting. As the interest in EVs has increased immensely, multiple techniques have been developed aiming at characterizing these vesicles. These techniques characterize different features of EVs, like the size distribution, enumeration, protein composition, and the intravesicular cargo (e.g., RNA). This review focuses on techniques that exploit the specificity and sensitivity associated with antibody-based assays to characterize the protein phenotype of EVs. The protein phenotype of EVs can provide information on the functionality of the vesicles and may be used for identification of disease-related biomarkers. Thus, protein profiling of EVs holds great diagnostic and prognostic potential.
Thyroid Function, Prevalent Coronary Heart Disease, and Severity of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography
Authors: Ling Yan , Jiang Jingjing , Gui Minghui , Liu Lin , Aleteng Qiqige , Wu Bingjie , Wang Shanshan , Liu Xiaojing , Gao Xin
Published: December 2015

This study investigated if free T4and TSH concentrations or thyroid function categories were associated with prevalent CHD and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis in a population undergoing coronary angiography. This was a cross-sectional study including 1799 patients who were consecutively admitted and underwent coronary angiography. We evaluated the severity of coronary atherosclerosis using Gensini score. In the entire study population, free T4level was inversely associated with prevalent CHD (OR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.91–0.99,P=0.01) and the natural log-transformed Gensini score (ln(Gensini score)) (β= −0.03, 95% CI −0.05–−0.01,P=0.005). The odds of CHD increased gradually across hyperthyroidism, subclinical hypothyroidism, and overt hypothyroidism groups using the euthyroid group as the reference, and the trend is borderline significant (Pfor trend = 0.051). When comparing to the euthyroid group, ln(Gensini score) of the overt hypothyroidism group was significantly higher (P=0.009), but the trend was not significant (Pfor trend = 0.08). A significant association of thyroid function with CHD or ln(Gensini score) in euthyroid patients was not observed. The present study demonstrated an association of thyroid function with prevalent CHD and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis in a population undergoing coronary angiography. However, this association was not observed in euthyroid individuals.
Hsp90 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Khajapeer Kalubai Vari , Baskaran Rajasekaran
Published: December 2015

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a hematological malignancy that arises due to reciprocal translocation of 3′ sequences from c-Abelson (ABL) protooncogene of chromosome 9 with 5′ sequence of truncated break point cluster region (BCR) on chromosome 22. BCR-ABL is a functional oncoprotein p210 that exhibits constitutively activated tyrosine kinase causing genomic alteration of hematopoietic stem cells. BCR-ABL specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) successfully block CML progression. However, drug resistance owing to BCR-ABL mutations and overexpression is still an issue. Heat-shock proteins (Hsps) function as molecular chaperones facilitating proper folding of nascent polypeptides. Their increased expression under stressful conditions protects cells by stabilizing unfolded or misfolded peptides. Hsp90 is the major mammalian protein and is required by BCR-ABL for stabilization and maturation. Hsp90 inhibitors destabilize the binding of BCR-ABL protein thus leading to the formation of heteroprotein complex that is eventually degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Results of many novel Hsp90 inhibitors that have entered into various clinical trials are encouraging. The present review targets the current development in the CML treatment by availing Hsp90 specific inhibitors.
Agatha: Predicting Daily Activities from Place Visit History for Activity-Aware Mobile Services in Smart Cities
Authors: Kim Byoungjip , Kang Seungwoo , Ha Jin-Young , Song Junehwa
Published: December 2015

We present a place-history-based activity prediction system called Agatha, in order to enable activity-aware mobile services in smart cities. The system predicts a user's potential subsequent activities that are highly likely to occur given a series of information about activities done before or activity-related contextual information such as visit place and time. To predict the activities, we develop a causality-based activity prediction model using Bayesian networks. The basic idea of the prediction is that where a person has been and what he/she has done so far influence what he/she will do next. To show the feasibility, we evaluate the prediction model using the American Time-Use Survey (ATUS) dataset, which includes more than 10,000 people's location and activity history. Our evaluation shows that Agatha can predict users’ potential activities with up to 90% accuracy for the top 3 activities, more than 80% for the top 2 activities, and about 65% for the top 1 activity while considering a relatively large number of daily activities defined in the ATUS dataset, that is, 17 activities.
Identification of a Potential Target of Capsaicin by Computational Target Fishing
Authors: Ye Xuan-yi , Ling Qing-zhi , Chen Shao-jun
Published: December 2015

