bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Molecular Assays for HPV Testing in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinomas: A Population-Based Study in Northern Ireland
Authors: Craig Stephanie G. , Anderson Lesley A. , Moran Michael , Graham Laura , Currie Keith , Rooney Keith , Robinson Max , Bingham Victoria , Cuschieri Kate S. , McQuaid Stephen , Schache Andrew G. , Jones Terry M. , McCance Dennis , Salto-Tellez Manuel , McDade Simon S. , James Jacqueline A.
Published: October 2019

Background:

Determination of human papillomavirus (HPV) status has become clinically relevant for patient stratification under UICC TNM8 staging. Within the United Kingdom, a combination of p16 IHC and HPV DNA-ISH is recommended for classifying HPV status. This study will assess a series of clinically applicable second-line molecular tests to run in combination with p16 IHC to optimally determine HPV status.

Methods:

The ability of HPV RNA-ISH, HPV DNA-ISH, and HPV DNA-PCR to identify p16-positive/HPV-positive patients was investigated in a population-based oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) cohort of patients diagnosed in Northern Ireland from 2000 to 2011.

Results:

Only 41% of the Northern Irish OPSCC patient population was associated with HPV-driven carcinogenesis. Both ISH assays were more specific than the DNA-PCR assay (100% and 95% vs. 67%) and were less likely to be affected by preanalytic factors such as increasing block age. A pooled HPV genotype probe for RNA-ISH was found to be the most accurate molecular assay assessed (95% accuracy) when compared with p16 positivity.

Conclusions:

Our study demonstrates the advantage of tissue-based molecular assays when determining HPV status in retrospective samples. Specifically, we demonstrate the enhanced sensitivity and specificity of ISH techniques compared with PCR-based methodology when working with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue, and found HPV RNA-ISH to be the most effective assay for determining HPV status.

Impact:

As p16 IHC is a relatively inexpensive, accessible, and sensitive test for stratifying patients by HPV status, this study finds that more patients would benefit from first-line p16 IHC followed by specific HPV testing using HPV RNA-ISH to confirm HPV status.
XCL1/Glypican-3 Fusion Gene Immunization Generates Potent Antitumor Cellular Immunity and Enhances Anti–PD-1 Efficacy
Authors: Chen Kun , Wu Zhiyuan , Zhao Hong , Wang Yanmei , Ge Yutong , Wang Dongmei , Li Zhengjiang , An Changming , Liu Yuying , Wang Feifei , Bi Xinyu , Wang Hongying , Cai Jianqiang , Ma Chunhong , Qu Chunfeng
Published: October 2019

Cancer vaccines can amplify existing antitumor responses or prime naïve T cells to elicit effector T-cell functions in patients through immunization. Antigen-specific CD8+ T cells are crucial for the rejection of established tumors. We constructed XCL1-GPC3 fusion molecules as a liver cancer vaccine by linking the XCL1 chemokine to glypican-3 (GPC3), which is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cells expressing XCL1-GPC3 chemoattracted murine XCR1+CD8α+ dendritic cells (DC) and human XCR1+CD141+ DCs in vitro and promoted their IL12 production. After subcutaneous mXcl1-GPC3 plasmid injection, mXCL1-GPC3 was mainly detected in CD8α+ DCs of mouse draining lymph nodes. XCL1-GPC3–targeted DCs enhanced antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell proliferation and induced the de novo generation of GPC3-specific CD8+ T cells, which abolished GPC3-expressing tumor cells in mouse and human systems. We immunized a murine autochthonous liver cancer model, with a hepatitis B background, with the mXcl1-GPC3 plasmid starting at 6 weeks, when malignant hepatocyte clusters formed, or at 14 weeks, when liver tumor nodules developed, after diethylnitrosamine administration. mXcl1-GPC3–immunized mice displayed significantly inhibited tumor formation and growth compared with GPC3-immunized mice. After mXcl1-GPC3 immunization, mouse livers showed elevated production of IFNγ, granzyme B, IL18, CCL5, CXCL19, and Xcl1 and increased infiltration of GPC3-specific CD8+ T cells, activated natural killer (NK) cells, and NKT cells. The antitumor effects of these immune cells were further enhanced by the administration of anti–PD-1. Anti-HCC effects induced by hXCL1-GPC3 were confirmed in an HCC-PDX model from 3 patients. Thus, XCL1-GPC3 might be a promising cancer vaccine to compensate for the deficiency of the checkpoint blockades in HCC immunotherapy.
Association between Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver and Gensini Score in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Wang Ping , Qiang Hua , Song Yan , Dang Ying , Luan Hui , Cao Lifei , Cui Qing , Tian Gang
Published: October 2019

