bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mixed lineage kinase-3 prevents cardiac dysfunction and structural remodeling with pressure overload
Authors: Calamaras Timothy D. , Baumgartner Robert A. , Aronovitz Mark J. , McLaughlin Angela L. , Tam Kelly , Richards Daniel A. , Cooper Craig W. , Li Nathan , Baur Wendy E. , Qiao Xiaoying , Wang Guang-Rong , Davis Roger J. , Kapur Navin K. , Karas Richard H. , Blanton Robert M.
Published: October 2018

Myocardial hypertrophy is an independent risk factor for heart failure (HF), yet the mechanisms underlying pathological cardiomyocyte growth are incompletely understood. The c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling cascade modulates cardiac hypertrophic remodeling, but the upstream factors regulating myocardial JNK activity remain unclear. In this study, we sought to identify JNK-activating molecules as novel regulators of cardiac remodeling in HF. We investigated mixed lineage kinase-3 (MLK3), a master regulator of upstream JNK-activating kinases, whose role in the remodeling process had not previously been studied. We observed increased MLK3 protein expression in myocardium from patients with nonischemic and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and in hearts of mice subjected to transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Mice with genetic deletion of MLK3 (MLK3−/−) exhibited baseline cardiac hypertrophy with preserved cardiac function. MLK3−/− mice subjected to chronic left ventricular (LV) pressure overload (TAC, 4 wk) developed worsened cardiac dysfunction and increased LV chamber size compared with MLK3+/+ littermates ( n = 8). LV mass, pathological markers of hypertrophy ( Nppa, Nppb), and cardiomyocyte size were elevated in MLK3−/− TAC hearts. Phosphorylation of JNK, but not other MAPK pathways, was selectively impaired in MLK3−/− TAC hearts. In adult rat cardiomyocytes, pharmacological MLK3 kinase inhibition using URMC-099 blocked JNK phosphorylation induced by neurohormonal agents and oxidants. Sustained URMC-099 exposure induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. These data demonstrate that MLK3 prevents adverse cardiac remodeling in the setting of pressure overload. Mechanistically, MLK3 activates JNK, which in turn opposes cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. These results support modulation of MLK3 as a potential therapeutic approach in HF.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Here, we identified a role for mixed lineage kinase-3 (MLK3) as a novel antihypertrophic and antiremodeling molecule in response to cardiac pressure overload. MLK3 regulates phosphorylation of the stress-responsive JNK kinase in response to pressure overload and in cultured cardiomyocytes stimulated with hypertrophic agonists and oxidants. This study reveals MLK3-JNK signaling as a novel cardioprotective signaling axis in the setting of pressure overload.
Effects of Redox Disturbances on Intestinal Contractile Reactivity in Rats Fed with a Hypercaloric Diet
Authors: de Souza Iara L. L. , Ferreira Elba dos S. , Diniz Anderson F. A. , Carvalho Maria Thaynan de L. , Queiroga Fernando R. , Toscano Lydiane T. , Silva Alexandre S. , da Silva Patrícia M. , Cavalcante Fabiana de A. , da Silva Bagnólia A.
Published: October 2018

Few studies have associated the effects of changes in caloric intake and redox disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, the present study aimed at evaluating the hypercaloric diet consumption influence on the contractile reactivity of intestinal smooth muscle, morphology, and oxidative stress of rat ileum. Wistar rats were randomly divided into groups that received a standard diet and fed with a hypercaloric diet for 8 weeks. Animals were euthanized, and the ileum was isolated to isotonic contraction monitoring. Morphology was evaluated by histological staining and oxidative stress by quantification of malondialdehyde levels and total antioxidant activity. Cumulative concentration‐response curves to KCl and carbachol were attenuated in rats fed with a hypercaloric diet compared to those that received a standard diet. In addition, an increase in caloric intake promotes a rise in the thickness of the longitudinal smooth muscle layer of rat ileum and tissue malondialdehyde levels, characterizing lipid peroxidation, as well as a decrease in the antioxidant activity. Thus, it was concluded that the consumption of a hypercaloric diet impairs rat intestinal contractility due to mechanisms involving modifications in the intestinal smooth muscle architecture triggered by redox disturbances.
Essential Oils in Stored Product Insect Pest Control
Authors: Campolo Orlando , Giunti Giulia , Russo Agatino , Palmeri Vincenzo , Zappalà Lucia
Published: October 2018