Capsaicin, the component responsible for the pungency of chili peppers, shows beneficial effects in many diseases, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, the potential targets of capsaicin were predicted using PharmMapper and confirmed via chemical-protein interactome (CPI) and molecular docking. Carbonic anhydrase 2 was identified as the main disease-related target, with the pharmacophore model matching well with the molecular features of capsaicin. The relation was confirmed by CPI and molecular docking and supported by previous research showing that capsaicin is a potent inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes. The present study provides a basis for understanding the mechanisms of action of capsaicin or those of other natural compounds.
Stromal Fibroblasts Induce CCL20 through IL6/C/EBPβ to Support the Recruitment of Th17 Cells during Cervical Cancer Progression
Authors: Walch-Rückheim Barbara , Mavrova Russalina , Henning Melanie , Vicinus Benjamin , Kim Yoo-Jin , Bohle Rainer Maria , Juhasz-Böss Ingolf , Solomayer Erich-Franz , Smola Sigrun
Published: December 2015

Cervical cancer is a consequence of persistent infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV). Progression to malignancy is linked to an inflammatory microenvironment comprising T-helper-17 (Th17) cells, a T-cell subset with protumorigenic properties. Neoplastic cells express only low endogenous levels of the Th17 chemoattractant CCL20, and therefore, it is unclear how Th17 cells are recruited to the cervical cancer tissue. In this study, we demonstrate that CCL20 was predominantly expressed in the stroma of cervical squamous cell carcinomas in situ. This correlated with stromal infiltration of CD4+/IL17+ cells and with advancing International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage. Furthermore, we show that cervical cancer cells instructed primary cervical fibroblasts to produce high levels of CCL20 and to attract CD4/IL17/CCR6-positive cells, generated in vitro, in a CCL20/CCR6-dependent manner. Further mechanistic investigations identified cervical cancer cell–derived IL6 as an important mediator of paracrine CCL20 induction at the promoter, mRNA, and protein level in fibroblasts. CCL20 was upregulated through the recently described CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) pathway as shown with a dominant-negative version of C/EBPβ and through siRNA-mediated knockdown. In summary, our study defines a novel molecular mechanism by which cervical neoplastic cells shape their local microenvironment by instructing fibroblasts to support Th17 cell infiltration in a paracrine IL6/C/EBPβ-dependent manner. Th17 cells may in turn maintain chronic inflammation within high-grade cervical lesions to further promote cancer progression. Cancer Res; 75(24); 5248–59. ©2015 AACR.
The Landscape of Prognostic Outlier Genes in High-Risk Prostate Cancer
Authors: Zhao Shuang G. , Evans Joseph R. , Kothari Vishal , Sun Grace , Larm Ashley , Mondine Victor , Schaeffer Edward M. , Ross Ashley E. , Klein Eric A. , Den Robert B. , Dicker Adam P. , Karnes R. Jeffrey , Erho Nicholas , Nguyen Paul L. , Davicioni Elai , Feng Felix Y.
Published: December 2015

Purpose: There is a clear need to improve risk stratification and to identify novel therapeutic targets in aggressive prostate cancer. The goal of this study was to investigate genes with outlier expression with prognostic association in high-risk prostate cancer patients as potential biomarkers and drug targets.

Experimental Design: We interrogated microarray gene expression data from prostatectomy samples from 545 high-risk prostate cancer patients with long-term follow-up (mean 13.4 years). Three independent clinical datasets totaling an additional 545 patients were used for validation. Novel prognostic outlier genes were interrogated for impact on oncogenic phenotypes in vitro using siRNA-based knockdown. Association with clinical outcomes and comparison with existing prognostic instruments was assessed with multivariable models using a prognostic outlier score.

Results: Analysis of the discovery cohort identified 20 prognostic outlier genes. Three top prognostic outlier genes were novel prostate cancer genes; NVL, SMC4, or SQLE knockdown reduced migration and/or invasion and outlier expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis. Increased prognostic outlier score was significantly associated with poor prognosis independent of standard clinicopathologic variables. Finally, the prognostic outlier score prognostic association is independent of, and adds to existing genomic and clinical tools for prognostication in prostate cancer (Decipher, the cell-cycle progression signature, and CAPRA-S).

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study represents the first unbiased high-throughput investigation of prognostic outlier genes in prostate cancer and demonstrates the potential biomarker and therapeutic importance of this previously unstudied class of cancer genes. Clin Cancer Res; 22(7); 1777–86. ©2015 AACR.
Identification of a Novel Pathogenic Germline KDR Variant in Melanoma
Authors: Silva Ines P. , Salhi Amel , Giles Keith M. , Vogelsang Matjaz , Han Sung W. , Ismaili Naima , Lui Kevin P. , Robinson Eric M. , Wilson Melissa A. , Shapiro Richard L. , Pavlick Anna , Zhong Judy , Kirchhoff Tomas , Osman Iman
Published: December 2015

Purpose: The application of pan-cancer next-generation sequencing panels in the clinical setting has facilitated the identification of low frequency somatic mutations and the testing of new therapies in solid tumors using the "basket trial" scheme. However, little consideration has been given to the relevance of nonsynonymous germline variants, which are likely to be uncovered in tumors and germline and which may be relevant to prognostication and prediction of treatment response.