Introduction: Obesity is one of the important risk factors of coronary heart disease (CHD). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is always accompanied by obesity. Therefore, this study was designed to elucidate the relationship between NAFLD and CHD in obese and nonobese populations. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 454 Chinese patients diagnosed with CHD. Patients were grouped into non-NAFLD + nonobese, non-NAFLD + obese, NAFLD + nonobese, and NAFLD + obese based on the presence or absence of both NAFLD and obesity. Results: The mean Gensini score was significantly higher in patients with fatty liver compared to those without. Logistic regression analysis found that fatty liver, uric acid, and blood glucose levels were risk factors for a high Gensini score. Conclusions: Irrespective of the presence of obesity, NAFLD is a risk factor for CHD, and the clinical effect of nonobese fatty liver (especially in women) should be carefully considered.
Norcantharidin Enhances High Concentrations of Fetal Bovine Serum-Induced Apoptosis in Human Mesangial Cells by Regulating the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathway
Authors: Ye Kun , Wei Qiao-Yu , Long Teng-Xiang , He Hong-Guang , Huang Yun-Feng , Xiong Li-Jia , Lan Jiao , Huang Yi-Yun , Gong Zhi-Feng , Peng Xiao-Mei , Wu   Qiu-Xia
Published: October 2019

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effect of norcantharidin (NCTD) on human mesangial cells (HMCs) apoptosis in vitro and further examine its molecular mechanism. Methods: HMCs were divided into 5 groups: control group, 25% fetal bovine serum (FBS)-treated group, and NCTD groups (NCTD [2.5, 5 and 10 µg/mL] + 25% FBS, respectively). Cell proliferation was determined by MTT assay, while apoptosis was evaluated by Hoechest 33258 staining, the level of cytochrome c, immunohistochemistry, and apoptotic-related proteins/gene expression. Results: Cell viability was inhibited in NCTD-treated HMCs in a dose-dependent manner. The number of apoptotic cells and the content of cytochrome c were significantly increased by NCTD treatment but that of mitochondrial membrane was decreased. Moreover, the expression of bcl-2 and caspase-3 was prompted by NCTD, but the expression of bax, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in 25% FBS-treated HMCs was inhibited. In addition, NCTD markedly unregulated the expression of apoptosis-related gene/protein, including p-Erk1/2, phosphorylated-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p-p38, and p53. Conclusion: NCTD enhances 25% FBS-treated HMC apoptosis in vitro, and this effect may be attributed to the modulation of the ERK, JNK, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways.
Three Cases of Trigeminal Neuralgia with Radiographic Absence of Meckel’s Cave
Authors: Cleary Daniel R. , Handwerker Jason , Ansari Hossein , Ben-Haim Sharona
Published: October 2019

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a debilitating but treatable disease. Classic TN has referable vascular compression of the trigeminal nerve, but rarely secondary sources of anatomic compression will present, including vascular malformations, aneurysms, or tumors. Understanding the etiology of the patients’ symptoms leads to targeted treatment. Three patients presented with symptoms consistent with TN: shooting, paroxysmal pains in the distribution of the trigeminal nerve. However, imaging revealed no vascular conflict at the root entry zone of the trigeminal nerve. Instead, on the affected side Meckel’s cave was absent. No other compressive mass lesion was identified. In all three cases, patients were offered both Gamma Knife Radiosurgery and surgical decompression of Meckel’s cave. All 3 patients elected to proceed with stereotactic radiation and reported improvement in pain. Many cases of classic TN can be explained by neurovascular conflict at the trigeminal root entry zone, but secondary sources of compression or restriction along the nerve can result in similar symptomology. In this case series, an absent or hypoplastic ipsilateral Meckel’s cave may have produced symptoms consistent with TN. Imaging with fine cuts through Meckel’s cave is an important diagnostic tool.
Learning Curves for Training in Ultrasonography-Based Examination of Umbilical Catheter Placement: A Piglet Study
Authors: Kaae Rikke , Kyng Kasper Jacobsen , Frederiksen Christian A. , Sloth Erik , Rosthøj Susanne , Kerrn-Jespersen Sigrid , Eika Berit , Sørensen‎ Jette Led , Henriksen Tine Brink
Published: October 2019

Background: The training required for accurate assessment of umbilical catheter placement by ultrasonography (US) is unknown. Objective: To describe the learning curve and provide an estimate of the accuracy of physicians’ US examinations (US skills) and self-confidence when examining umbilical catheter tip placement. Methods: Twenty-one physicians with minimal experience in US completed a 1.5-hour eLearning module. Ten piglets with catheters inserted in the umbilical vessels were used as training objects. Following eLearning each physician performed up to twelve 10-min US examinations of the piglets. Expert examinations were reference standards. Sensitivity and specificity of physicians’ skills in detecting catheter tip placement by US was used to describe the learning curve. Self-confidence was reported by Likert scale after each examination. Results: Physicians’ detection of a correctly placed and misplaced umbilical artery catheter tip increased by an odds ratio of 1.6 (95% CI: 1.1, 2.3) and 3.6 (95% CI: 1.7, 7.8) per examination performed. A sensitivity of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.99) and specificity of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.84, 0.99) was reached after 6 examinations. For the venous catheter, US skills in detecting a misplaced catheter tip increased with an odds ratio of 2.4 (95% CI: 1.2, 4.8) per US examination. Overall, performance and self-confidence plateaus were reached after 6 examinations. Conclusion: We found steep learning curves for targeted US examination of umbilical catheter placement. eLearning followed by 6 examinations was found to be adequate training to perform with a sufficiently high accuracy and self-confidence to allow for point-of-care use.
Ocular Surface Fibroma: Clinical, Histopathological, and Immunohistochemical Features of 10 Cases
Authors: Mudhar Hardeep Singh , McGrath Lindsay A. , Chung Andy K.K. , Bowyer Jeremy , Rennie Ian
Published: October 2019