Among botanical extracts used as insecticides, essential oils (EOs) are promising alternatives to chemical insecticides. EOs are synthesized by plants, and they play a key role in plant signaling processes including also attractiveness toward pollinators and beneficial insects. Plant species producing essential oils (over 17,000 species) are called aromatic plants and are distributed worldwide. Our review aims to evaluate research studies published in the last 15 years concerning the use of EOs in stored product protection. More than 50% of the retrieved manuscripts have been published by authors from Eastern countries (Iran, China, India, and Pakistan), investigating different aspects related to insect pest management (exposure route, effect on the target pest, and mode of action). Coleoptera was the most studied insect order (85.41%) followed by Lepidoptera (11.49%), whereas few studies targeted new emerging pests (e.g., Psocoptera). Almost all the trials were carried out under laboratory conditions, while no experiments were conducted under real operating conditions. Future research studies concerning the use of EOs as insecticides should focus on the development of insecticide formulations which could be successfully applied to different production realities.
IL1-Induced JAK/STAT Signaling Is Antagonized by TGFβ to Shape CAF Heterogeneity in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Biffi Giulia , Oni Tobiloba E. , Spielman Benjamin , Hao Yuan , Elyada Ela , Park Youngkyu , Preall Jonathan , Tuveson David A.
Published: October 2018

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is poorly responsive to therapies and histologically contains a paucity of neoplastic cells embedded within a dense desmoplastic stroma. Within the stroma, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) secrete tropic factors and extracellular matrix components, and have been implicated in PDAC progression and chemotherapy resistance. We recently identified two distinct CAF subtypes characterized by either myofibroblastic or inflammatory phenotypes; however, the mechanisms underlying their diversity and their roles in PDAC remain unknown. Here, we use organoid and mouse models to identify TGFβ and IL1 as tumor-secreted ligands that promote CAF heterogeneity. We show that IL1 induces LIF expression and downstream JAK/STAT activation to generate inflammatory CAFs and demonstrate that TGFβ antagonizes this process by downregulating IL1R1 expression and promoting differentiation into myofibroblasts. Our results provide a mechanism through which distinct fibroblast niches are established in the PDAC microenvironment and illuminate strategies to selectively target CAFs that support tumor growth.

Significance:

Understanding the mechanisms that determine CAF heterogeneity in PDAC is a prerequisite for the rational development of approaches that selectively target tumor-promoting CAFs. Here, we identify an IL1-induced signaling cascade that leads to JAK/STAT activation and promotes an inflammatory CAF state, suggesting multiple strategies to target these cells in vivo.

See related commentary by Ling and Chiao, p. 173.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 151
Ara h 1 and Ara h 6 Sensitization Causes Clinical Peanut Allergy in Ara h 2-Negative Individuals
Authors: Magnusdottir Helga , Vidarsdóttir Anna Gudrun , Ludviksson Bjorn Runar , Clausen Michael , Lund Sigrun Helga , Jensen Anders B. , Sigurdardottir Sigurveig T.
Published: October 2018