Experimental Design: We analyzed matched tumor and normal DNA from 34 melanoma patients using an Ion Torrent cancer-associated gene panel. We elected to study the germline variant Q472H in the kinase insert domain receptor (KDR), which was identified in 35% of melanoma patients in both a pilot and an independent 1,223 patient cohort. Using patient-derived melanoma cell lines and human samples, we assessed proliferation, invasion, VEGF levels, and angiogenesis by analyzing tumor microvessel density (MVD) using anti-CD34 antibody.

Results: Serum VEGF levels and tumor MVD were significantly higher in Q472H versus KDR wild-type (WD) patients. Primary cultures derived from melanomas harboring the KDR variant were more proliferative and invasive than KDR wild type. Finally, using a VEGFR2 antibody, we showed that KDR Q472H cells were sensitive to targeted inhibition of VEGFR2, an effect that was not observed in KDR WT cells.

Conclusions: Our data support the integration of germline analysis into personalized treatment decision-making and suggest that patients with germline KDR variant might benefit from antiangiogenesis treatment. Clin Cancer Res; 22(10); 2377–85. ©2015 AACR.
Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Induce a Collagen Cross-link Switch in Tumor Stroma
Authors: Pankova Daniela , Chen Yulong , Terajima Masahiko , Schliekelman Mark J. , Baird Brandi N. , Fahrenholtz Monica , Sun Li , Gill Bartley J. , Vadakkan Tegy J. , Kim Min P. , Ahn Young-Ho , Roybal Jonathon D. , Liu Xin , Parra Cuentas Edwin Roger , Rodriguez Jaime , Wistuba Ignacio I. , Creighton Chad J. , Gibbons Don L. , Hicks John M. , Dickinson Mary E. , West Jennifer L. , Grande-Allen K. Jane , Hanash Samir M. , Yamauchi Mitsuo , Kurie Jonathan M.
Published: December 2015

Intratumoral collagen cross-links heighten stromal stiffness and stimulate tumor cell invasion, but it is unclear how collagen cross-linking is regulated in epithelial tumors. To address this question, we used KrasLA1 mice, which develop lung adenocarcinomas from somatic activation of a KrasG12D allele. The lung tumors in KrasLA1 mice were highly fibrotic and contained cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) that produced collagen and generated stiffness in collagen gels. In xenograft tumors generated by injection of wild-type mice with lung adenocarcinoma cells alone or in combination with CAFs, the total concentration of collagen cross-links was the same in tumors generated with or without CAFs, but coinjected tumors had higher hydroxylysine aldehyde–derived collagen cross-links (HLCC) and lower lysine-aldehyde–derived collagen cross-links (LCCs). Therefore, we postulated that an LCC-to-HLCC switch induced by CAFs promotes the migratory and invasive properties of lung adenocarcinoma cells. To test this hypothesis, we created coculture models in which CAFs are positioned interstitially or peripherally in tumor cell aggregates, mimicking distinct spatial orientations of CAFs in human lung cancer. In both contexts, CAFs enhanced the invasive properties of tumor cells in three-dimensional (3D) collagen gels. Tumor cell aggregates that attached to CAF networks on a Matrigel surface dissociated and migrated on the networks. Lysyl hydroxylase 2 (PLOD2/LH2), which drives HLCC formation, was expressed in CAFs, and LH2 depletion abrogated the ability of CAFs to promote tumor cell invasion and migration.

Implications: CAFs induce a collagen cross-link switch in tumor stroma to influence the invasive properties of tumor cells. Mol Cancer Res; 14(3); 287–95. ©2015 AACR.
Genetic Deletion of the Stromal Cell Marker CD248 (Endosialin) Protects against the Development of Renal Fibrosis
Authors: Smith Stuart William , Croft Adam Paul , Morris Hannah Louise , Naylor Amy Jane , Huso David Leonard , Isacke Clare Marie , Savage Caroline Olivia Susan , Buckley Christopher Dominic
Published: December 2015