Aim: To describe the clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical (IHC) features of a series of 10 cases of ocular surface fibroma (OSF) and correlate the findings with other similar histological entities. Method: The patient demographics and features of the lesions were analysed from the clinical notes. All cases in the series had routine diagnostic excisional biopsies with standard histopathological and IHC evaluation. Each case was analysed by histology and immunohistochemistry with antibodies to: CD34, Factor XIIIa, desmin, smooth muscle actin, S100, Melan-A, β-catenin, neurofilament, and Ki67. Results: OSF occurred on the bulbar, tarsal, or forniceal conjunctiva, and typically presented as a white, pink, or yellow sheet-like or nodular lesion. The most common symptom was irritation or a foreign-body sensation. Lesions ranged in size from 4 to 13 mm. Only 1/10 cases showed a recurrence after an incomplete excision. Histologically, OSF comprised bland spindle cells in a collagen stroma. The spindle cells were CD34-positive (in 10/10 cases) and a smaller subset was positive for Factor XIIIa (6/10 cases). Normal resident spindle cells in the conjunctival stroma, Tenon’s capsule, and tarsal plate were positive for CD34 and Factor XIIIa, implicating these cells in the origin of OSF. Conclusion: OSF is a benign lesion of resident CD34- and Factor XIIIa-positive spindle cells in the conjunctiva and Tenon’s capsule. We have called to attention another lesion to be included by clinicians in the differential diagnosis of benign ocular surface lesions composed of CD34- and Factor XIIIa-positive spindle cells.
Is Early Cochlear Implant Device Activation Safe for All on-the-Ear and off-the-Ear Sound Processors?
Authors: Batuk Merve Ozbal , Yarali Mehmet , Cinar Betul Cicek , Kocabay Aysun Parlak , Bajin Munir Demir , Sennaroglu Gonca , Sennaroglu Levent
Published: October 2019

Background: Cochlear implantation (CI) is an effective treatment option for patients with severe-to-profound hearing loss. When CI first started, it was recommended to wait until at least 4 weeks after the CI surgery for the initial activation because of possible complications. Advances in the surgical techniques and experiences in fitting have made initial activation possible within 24 h. Objectives: To compare the complaints and complications after early activation between behind-the-ear (BTE) and off-the-ear (OTE) sound processors and to show the impact of early activation on the electrode impedance values. Method: CI surgeries performed between March 2013 and July 2018 were retrospectively analyzed from the database. In total, 294 CI users were included in the present study. The impedance measurements were analyzed postoperatively at the initial activation prior to the stimulation, and 4 weeks after the initial activation in the first-month follow-up visit. A customized questionnaire was administered in the first-month follow-up fitting session to caregivers and/or patients who were using CI at least for 6 months. Medical records were also reviewed to identify any postoperative complications. Results: In the early activation group, impedance values were significantly lower than in the control group (p < 0.05) at first fitting. At the first-month follow-up, no significant difference was found between the groups (p > 0.05). The most common side effects were reported to be edema (6.1%) and pain (5.7%) in the early activation group. In patients with OTE sound processors, the rate of side effects such as skin infection, wound swelling, skin hyperemia, and pain was higher than in patients with BTE sound processors; however, a statistical significance was only observed in wound swelling (p = 0.005). Selecting the appropriate magnet was defined as a problem for the OTE sound processors during the initial activation. Conclusion: This study revealed that early activation of CI was clinically safe and feasible in patients with BTE sound processors. When using OTE sound processors, the audiologists should be careful during the activation period and inform patients of possible side effects. The first fitting should be delayed for 4 weeks after CI for OTE sound processors. This current study is the first to report this finding with 5 years of experience in a large cohort.
Landscape of Immune-Related Pneumonitis in Cancer Patients with Asthma Being Treated with Immune Checkpoint Blockade
Authors: Galant-Swafford Jessica , Troesch Adrien , Tran Lisa , Weaver Ashley , Doherty Taylor A. , Patel Sandip Pravin
Published: October 2019

Introduction: Predicting the factors that increase the risk of immune-related pneumonitis, a potentially life-threatening complication of treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer, is a clinical challenge. Baseline clinical factors such as asthma may portend the development of pneumonitis due to pre-existing airway inflammation prior to immunotherapy. Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate whether a prior diagnosis of asthma is associated with an increased risk of immune-related pneumonitis in patients undergoing cancer immunotherapy. Methods: Patients at the Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health undergoing immunotherapy were identified on an IRB-approved protocol. Clinical charts were reviewed for asthma documented in the medical records and CT scans were reviewed during and after treatment. Pneumonitis was defined as the onset of new pulmonary symptoms with characteristic imaging findings during or after a patient’s first course of immunotherapy that could not be readily explained as infection or a progression of malignancy. It was graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Results: A total of 187 patients were included. A diagnosis of asthma was found in the records of 26 cases (13.9%). Pneumonitis was found in 10 cases (5.35%); 50% were grade 2 and 50% were grade 3–4. Two of the grade 3–4 cases (40%) occurred in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. Three patients with asthma developed pneumonitis (11.5% of patients with asthma), all grade 3–4. Only 28.6% of the non-asthma-pneumonitis cases were grade 3–4. All (100%) of the asthma-pneumonitis patients were former smokers, while 71.4% of the non-asthma-pneumonitis patients were former smokers. Conclusion: A history of asthma may be associated with a higher grade of pneumonitis if it develops, and a history of smoking may augment this relationship.
An Outbreak of Human Parainfluenza Virus 3 (Phylogenetic Subcluster C5) Infection among Adults at a Residential Care Facility for the Disabled in Croatia, 2018
Authors: Civljak Rok , Kosutic-Gulija Tanja , Slovic Anamarija , Huljev Eva , Turcic Nikolina , Mestrovic Tomislav , Vranes Jasmina , Ljubin-Sternak Suncanica
Published: October 2019