Background: Of the major peanut allergens, sensitivity to Ara h 2 has the highest prediction for clinical allergy. In this study, we evaluated sensitization to peanut components in Iceland and related Ara h 2-negative sensitization to clinical allergy. Methods: Ara h 1, Ara h 2, Ara h 3, Ara h 8, and Bet v 1 IgEs were measured (ImmunoCAP) in 220 peanut IgE (Pn-IgE)-positive serum samples. Ara h 2 IgE-negative individuals were invited to an open peanut challenge and evaluated for Ara h 6 and 9 sensitization (ISAC microarray). Results: The Ara h 2 IgE-negative group (52.3%, 115/220) was older (p = 0.04) and more likely to have a history of pollen allergy than the Ara h 2-positive group (p < 0.001). Of the Ara h 2-negative participants, 24.3% were already consuming peanuts and 38.3% were unavailable. Of the 43 who underwent an open peanut challenge, 79% were negative, 14% were positive, and 7% were inconclusive. Those who reacted to peanuts had a higher Ara h 1 IgE than that of the tolerant participants, and 3 were positive to Ara h 6 IgE, and 2 of those subjects were monosensitized. Ara h 8 may have caused a positive reaction, while Ara h 9 did not. Conclusions: Half of the peanut-sensitized individuals in Iceland were not sensitized to the major allergen Ara h 2. Ara h 1, Ara h 3, and Ara h 6 sensitizations resulted in a positive open peanut challenge and they are therefore clinically important for individuals with a peanut allergy in Iceland.
Cytological Findings in Benign Phyllodes Tumors
Authors: Kumar Perikala Vijayananda , Mokhtari Maral
Published: October 2018

Objective: Phyllodes tumors are fibroepithelial breast lesions with many cytological and histopathological similarities to fibroadenomas. The aim of this study was to investigate cytological findings in benign phyllodes tumors. Study Design: Seventy-six histologically proven cases of benign phyllodes tumors were selected from 1982 to 2017. Cytological criteria, including cellularity, the number and shape of epithelial clusters, the shape and number of stromal fragments, and the presence of atypia, were evaluated. Results: Cytological slides were hypercellular and showed dimorphic populations of cells. The epithelial clusters were moderate in amount and had a bonsai-like configuration. The stromal fragments consisted of oval-to-spindle shaped cells with preservation of the cytoplasm. Some popcorn-like cells and intranuclear inclusions in stromal cells and deposition of pinkish and amorphous material at the border of the stromal fragments were also noted in the stromal cells. Conclusion: Stromal hypercellularity and large amounts of stromal fragments, the presence of bonsai-like epithelial clusters, and deposition of amorphous pinkish material at the border of the stromal fragments, as well as newly observed findings including the presence of intranuclear inclusions and popcorn-like nuclei in the stromal cells, can aid in the diagnosis of phyllodes tumors.
Status of studies on zooplankton fauna of Arunachal Pradesh, India
Authors: Sinha Bikramjit
Published: October 2018

This paper gives a brief review of the studies on zooplankton fauna of Arunachal Pradesh, the major shareholder of the eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot.  Altogether, 66 species of zooplankton (45 Rotifera, 20 Cladocera, & one Copepoda) have been recorded along with their distribution in the state, wherever available.  It is apparent that there is a lack of serious taxonomic studies on all three major groups of zooplankton from this Himalayan state.  The urgency and importance of documenting the zooplankton fauna of this biogeographically unique and biodiversity-rich state is highlighted in view of the fragility of the ecosystem as well as the effect of climate change.
Fishing Cat Prionailurus viverrinus Bennett, 1833 (Carnivora: Felidae) distribution and habitat characteristics in Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Authors: Mishra Rama , Basnet Khadga , Amin Rajan , Lamichhane Babu Ram
Published: October 2018

The Fishing Cat is a highly specialized and threatened felid, and its status is poorly known in the Terai region of Nepal.  Systematic camera-trap surveys, comprising 868 camera-trap days in four survey blocks of 40km2 in Rapti, Reu and Narayani river floodplains of Chitwan National Park, were used to determine the distribution and habitat characteristics of this species.  A total of 19 photographs of five individual cats were recorded at three locations in six independent events.  Eleven camera-trap records obtained during surveys in 2010, 2012 and 2013 were used to map the species distribution inside Chitwan National Park and its buffer zone.  Habitat characteristics were described at six locations where cats were photographed.  The majority of records were obtained in tall grassland surrounding oxbow lakes and riverbanks.  Wetland shrinkage, prey (fish) depletion in natural wetlands and persecution threaten species persistence.  Wetland restoration, reducing human pressure and increasing fish densities in the wetlands, provision of compensation for loss from Fishing Cats and awareness programs should be conducted to ensure their survival.  We also recommend studying genetic diversity of sub-populations, as well as habitat use by radio-tagging.
The Odonata (Insecta) of Dhofar, southern Oman
Authors: Cowan Elaine M. , Cowan Peter J.
Published: October 2018