Background: Tissue fibrosis and microvascular rarefaction are hallmarks of progressive renal disease. CD248 is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed by key effector cells within the stroma of fibrotic kidneys including pericytes, myofibroblasts and stromal fibroblasts. In human disease, increased expression of CD248 by stromal cells predicts progression to end-stage renal failure. We therefore, hypothesized that the genetic deletion of the CD248 gene would protect against fibrosis following kidney injury. Methods: Using the unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model of renal fibrosis, we investigated the effect of genetic deletion of CD248 on post obstructive kidney fibrosis. Results: CD248 null mice were protected from fibrosis and microvascular rarefaction following UUO. Although the precise mechanism is not known, this may to be due to a stabilizing effect of pericytes with less migration and differentiation of pericytes toward a myofibroblast phenotype in CD248-/- mice. CD248-/- fibroblasts also proliferated less and deposited less collagen in vitro. Conclusion: These studies suggest that CD248 stromal cells have a pathogenic role in renal fibrosis and that targeting CD248 is effective at inhibiting both microvascular rarefaction and renal fibrosis through modulation of pericyte and stromal cell function.
Die Effekte interozeptiver Expositionsübungen in der Kognitiven Verhaltenstherapie von Panikstörung mit Agoraphobie
Authors: Westphal Dorte , Gerlach Alexander L. , Lang Thomas , Wittchen Hans-Ulrich , Hamm Alfons O. , Ströhle Andreas , Fydrich Thomas , Kircher Tilo , Alpers Georg W. , Deckert Jürgen , Arolt Volker , Einsle Franziska
Published: December 2015

Hintergrund: In der Kognitiven Verhaltenstherapie (KVT) der Panikstörung mit Agoraphobie (PD/AG) werden häufig Körperübungen zur Symptomprovokation (interozeptive Exposition) eingesetzt, jedoch liegen kaum systematische, empirische Untersuchungen zu Wirkung und Wirkweise dieser Übungen vor. Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war die Charakterisierung individueller Reaktionen auf interozeptive Übungen sowie die mit der Wiederholung der Übungen verbundenen Veränderungen dieser Reaktionen. Patienten und Methoden: Selbstberichtdaten zu ausgelösten Körpersymptomen sowie Symptom- und Angststärken von 301 Patienten mit PD/AG, die verschiedene interozeptive Übungen durchführten, wurden ausgewertet. Die Durchführung der interozeptiven Exposition erfolgte im Rahmen einer manualisierten KVT des Psychotherapieverbundes «Panik-Netz». Ergebnisse: Interozeptive Exposition löste Körpersymptome und damit verbunden Angst aus. Am häufigsten wurden vestibuläre, respiratorische und kardiovaskuläre Symptome ausgelöst. Die stärkste Symptomausprägung verbunden mit der stärksten Angst erzeugten die Übungen «Drehen», «Hyperventilieren» und «Strohhalmatmung». Übungswiederholung bewirkte eine Reduktion der Symptom- und Angststärken, insbesondere die Übungen «Drehen», «Strohhalmatmung» und «Hyperventilieren». Diskussion und Schlussfolgerungen: Interozeptive Exposition ist gut geeignet zur Auslösung von Körpersymptomen und zur Reduktion der damit verbundenen Symptom- und Angststärke, insbesondere über die Übungen «Drehen», «Hyperventilieren» und «Strohhalmatmung». Zur größeren Angst- und Symptomstärkenreduktion empfiehlt sich eine hohe Wiederholungsrate. Die Relevanz respiratorischer, vestibulärer und kardiovaskulärer Symptome für den Behandlungserfolg sollte weiterführend untersucht werden.
Kritische Funktionalität - Darstellung des Konzeptes und der therapeutischen Implikationen in der kognitiven Verhaltenstherapie
Authors: Hammelstein Philipp
Published: December 2015

Vorgestellt wird das Konzept der kritischen Funktionalität, das aus der funktionalen Verhaltensanalyse abgeleitet wird. Es bildet ein Phänomen des klinischen Alltags ab, bei dem die Symptomatik trotz bewältigungsorientierter Interventionen nicht ausreichend reduziert werden kann, weil andere psychische Prozesse dies zu verhindern scheinen. Für das Konzept der kritischen Funktionalität werden Klaus Grawes Überlegungen einer «allgemeinen Psychotherapie» genutzt, um die Thesen zu spezifizieren und entsprechende Behandlungsimplikationen abzuleiten. Im Anschluss wird ein Vorgehen in vier Phasen zur therapeutischen Bearbeitung der kritischen Funktionalität vorgeschlagen.
Electrical Impedance and Expression of Tight Junction Components of the Nasal Turbinate and Polyp
Authors: Suzuki Hideaki , Koizumi Hiroki , Ikezaki Shoji , Tabata Takahisa , Ohkubo Jun-ichi , Kitamura Takuro , Hohchi Nobusuke
Published: December 2015