Introduction: Although highly pertinent for children, outbreaks of human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) may cause up to 15% of all respiratory illnesses in adults and predispose them to serious adverse outcomes, with HPIV serotype 3 (HPIV3) being the most common. This study represents the first report of an HPIV3 outbreak among adults at a long-term health-care facility in Croatia. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to investigate an outbreak of acute respiratory infection (ARI) at a single residential care facility for the disabled in Croatia. Demographic, epidemiological, and clinical data were collected for all residents, while hospitalized patients were appraised in detail by laboratory/radiological methods. Multiplex PCR for respiratory viruses and sequencing was performed. Partial HPIV3 HN 581 nt sequences were aligned with HPIV3 sequences from the GenBank database to conduct a phylogenetic analysis, where different bioinformatic approaches were employed. Results: In late June 2018, 5 of the 10 units at the facility were affected by the outbreak. Among the 106 residents, 23 (21.7%) developed ARI, and 6 (26.1%) of them were hospitalized. HPIV3 was identified in 18 (73%) of the residents and 5 (83%) of the hospitalized individuals. Isolated HPIV3 strains were classified within the phylogenetic subcluster C5 but grouped on 2 separate branches of the phylogenetic tree. During the entire outbreak period, none of the institution’s employees reported symptoms of ARI. Conclusions: Our study has shown that this health care-associated outbreak of HPIV3 infection could have been linked to multiple importation events. Preventive measures in curbing such incidents should be enforced vigorously.
Detection of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Rearranged Mesothelioma Cells in Ascites by Companion Diagnostics
Authors: Konishi Maho , Kanyama Takahiro , Maeno Kenichiro , Miyagawa Chiho , Minamiguchi Sachiko , Katsushima Hiroki , Shimada Toshihide
Published: October 2019

Background: A case of peritoneal mesothelioma with an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocation was identified, and we conducted further studies to obtain diagnostic and therapeutic insights. We believe that this is the first report describing the cytology of this new tumor type. Case: A teenage woman was referred for severe pleural effusion. Enhanced computed tomography indicated an abdominal mass with ascites. Laparoscopy revealed tumor dissemination from the pelvis to the upper abdomen. Because a high-grade serous carcinoma was suspected, ascitic cytology and biopsy were performed. Cytologically, the tumor displayed characteristics of both adenocarcinoma and reactive or neoplastic mesothelial cells. After extensive pathological evaluation, the tumor was diagnosed as malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. To verify the diagnosis and aid in developing a therapeutic strategy, several companion diagnostics were tried. Surprisingly, the tumor was ALK-positive, and ALK recombination was confirmed by an ALK break-apart test. Retrospectively, cells and tissue specimens were stained with ALK intercalated antibody-enhanced polymer. Tumor cells were clearly distinguished from the nonneoplastic background. Recombination in ALK was reconfirmed by the National Cancer Center Japan, and the patient was enrolled in a clinical trial for alectinib. Conclusion: Companion diagnostics-based cytology may provide a useful means of monitoring and evaluating a molecular-targeted therapy.
Design and Baseline Characteristics of the Finerenone in Reducing Cardiovascular Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease Trial
Authors: Ruilope Luis M. , Agarwal Rajiv , Anker Stefan D. , Bakris George L. , Filippatos Gerasimos , Nowack Christina , Kolkhof Peter , Joseph Amer , Mentenich Nicole , Pitt Bertram ,   FIGARO-DKD study investigators
Published: October 2019

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥25 mL/min/1.73 m2 and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥30 to ≤5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level α = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049.
Long-Lasting Response after Pembrolizumab in a Patient with Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Peinado Paloma , Ramírez Carmen , García-Sáenz José Angel , Pascual Alejandro , Fuentes-Antrás Jesús , Vidal Natalia , Antoñanzas Mónica , Moreno Fernando
Published: October 2019

Introduction: Breast cancer is the first cause of cancer death in women. The triple-negative subtype is associated with aggressive behavior and poor prognosis. Chemotherapy is the main therapeutic option available for these patients, but it is usually associated with short overall survival. Case Presentation: We report the case of a patient diagnosed with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer with an impressive long-lasting tumor response and long-term survival after pembrolizumab monotherapy. Conclusion: Immunotherapy is emerging as a promising treatment for some breast cancer patients. Nevertheless, monotherapy studies have shown a very limited activity. Nowadays, there is no good predictor biomarker. Further investigations are needed to identify the subgroup of patients who can benefit from checkpoint inhibitor treatment.
Impact of Kidney Function on Cardiovascular Risk and Mortality: A Comparison of South Asian and European Cohorts
Authors: Eastwood Sophie V. , Chaturvedi Nishi , Sattar Naveed , Welsh Paul I. , Hughes Alun D. , Tillin Therese
Published: October 2019