The Dhofar governorate of Oman (‘Dhofar’) is largely desert with a mainly arid climate.  It contains an Afrotropical escarpment region influenced by monsoon precipitation.  We summarise published records of odonates for Dhofar, organised by four natural regions, present our unpublished photographic records for 23 sites according to these regions and produce a Dhofar apparent-status statement for most odonate species.  Records for the regionally Endangered Urothemis thomasi and regionally Endangered Acisoma variegatum and regionally Least Concern Paragomphus sinaiticus are discussed.
New kissing bug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) records from Napo and Morona-Santiago provinces with distribution updates in Ecuador
Authors: Soto-Vivas Ana , Enríquez Sandra , Villacrés Ernesto , Arrivillaga Jazzmin , Hinojosa Martín , Liria Jonathan
Published: October 2018

Four species of Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) are reported in four localities in Ecuadorian Amazonia.  Eratyrus mucronatus Stål, 1859, Rhodnius pictipes Stål, 1872 & Panstrongylus geniculatus (Latreille, 1811) in Napo Province, and Rhodnius robustus Larrousse, 1927 in Morona-Santiago Province.   Two specimens of R. pictipes were found in an urban area of Tena City (capital province).  These findings can indicate a risk of Chagas disease transmission in urban and peri-urban areas of the Amazonia.
National Biodiversity Authority
Authors: NBA -
Published: October 2018

- National Biodiversity Authority
Rapid Systolic Blood Pressure Changes After Standing Up Associate With Impaired Physical Performance in Geriatric Outpatients
Authors: Mol Arjen , Reijnierse Esmee M. , Trappenburg Marijke C. , van Wezel Richard J. A. , Maier Andrea B. , Meskers Carel G. M.
Published: October 2018

Background

Orthostatic hypotension is a prevalent condition in older adults and is associated with impaired physical performance and falls. The ability of older adults to compensate for rapid changes in systolic blood pressure (
SBP
; ie,
SBP
decline rate and
SBP
variability) may be important for physical performance. This study investigates the association of rapid
SBP
changes after standing up with physical performance.

Methods and Results

Consecutive patients who visited the Center of Geriatrics Amsterdam in 2014 and 2015 were included. The following
SBP
parameters were computed in 2 intervals (0–15 and 15–180 seconds) after standing up: steepness of steepest
SBP
decline; ratio of standing/supine
SBP
variability; and magnitude of largest
SBP
decline. Physical performance was assessed using the following measures: chair stand time, timed up and go time, walking speed, handgrip strength, and tandem stance performance. A total of 109 patients (45% men; age, mean, 81.7 years [
standard deviation
, 7.0 years]) were included. Steepness of steepest
SBP
decline (0–15 seconds) was associated with slower chair stand time (
P
<0.001), timed up and go time (
P
=0.022), and walking speed (
P
=0.024). Ratio of standing/supine
SBP
variability (0–15 seconds) was associated with slower chair stand time (
P
=0.005). Magnitude of largest
SBP
decline was not associated with physical performance.