Purpose: We investigated the electrical impedance and expression of tight junction components of the turbinate mucosa, nasal polyp, and normal skin. Procedures: The inferior turbinate and nasal polyp of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and the postauricular skin of patients with otitis media were examined. Electrical impedance was measured in vivo using a tissue conductance meter. Expressions of claudin-1 and tricellulin were examined by fluorescence immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR. Results: Electrical impedance was higher in the skin than in the turbinate and polyp, but did not differ between the turbinate and polyp. Immunoreactivities for claudin-1 and tricellulin were seen in the epithelial/epidermal layer. Expression of claudin-1 was higher in the skin than in the turbinate and polyp. The polyp tended to show higher expression of claudin-1 but showed lower expression of tricellulin than the turbinate. The ratio of claudin-1 to tricellulin was highest in the skin and lowest in the turbinate. The correlation between expressions of the two tight junction components was strongly positive in the skin (r = 0.964) and negative (r = -0.527) in the turbinate and polyp. Conclusions: These results suggest that the roles of claudin-1 and tricellulin in barrier function may be complementary, and may thereby maintain a constant level of permeability of the mucosal tissues.
Effects of dabigatran on the cellular and protein phase of coagulation in patients with coronary artery disease on dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel
Authors: Franchi Francesco , Rollini Fabiana , Cho Jung Rae , King Rhodri , Phoenix Fladia , Bhatti Mona , DeGroat Christopher , Tello-Montoliu Antonio , Zenni Martin M. , Guzman Luis A. , Bass Theodore A. , Ajjan Ramzi A. , Angiolillo Dominick J.
Published: December 2015

There is growing interest in understanding the effects of adding an oral anticoagulant in patients on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and clopidogrel represent the most broadly utilised oral anticoagulant and P2Y12 receptor inhibitor, respectively. However, VKAs can interfere with clopidogrel metabolism via the cytochrome P450 (CYP) system which in turn may result in an increase in platelet reactivity. Dabigatran is a direct acting (anti-II) oral anticoagulant which does not interfere with CYP and has favourable safety and efficacy profiles compared with VKAs. The pharmacodynamic (PD) effects on platelet reactivity and clot kinetic of adjunctive dabigatran therapy in patients on DAPT are poorly explored. In this prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled PD study, patients (n=30) on maintenance DAPT with aspirin and clopidogrel were randomised to either dabigatran 150 mg bid or placebo for seven days. PD testing was performed before and after treatment using four different assays exploring multiple pathways of platelet aggregation and fibrin clot kinetics: light transmittance aggregometry (LTA), multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA), kaolin-activated thromboelastography (TEG) and turbidimetric assays. There were no differences in multiple measures of platelet reactivity investigating purinergic and non-purinergic signaling pathways assessed by LTA, MEA and TEG platelet mapping. Dabigatran significantly increased parameters related to thrombin activity and thrombus generation, and delayed fibrin clot formation, without affecting clot structure or fibrinolysis. In conclusion, in patients on DAPT with aspirin and clopidogrel, adjunctive dabigatran therapy is not associated with modulation of profiles of platelet reactivity as determined by several assays assessing multiple platelet signalling pathways. However, dabigatran significantly interferes with parameters related to thrombin activity and delays fibrin clot formation.
Engendering the Mercantile Lineage: The Rise of the Female Chastity Cult in Late Ming Huizhou
Authors: Guo Qitao
Published: December 2015

This article argues that one important underlying factor in the formation of the female chastity cult in sixteenth-century Huizhou was its small-family/large-lineage structure, which was brought about by rapid commercialization.  As the majority of Huizhou young men left home for business, often immediately after marriage, the age at which couples had their first child was relatively high.  This demographic trend combined with the moderate average life span made the small nuclear family the norm, even as the natural increase in population augmented the size of the kinship settlement.  Situated in single-couple nuclear households, wives of sojourning men tended to be relatively free from parental in-law monitoring of their sexuality. An effective way to assure the fidelity of these abandoned women was to appeal to the larger lineage.  Sojourning merchants eagerly worked with home elders to enhance mercantile lineage culture, including control over women’s sexuality.
“Let People See and Be Moved”: Stone Arches and the Chastity Cult in Huizhou during the High Qing Era
Authors: Wu Yulian
Published: December 2015

This article examines the chastity cult in China during the High Qing (c.1680–1830) era. It focuses on the physical characteristics and the cultural implications of chastity arches built in Huizhou (Anhui) during the eighteenth century. Using both written texts and evidence from extant arches, this article explores how these monumental objects served as a forum through which the ideology of female fidelity was constructed and perceived by different constituents including the Manchu court, wealthy Huizhou merchants, and resident commoners. These three groups had different attitudes toward the value of these chastity arches, and thus, this study reveals a dynamic and contradictory picture of how the chastity cult was contested and negotiated in the local community of Huizhou during the late imperial period.
Description of postembryonic developmental stages of Pseudodiaptomus koreanus Soh, Kwon, Lee & Yoon, 2012 (Copepoda, Calanoida, Pseudodiaptomidae)
Authors: Moon Seong Yong , Youn Seok-Hyun , Oh Hyun-Ju , Soh Ho Young , Choi Sang Duk , Yoon Ho Seop
Published: December 2015