Background: Evidence is limited on ethnic differences in associations between kidney function markers and mortality or cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: Baseline cross-sectional analysis and longitudinal follow-up study of a UK population-based cohort of 1,116 Europeans and 1,104 South Asians of predominantly Indian descent, age 52 ± 7 years at baseline (1988–1991). Kidney function was estimated using Cystatin C and creatinine-based chronic kidney disease (CKD) Epidemiology Collaboration estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equations, and urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR). Mortality was captured at 27 years, and incident CVD at 22 years, from death certification, medical records and participant report. Longitudinal associations between eGFR/ACR and mortality/incident CVD were examined using Cox models. Results: eGFRcys was lower and ACR higher in South Asians than Europeans. eGFRcys and ­eGFRcreat were more strongly associated with outcomes in Europeans than South Asians. Conversely, associations between ACR and outcomes were greater in South Asians than Europeans, for example, for CVD mortality: HRs (95% CI) adjusted for CVD risk factors and ACR/eGFRcys as appropriate, p for ethnicity interaction: eGFRcys: Europeans: 0.76 (0.62–0.92), South Asians: 0.92 (0.78–1.07), p = 0.05, eGFRcreat: Europeans 0.81 (0.67–0.99), South Asians 1.18 (0.97–1.41), p = 0.002, ACR: ­Europeans: 1.24 (1.08–1.42), South Asians: 1.39 (1.25–1.57), p= 0.23. Addition of all CKD measures to a standard CVD risk factor model modestly improved prediction capability in ­Europeans; in South Asians only ACR contributed to improvement. Conclusions: Strong associations between ACR and outcomes in South Asians of predominantly Indian origin, and null associations for eGFRcys and eGFRcreat, suggest that ACR may have greater utility in CVD risk prediction in South Asians. Further work is needed to validate these ­findings.
Subungual Molluscum Contagiosum: A Rare Presentation
Authors: Elmas Ömer Faruk , Kilitçi Asuman
Published: October 2019

Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a self-limiting viral infectious cutaneous disease usually characterized by pinkish skin color and round umbilicated papules varying in size and shape. MC can affect any region, but the lower abdomen, thighs, genitals, and perianal area are the sites most commonly involved. Atypical localizations of the lesions may be difficult to diagnose. We report a case of subungual MC with dermoscopic features in a young male.
Heldentum gegen Todesangst und Psychopathologie: “Selbstwert” als protektiver Faktor in der ambulanten Psychotherapie
Authors: Chmielewski Fabian , Hanning Sven , Swidder-Darku Julia , Ueberberg Bianca , Juckel Georg , Mavrogiorgou Paraskevi
Published: October 2019

Hintergrund: Die Befunde der bisherigen Untersuchungen legen nahe, dass die Angst vor dem Tod ein wichtiger Faktor bei der Entstehung psychischer Erkrankungen ist. Insbesondere die Terror-Management-Theorie geht davon aus, dass Menschen zwei verschiedene Strategien anwenden, um mit Todesangst umzugehen: (1) Sie versuchen, ihren Selbstwert zu steigern; (2) sie halten die Werte ihrer Kultur hoch. Patienten und Methoden: Im Rahmen einer prospektiven Studie wurden 56 ambulante Psychotherapie-Patienten (29 Frauen, Alter 42,8 Jahre, SD 13,8) vornehmlich mit depressiven Störungen mittels Interview/Fragebögen u.a. zu Angst vor dem Tod (BOFRETTA) sowie Religiosität untersucht. Ergebnisse: Die Angst vor dem Tod korrelierte signifikant mit der Schwere der psychischen Symptomatik (BDI), Neurotizismus (NEO-FFI) sowie dem Hochhalten kultureller Werte (LeBe). Erwartungsgemäß zeigte sich ein signifikanter negativer Zusammenhang von Selbstwert und Angst vor dem Tod. Dieser zeigte sich nicht bei Vergleichsvariablen wie Lebenssinn, Religiosität und Spiritualität. Diskussion und Schlussfolgerungen: Die Angst vor dem Tod spielt bei der Entstehung und Aufrechterhaltung psychischer Probleme eine wesentliche Rolle. Ein wichtiger protektiver Faktor gegen diese scheint das Selbstwertgefühl zu sein. Es lässt sich vermuten, dass das Hochhalten kultureller Werte zwar ein unbewusster Versuch ist, gegen die Angst vor dem Tod (und die psychische Symptomatik) vorzugehen, dieser allerdings nicht wirksam ist.
Mental Pain as a Transdiagnostic Patient-Reported Outcome Measure
Authors: Fava Giovanni A. , Tomba Elena , Brakemeier Eva-Lotta , Carrozzino Danilo , Cosci Fiammetta , Eöry Ajándék , Leonardi Tommaso , Schamong Isabel , Guidi Jenny
Published: October 2019