The complete postembryonic development ofPseudodiaptomus koreanusSoh, Kwon, Lee & Yoon, 2012 (Copepoda, Calanoida) comprises six naupliar and six copepodid stages of which the last is the adult. The descriptions were based on laboratory-reared nauplii and copepodids and also on copepodids collected by plankton net, all sourced from the Seomjin River estuary in southern Korea. Nauplius and copepodid stages ofP. koreanusare very similar to those of the previously described species ofPseudodiaptomus. However, of all the characteristics, it is the shape and number of setae on the terminal segments of the antennules in the late naupliar stages, and the shape and somites of the body and the segmentation and number of setae of the exo- and endopods of the swimming legs from copepodid stages I to V, which are most useful in reconstructing relationships among the eightPseudodiaptomusspp. reared until now.
Integrating Advance Research Directives into the European Legal Framework
Authors: Andorno Roberto , Gennet Eloïse , Jongsma Karin , Elger Bernice
Published: December 2015

The possibility of using advance directives to prospectively consent to research participation in the event of dementia remains largely unexplored in Europe. Moreover, the legal status of advance directives for research is unclear in the European regulations governing biomedical research. The article explores the place that advance research directives have in the current European legal framework, and considers the possibility of integrating them more explicitly into the existing regulations. Special focus is placed on issues regarding informed consent, the role of proxies, and the level of acceptable risks and burdens.
Vincent Lambert, Dignity in Dying and the European Court: A Critical Evaluation and the Global Reflections
Authors: Kishore R.R.
Published: December 2015

In this article I analyse the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights in the Case of Lambert and Others v. France, delivered on 5 June 2015, affirming the Conseil d’État’s decision holding that the withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration from Vincent Lambert, a French national lying in tetraplegia and persistent vegetative state, was consistent with French domestic law and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. In order to make a comparative evaluation I give an account of judicial decisions across the world and find that the European Court’s decision is an affirmative pronouncement, in the prevailing milieu of judicial heterogeneity, as it recognizes a person’s right to die with dignity in the face of conflicting claims and arguments, by giving supremacy to a person’s autonomy and right of self-determination over the deep-rooted religious beliefs and undue paternalistic postures. I conclude that right to die with dignity is a profound area where judge-made law is not the answer. The situation calls for greater consensus and uniformity by evolving suitable legislative strategies.
The Biography of Vahshi Bāfqi (d. 991/1583) and the Tazkera Tradition
Authors: Beers Theodore S.
Published: December 2015

This paper focuses on Vahshi Bāfqi (d. 991/1583), especially on the sources for the study of his biography and works. The various editions of his collected poems are assessed. Next, all of the known early sources on Vahshi’s biography are presented, including a very important one that has not been published or cited before. Laying out all of these sources allows us to construct a more authoritative biography of the poet than has appeared to date. On a broader level, we learn that the careers and works of poets of Vahshi’s era are best understood in connection to one another. The tremendous growth of thetazkeragenre in the Safavid-Mughal period makes possible this kind of research, focused on interconnectivity and cosmopolitanism in literary culture. In fact, the sources not only permit such an approach; they demand it. The paper ends with a series of recommendations for future research on Vahshi, his contemporaries, and thetazkeras themselves.
In the Name of Hosayn’s Blood: The Memory of Karbala as Ideological Stimulus to the Safavid Revolution
Authors: Yildirim Riza
Published: December 2015

Over the past century, one of the most heavily debated topics within Safavid historiography has been the ideological sources of the Qezelbash zeal that carried the Safavid dynasty to the throne of Persia. By now, a near-consensus has been formed about Shah Esmaʿil’s personality as an incarnation of the Godhead armed with a messianic mission of salvation. This article partly challenges this long-entrenched conceptualization by calling attention to a heretofore overlooked mission that the shaykhs of the revolutionary period set for themselves. This was their desire to avenge the spilling of Hosayn’s blood, a mission which was nothing but a reincarnation of the topos ofsāheb al-khorūjor the “master of the uprising,” a heroic typology cultivated via a particular corpus of Karbala-oriented epic literature. Based on the idea that the religiosity of the Turkish-speaking milieu that constituted the Safavid movement’s grassroots was primarily shaped by this Karbala-oriented epic literature, this essay argues that Shaykh Jonayd, Shaykh Haydar, and especially Shah Esmāʿil successfully reformulated the Safavid Sufi program to address the codes of popular piety, which already existed, nurtured by Sufism and some Shiʿite elements, a particular mode of Islamic piety that I call “Shiʿite-inflected popular Sufism.”
Dark Matter
Authors: Höfler Stefan
Published: December 2015

The assumption of a root *√k̑u̯el ‘dark, black’ offers new possible etymologies for Arm. šaɫax, Gk. πηλός, Toch. B kwele, Hitt. kuu̯aliu-, Gk. κύλα, Lat. culex, and Lat. color, whose derivational background will be dealt with in the course of this paper.
“Till Eyes and Tears Be the Same Things”
Authors: Prawdzik Brendan
Published: December 2015

This article describes a Marvellian spirituality that remains generally continuous despite an evolving theological outlook. It contends that Marvell’s poetry dramatizes the persistence of Original Sin within vulnerable and impermanent green enclosures; thus, the subject must always return to an inexorable history and materiality in which spirituality is grounded. The article considers Marvell’s skepticism and unusual conception of eschatological time, these being informed by the Book of Ecclesiastes. For Marvell, meditation on history remains bound up not only with spirituality but also with sensory perception — in particular, with the optical and tactile senses of water. The article concludes with a comparative analysis, of Marvell’s “Eyes and Tears” and Richard Crashaw’s “The Weeper,” that redefines Marvell as a deliberately anti-metaphysical poet.
The aphrophorid spittlebugs of Iran (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea: Aphrophoridae)
Authors: MOZAFFARIAN FARIBA , WILSON MICHAEL R.
Published: December 2015

An annotated list of Aphrophoridae of Iran is provided, based on examination of specimens housed in the Hayk Mirzayans Insect Museum (Iran) and the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff (UK) and on previously published records. Ten species are now recorded from Iran. An identification key to the genera and species is provided, with illustrations and together with distributions. The subgenus Philaenus (Gyrurus) Tischechkin 2013 is recognized as a junior synonym of Mesoptyelus with Mesoptyelus iranicus (Tishechkin, 2013) as a new combination for Philaenus (Gyrurus) iranicus Tishechkin 2013. Paraphilaenus notatus (Mulsant & Rey, 1855) is recorded for the first time from Iran. Philaenus nebulosus Lethierry 1876 (currently Poophilus nebulosus (Lethierry, 1876)) is proposed to be a junior synonym of the widespread species Poophilus costalis (Walker, 1851).
Rukavisсhnikovia, a new replacement name for preoccupied Iliella Rukavishnikova, 1980 (Brachiopoda) non Tschernyshev, 1940 (Crustacea)
Authors: DOWELD ALEXANDER B.
Published: December 2015

The generic name Iliella was proposed by Rukavischnikova (Nikitin & al., 1980: 71; type species I. minima Rukavischnikova, by original designation) for a new fossil brachiopod genus from the Upper Ordovician (Katian: Chokparian horizon) of the north of Dulankara mountains (Southern Kazakhstan, Central Asia). However, this name is already preoccupied by a fossil branchiopod generic name Iliella Tschernyschev (1940: 12, 32), which is in current use (Crustacea: Branchiopoda: Ketmeniidae Novozhilov, 1957), described from the Lower Jurassic deposits of Ketmen’ mountains of Central Asia.
A new species of the genus Adapterops (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) from northern Madagascar, with a catalogue and key to species
Authors: TRÝZNA MILOŠ , BAŇAŘ Petr
Published: December 2015

A new species, Adapterops cedrici Trýzna & Baňař sp. nov. (Anthribidae: Choraginae: Araecerini), from northern Madagascar is described and illustrated. A key and catalogue of the genus Adapterops Frieser, 2010 is given.
Domorganus gigas sp. n. (Nematoda) from Lake Baikal, Russia
Authors: GAGARIN VLADIMIR G. , NAUMOVA TATYANA V.
Published: December 2015

The genus Domorganus Goodey, 1947 includes nine valid species found in marine, freshwater and terrestrial habitats in Europe and Asia (Holovachov 2012). One species, D. acutus (Tsalolikhin, 1977) Lorenzen, 1981, is found in Lake Baikal, inhabiting the littoral zone (3 m depth) (Gagarin & Naumova, 2011).
Poco a Poco
Authors: Scanlan Martin , Kim Minsong , Burns Mary Bridget , Vuilleumier Caroline
Published: December 2015