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) refer to any report coming directly from patients about how they function or feel in relation to a health condition or its therapy. PROs have been applied in medicine for the assessment of the impact of clinical phenomena. Self-report scales and procedures for assessing physical pain in adults have been developed and used in clinical trials. However, insufficient attention has been dedicated to the assessment of mental pain. The aim of this paper is to outline the implications that assessment of mental pain may entail in psychiatry and medicine, with particular reference to a clinimetric index. A simple 10-item self-rating questionnaire, the Mental Pain Questionnaire (MPQ), encompasses the specific clinical features of mental pain and shows good clinimetric properties (i.e., sensitivity, discriminant and incremental validity). The preliminary data suggest that the MPQ may qualify as a PRO measure to be included in clinical trials. Assessment of mental pain may have important clinical implications in intervention research, both in psychopharmacology and psychotherapy. The transdiagnostic features of mental pain are supported by its association with a number of psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, as well as borderline personality disorder. Further, addressing mental pain may be an important pathway to prevent and diminish the opioid epidemic. The data summarized here indicate that mental pain can be incorporated into current psychiatric assessment and included as a PRO measure in treatment outcome studies.
High-Grade Progression Confers Poor Survival in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Botling Johan , Lamarca Angela , Bajic Duska , Norlén Olov , Lönngren Vincent , Kjaer Josefine , Eriksson Barbro , Welin Staffan , Hellman Per , Rindi Guido , Skogseid Britt , Crona Joakim
Published: October 2019

Introduction: Little is known about how pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) evolve over time and if changes toward a more aggressive biology correlate with prognosis. The purpose of this study was to characterize changes in PanNET differentiation and proliferation over time and to correlate findings to overall survival (OS). Patients and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we screened 475 PanNET patients treated at Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden. Sporadic patients with baseline and follow-up tumor samples were included. Pathology reports and available tissue sections were reevaluated with regard to tumor histopathology and Ki-67 index. Results: Forty-six patients with 106 tumor samples (56 available for pathology reevaluation) were included. Median Ki-67 index at diagnosis was 7% (range 1–38%), grade 1 n = 8, grade 2 n = 36, and grade 3 n = 2. The median change in Ki-67 index (absolute value; follow-up – baseline) was +14% (range –11 to +80%). Increase in tumor grade occurred in 28 patients (63.6%), the majority from grade 1/2 to grade 3 (n = 24, 54.5%). The patients with a high-grade progression had a median OS of 50.2 months compared to 115.1 months in patients without such progression (hazard ratio 3.89, 95% CI 1.91–7.94, p < 0.001). Conclusions: A longitudinal increase in Ki-67 index and increase in tumor grade were observed in a majority of PanNETs included in this study. We propose that increase in Ki-67 index and high-grade progression should be investigated further as important biomarkers in PanNET.
Association of Total Reproductive Years With Incident Atrial Fibrillation, and Subsequent Ischemic Stroke in Women With Natural Menopause
Authors: Yang Seokhun , Kwak Soongu , Kwon Soonil , Lee Hyun-Jung , Lee Heesun , Park Jun-Bean , Lee Seung-Pyo , Kim Hoon , Han Kyungdo , Kim Yong-Jin , Kim Hyung-Kwan
Published: October 2019

Background:

The association of lifetime exposure to endogenous sex hormone with incident atrial fibrillation (AF) and subsequent ischemic stroke has never been studied.

Methods:

This study involved 4 638 299 natural postmenopausal waomen aged ≥40 years without prior history of AF and with national breast cancer check-up between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2014. The primary end point was incident AF, and the secondary end point was subsequent ischemic stroke once AF has developed. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to estimate the risk of end points.

Results:

During the mean follow-up of 6.3 years, shorter total reproductive years (<30 years) were associated with 7% increased risk of AF after adjusting for confounding variables (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.07 [95% CI, 1.05–1.09]). Risk of AF declined progressively with every 5-yearly increment in total reproductive years (
P
-for-trend <0.001). However, the prolonged (≥2 years) use of hormone replacement therapy after menopause was paradoxically associated with a 3% increase in AF risk (aHR, 1.03 [95% CI, 1.01–1.05]). For the secondary end point analysis, the risk of ischemic stroke after AF development significantly decreased with each 5-yearly increment in total reproductive years (with <30 years as reference; aHR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.88–0.99] for 30–34 years; aHR, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.79–0.89] for 35–39 years; and aHR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.80–0.97] for ≥40 years,
P
-for-trend <0.001).

Conclusions:

In women with natural menopause, shorter lifetime exposure to endogenous sex hormone, that is, shorter total reproductive years, was significantly associated with a higher risk of AF and subsequent ischemic stroke. Paradoxically, prolonged exogenous hormone replacement therapy increased the risk of incident AF.
A Cautionary Tale of Urban Media Art: Media-Bait, Planned Censorship and Its Repercussions
Authors: Park Lisa SoYoung , Benayoun Maurice
Published: October 2019

How do curatorial initiatives in public spaces balance the critical pursuit of art and the professional ethics of the exhibition context? What are the pros and cons of conducting attention-grabbing guerrilla campaigns versus infiltrating politically sensitive public arenas with long-term initiatives? What happens when corporate sponsors of art become trapped in the battlefield of art-fueled media controversy? This article expands on such inquiries by analyzing the collision of two artistic urban interventions, Open Sky Project and the Countdown Machine campaign—a collision that took place within the delicate political context of Hong Kong in 2016.
The Labor Market Effects of Offshoring by U.S. Multinational Firms
Authors: Kovak Brian K. , Oldenski Lindsay , Sly Nicholas
Published: October 2019