Purpose: Culturally and linguistically diverse students frequently do not receive equitable educational opportunities. Schools across public and private sectors that are striving to ameliorate this problem typically work in isolation, not collaboratively. This article examines how communities of practice emerge within a network of schools striving to effectively educate these students. Data Collection and Analysis: We employ qualitative case study methodology drawing data from relational network survey data, archival documents, interpersonal communications, and field notes. In cycles of coding, we analyze these data to identify the learning architecture that structures the communities of practice within this network. Findings: First, we found the emergent communities of practice were extemporaneous, tentative, and localized. Second, we found that applying the learning architecture shed light on the nature of the learning within these communities of practice. In this case, it revealed that the communities of practice (a) enjoyed relatively strong levels of participation but relatively ineffective reifications, (b) experienced a dynamic tension between local and global influences, and (c) allowed individuals to negotiate new identities in varied and complex manners. Conclusions: This study shows the messiness that unfolds as school leaders pursue organizational learning toward the end of improving educational opportunities for culturally and linguistically diverse students, and how the learning architecture framework can help school leaders make sense of and respond to this in a nuanced manner.
Distributive and Procedural Justice for Self and Others
Authors: Lucas Todd , Kamble Shanmukh V. , Wu Michael Shengtao , Zhdanova Ludmila , Wendorf Craig A.
Published: December 2015

Tendencies to believe in justice are multidimensional, and some justice beliefs enhance personal well-being. These features suggest a considerable but largely overlooked potential for similarities and differences in the structure, endorsement, and wellness-promoting functions of justice beliefs across cultures. In the current research, we evaluate a recently available four-factor conceptualization of justice beliefs in samples of university students from the United States, Canada, India, and China (total N = 922). Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the proposed four-factor model was structurally invariant, suggesting that individuals from all four cultures could be characterized according to their beliefs about distributive and procedural justice for both self and others. Cross-cultural comparisons revealed no mean differences in beliefs about distributive justice for self, whereas beliefs about procedural justice for self were higher in Canada and China than in the United States or India. In parallel, beliefs about distributive and procedural justice for others were higher in Eastern than in Western cultures. In all four cultures, a belief in distributive justice for self was associated with greater life satisfaction, whereas a belief in procedural justice for self was additionally associated in Canada and China only. No associations between beliefs about justice for others and life satisfaction were observed in any culture. The current research provides initial support for the cross-cultural viability of a four-factor approach to measuring dispositional tendencies to believe in justice. We discuss implications and opportunities for the continued study of justice in cross-cultural research.
Light-Cured Self-Etch Adhesives Undergo Hydroxyapatite-Triggered Self-Cure
Authors: Liu Y. , Bai X. , Liu Y.W. , Wang Y.
Published: December 2015

Light cure is a popular mode of curing for dental adhesives. However, it suffers from inadequate light delivery when the restoration site is less accessible, in which case a self-cure mechanism is desirable to salvage any compromised polymerization. We previously reported a novel self-cure system mediated by ethyl 4-(dimethylamino)-benzoate (4E) and hydroxyapatite (HAp). The present work aims to investigate if such self-cure phenomenon takes place in adhesives that underwent prior inadequate light cure and to elucidate if HAp released from the dental etching process is sufficient to trigger it. Model self-etch adhesives were formulated with various components, including bis[2-methacryloyloxy)ethyl]-phosphate (2MP) as acidic monomer and trimethylbenzoyl-diphenylphosphine oxide (TPO) as photoinitiator. In vitro evolution of degree of conversion (DC) of HAp-incorporated adhesives was monitored by infrared spectroscopy during light irradiation and dark storage. Selected adhesives were allowed to etch and extract HAp from enamel, light-cured in situ, and stored in the dark, after which Raman line mapping was used to obtain spatially resolved DC across the enamel-resin interface. Results showed that TPO+4E adhesives reached DC similar to TPO-only counterparts upon completion of light irradiation but underwent another round of initiation that boosted DC to ~100% regardless of HAp level or prior light exposure. When applied to enamel, TPO-only adhesives had ~80% DC in resin, which gradually descended to ~50% in enamel, whereas TPO+4E adhesives consistently scored ~80% DC across the enamel-resin interface. These observations suggest that polymerization of adhesives that underwent insufficient light cure is salvaged by the novel self-cure mechanism, and such salvaging effect can be triggered by HAp released from dental substrate during the etching process.
Use of power of attorney in Scotland
Authors: Routh Rajdeep , Mcneill Catriona , Jackson Graham A
Published: December 2015

Background and aims

Power of Attorney as a form of surrogate decision making was introduced within the Adults with Incapacity, Scotland Act (2000) to help individuals who lack mental capacity due to illnesses like dementia. Even after a decade, little was known if it has been useful. We sought to find out how useful the power of attorney document has been so far in supporting people when they lose their capacity and identify any barriers.

Methods and results

We did a survey and approached a random sample of 5000 attorneys in Scotland. A total of 1226 attorneys responded; 59% of the respondents had never used their powers but still considered it useful for ‘peace of mind’. For the majority, the costs of arranging a power of attorney ranged in between £150 and £300.

Conclusions

The study confirms that power of attorney is useful to safeguard interests of people when they lose capacity. Costs remain a big barrier. Further studies are required to understand the long-term impact of providing financial support to arrange a power of attorney at an early stage on reducing delayed discharges in hospitals.