We use firm-level data on U.S. multinationals to show how offshoring affects domestic employment within and across firms. We introduce a new instrument for offshoring, bilateral tax treaties, which reduce the cost of offshore activities. We find substantial heterogeneity in effects. A 10% increase in affiliate employment drives a 1.3% increase in employment at the U.S. parent firm, with smaller effects at the industry and regional levels. In contrast, offshoring by vertical multinationals drives declining employment among nonmultinationals in the same industry, and firms opening new affiliates exhibit smaller domestic employment growth than those expanding existing affiliates.
Moral Failure
Authors: Sauer Hanno
Published: October 2019

In his most recent book, Daniel Batson develops a psychological theory of moral motivation by looking at moral failure. Even under favorable conditions, Batson argues, people frequently behave immorally. In addition to defects of character or judgment and situational pressures, a lack of moral integrity plays an important role in explaining moral failure. Batson’s book sheds light on the most common sources of immoral behavior, providing moral philosophers with the resources to properly target their reasons to be moral.
Champa Citadels: An Archaeological and Historical Study
Authors: Đỗ Trường Giang , Suzuki Tomomi , Nguyễn Văn Quảng , Yamagata Mariko
Published: October 2019

From 2009 to 2012, a joint research team of Japanese and Vietnamese archaeologists led by the late Prof. Nishimura Masanari conducted surveys and excavations at fifteen sites around the Hoa Chau Citadel in Thua Thien Hue Province, built by the Champa people in the ninth century and used by the Viet people until the fifteenth century. This article introduces some findings from recent archaeological excavations undertaken at three Champa citadels: the Hoa Chau Citadel, the Tra Kieu Citadel in Quang Nam Province, and the Cha Ban Citadel in Binh Dinh Province. Combined with historical material and field surveys, the paper describes the scope and structure of the ancient citadels of Champa, and it explores the position, role, and function of these citadels in the context of their own nagaras (small kingdoms) and of mandala Champa as a whole. Through comparative analysis, an attempt is made to identify features characteristic of ancient Champa citadels in general.
Rehabilitating Botany in the Postwar Moment: National Promise and the Encyclopedism of Eduardo Quisumbing’s Medicinal Plants of the Philippines (1951)
Authors: Gutierrez Kathleen Cruz
Published: October 2019

In 1951, plant taxonomist Eduardo Quisumbing published Medicinal Plants of the Philippines, a 1,234–page volume on the palliative and curative applications of Philippine flora. Considered the standard contemporary reference on medical botany, Quisumbing’s work has informed generations of human scientists, botanists, and chemists from the archipelago. This paper, however, poses the question: What did Quisumbing, a trained orchidist, have to do with such a wide-ranging postwar publication—one quite distant from his scientific specialization—that would be (mistakenly) remembered as his magnum opus? Through a close reading of the text informed by the work’s intertextuality and Quisumbing’s personal archive, I argue that Medicinal Plants of the Philippines captures a type of encyclopedism undertaken in order to recuperate Manila’s Bureau of Science following World War ii. This encyclopedism speaks to the book’s curious character: strictly speaking, it is neither a pharmacopoeia nor a flora. Instead, it is a compendium of principally invasive species and their medicinal uses around the world that draws from over 630 academic publications. Caught within the tangle of postwar national reconstruction efforts, Quisumbing’s book evidences a considerable investment in intellectual knowledge production to assert the country’s newfound independence while shoring up public support for Philippine botanic and scientific research.
People, Places, and Mobility: The Strange History of Prester John across the Indian Ocean
Authors: Mukherjee Rila
Published: October 2019

The worlds of Central Asia and the Indian Ocean have been seen as discrete, seemingly unconnected except by way of the vertical silk roads descending through feeder routes into port cities situated along the Indian Ocean and its many seas, gulfs, and bays. Before Central Asia lost historical centrality and was regarded increasingly as a blank space on the map, it was a dynamic region. The Indian Ocean world with its spice, cotton, and silk routes was more known, having entered European geographical knowledge— and fantasy—from antiquity. The two worlds—terrestrial and oceanic—have been seen as diametrically opposed, with historiography privileging the latter. This essay links the two worlds by evoking people, places, and mobility through the legend of Prester John, a mysterious Christian monarch and putative ally against Muslims.
For Africans in World History: Extended Forms of Democratic Pluralism
Authors: Sène Jean-Jacques Ngor
Published: October 2019

Few scholars have been successful at articulating with as much clarity as Patrick Manning does, the relevance and centrality of African history to world history. The historical experiences of the peoples of Africa, within, above, and beyond the Anthropocene, had not been synthetized with a view of globalizing certain Forms of the African Past as integral pieces of the mosaic of the Human Adventure. This essay presents the extent of Manning’s contributions to the debates regarding the general concept of Afrocentricity in practice, namely in relation to the construction of functional global institutions where learned citizens congregate to boost humanity’s intellectual capital. Pat Manning stands out for deconstructing in engaging arrangements—that is, in bravura and substance—the marginalization of Africa and Africans in the academic deliberations about the emergence of cosmopolitan Modernity over the past six or seven centuries at a global scale. Manning-Senseï reverberates in global academia the influences of Black peoples on “the Human System in Movement.” On the other hand, Manning arguably evades the moralization of the discourse that participates in the travails for the restoration of historical consciousness in Black Africa, inducing thereby the ubiquitous question of contemporary world historians’ political responsibility.
Environmental History and World History: Developments in Congruence
Authors: Dehner George
Published: October 2019

Patrick Manning, in his book Navigating World History, suggests that world history “has the potential to become a scholarly nexus linking many fields of study” that will enable historians to escape the “national paradigm that continues to constrain most studies in humanities and social sciences.” This article will test Manning’s proposal in the developing field of environmental history by examining the topics of panels and papers selected for the annual conferences of the American Society of Environmental Historians in the years following the 2003 publication of Navigating World History. Environmental history has evolved to enlarge its lens of analysis to span both borders and time frames. Born with a strong interdisciplinary base and shaped by works that straddle world and environmental history, the field has had a natural affinity with world history. Increasingly, research topics have served to blur the line between environmental and world history.
Populist Attitudes among the French Yellow Vests
Authors: Guerra Tristan , Alexandre Chloé , Gonthier Frédéric
Published: October 2019

There has been much speculation as to how to interpret the Yellow Vest movement in France. Building on a survey of more than 5,000 Yellow Vests, this research report argues that producerism is key to make sense of the protesters’ populist attitudes and relationship to politics.
A new scelionine genus from the earliest Eocene Oise amber (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea: Scelionidae)

Authors: FALIÈRES ELSA , NEL ANDRÉ
Published: October 2019

‘Scelionid’ wasps are rather frequent in Cretaceous and Cenozoic amber. The Cenozoic fossils generally belong to extant genera. Among these, Talamas & Buffington (2015) listed and figured a female and a male Calliscelio sp. from the Miocene Dominican amber. Antropov et al., (2014) placed Macroteleia veterna Cockerell, 1921 from the latest Eocene of the Isle of Wight in the genus Calliscelio under the name Calliscelio veternus (Cockerell, 1921), but in the same paper they also indicate that ‘The latter comprise 12 fossils, including “Macroteleia” veterna Cockerell, 1921a = Calotelea, a widespread genus of orthopteran parasites’. Lastly Calliscelio caudatus (Brues, 1940), Calliscelio prolepticus (Brues, 1940), and Calliscelio succinophilus (Brues, 1940) from the mid Eocene Baltic amber were never revised. Here we describe new fossil scelionids from the earliest Eocene amber of Oise (France), closely related to Calliscelio.
The generic nomenclature of the Trochilini: a correction
Authors: STILES F. GARY , REMSEN J. V. JR.
Published: October 2019

Because the generic name Elliotia proposed by us (Stiles et al. 2017a) was found to be preoccupied, we herein rename this genus, including a detailed diagnosis; the generic circumscription and type species remain unchanged. This change does not affect the generic reorganization of the Trochilini presented by Stiles et al. (2017a).
Redescription and new records of Phoroncidia septemaculeata O. Pickard Cambridge 1873 from India (Araneae: Theridiidae)
Authors: NAFIN KARUNNAPPILLI SHAMSUDHEEN , SUMESH NJAREKKATTIL VASU , SUDHIN PUTHOOR PATTAMMAL , SUDHIKUMAR AMBALAPARAMBIL VASU
Published: October 2019

The genus Phoroncidia Westwood 1835 is currently represented by 81 species and is cosmopolitan in distribution. Currently, four species are known from India, namely Phoroncidia aculeata Westwood 1835, Phoroncidia maindroni (Simon 1905), Phoroncidia septemaculeata O. Pickard-Cambridge 1873 and Phoroncidia testudo (O. Pickard-Cambridge 1873) (World Spider Catalog 2019). P. septemaculeata O. Pickard-Cambridge 1873 was described based on a few specimens collected by Mr G. H. K. Thwaites in 1871 from Sri Lanka and it was mostly derived from the somatic features of the species. Recently, Patil et al. (2018) reported two subadult males presumed to be Phoroncidia septemaculeata from the Maharashtra state in India. Until now, no mature specimen of the species has been reported and its genitalia remains unknown. This paper provides a detailed redescription of P. septemaculeata, including illustrations of male and female genitalia for the first time, based on fresh materials collected from different localities in the Coastal Plains and Western Ghats of Kerala state and Coastal plains of Tamil Nadu. Additionally, the current distributional range and new records of the species is mapped.
Occurrence of Millotellina (Myriapoda, Symphyla) in China with the description of two new species
Authors: JIN YA-LI , BU YUN
Published: October 2019

The genus Millotellina is recorded from China for the first time. Two new species, Millotellina centralis sp. n. and Millotellina bambusinus sp. n., from Guangxi Province of Southwest China are described and illustrated. Millotellina centralis sp. n. is characterized by the presence of single median ventral processes posterior to the coxal sacs of legs 4–10, half-way between successive pairs of legs and located in the center, and a thick frontal seta on the first leg. Millotellina bambusinus sp. n. is characterized by the single median ventral processes inserted between the coxal sacs of legs 5–10, palp of the first maxilla with three pointed branches, and cerci narrowed abruptly in the distal part. An updated key to the species of the genus is also provided.