Conclusions

SBP
parameters reflecting rapid SBP changes were more strongly associated with physical performance compared with
SBP
decline magnitude in geriatric outpatients. These results support the hypothesis of an inadequate cerebral autoregulation during rapid
SBP
changes and advocate the use of continuous
blood pressure
measurements.
Consequence and ‘Cause’: Thirteenth-Century Reflections on the Nature of Consequences
Authors: Spruyt Joke
Published: October 2018

Thirteenth-century views on consequences have not yet received much attention. Authors of this period deserve closer scrutiny, because of their profound interest in the nature of consequence. The fundamental feature of a consequence was captured in the claim that its antecedent is the cause of its consequent. At the same time authors systematically discussed consequences in terms of truth-preservation. This paper considers the requirements of syllogistic argument and consequences in general, including the role of ‘cause’ in the identification of syllogisms proper, looks at different descriptions of consequence, moves on to discussions of the syncategorema ‘si’ – in syncategoremata treatises by Peter of Spain, Henry of Ghent, Nicholas of Paris and William of Sherwood, as well as some sophismata tracts – and explores what thirteenth-century authors make of the truth-functional characterisation of consequence, showing how it clashes with the authors’ insistence on a causal connection between antecedent and consequent.
Introduction: Consequences in Medieval Logic
Authors: Archambault Jacob
Published: October 2018

This paper summarizes medieval definitions and divisions of consequences and explains the import of the medieval development of the theory of consequence for logic today. It then introduces the various contributions to this special issue of Vivarium on consequences in medieval logic.
“Philosophy, Therefore, Is within Yourself”
Authors: Carmel Elad
Published: October 2018

The connection that Hobbes makes between reason, method, and science renders reason a faculty that is not only natural but also acquired and even somewhat exclusive. This idea might pose a serious problem to Hobbes’s political theory, as it relies heavily on the successful use of reason. This problem is demonstrated in Hobbes’s account of the laws of nature, for which some equality in human reason is clearly needed, but Hobbes is not explicit about the relationship between that and the more advanced form of reason that eventually leads to science. This article suggests that Hobbes’s account of reason is developmental. The seed of natural reason is common to everyone, and is sufficient for the establishment of the commonwealth. Thereafter, peace and leisure provide the necessary conditions for developing the rational skill, that is, fulfilling the human potential for rationality. Consequently, under the right circumstances, knowledge and science are expected to progress dramatically for the benefit of society, an open-ended vision which Hobbes nevertheless leaves implicit. Following Hobbes’s account of reason and philosophy closely can therefore show that he might have had great hopes for humankind, and that in this sense he was a key member of an English Enlightenment.
Hobbes on the Artificiality of (His Own) Authority
Authors: Oxman Evan
Published: October 2018

Despite advocating for the necessity of absolutism, Hobbes is adamant that authority can only properly be derived from an act of human artifice and consent. But if the institution of sovereignty is subject to genuine choice, how can it be necessarily absolutist? I argue that one way of resolving this apparent dilemma is to focus on how Hobbes constructs and defends his own claim to authority in the Introduction to Leviathan. By encouraging his readers to read themselves and others, rather than rely on books, Hobbes ironically calls into question his own authority at the outset of his own book. But rather than subverting his claim to authority, it only strengthens it. After examining how this seemingly paradoxical tactic works, I demonstrate how an analogous claim applies to Hobbes’s account of politics.
A New Perspective on Coastally Trapped Disturbances Using Data from the Satellite Era
Authors: Juliano Timothy W. , Lebo Zachary J. , Thompson Gregory , Rahn David A.
Published: October 2018

The ability of global climate models to simulate accurately marine stratiform clouds continues to challenge the atmospheric science community. These cloud types, which account for a large uncertainty in Earth’s radiation budget, are generally difficult to characterize due to their shallowness and spatial inhomogeneity. Previous work investigating marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds off the California coast has focused on clouds that form under the typical northerly flow regime during the boreal warm season. From about June through September, however, these northerly winds may reverse and become southerly as part of a coastally trapped disturbance (CTD). As the flow surges northward, it is accompanied by a broad cloud deck. Because these events are difficult to forecast, in situ observations of CTDs are few and far between, and little is known about their cloud physical properties. A climatological perspective of 23 CTD events—spanning the years from 2004 to 2016—is presented using several data products, including model reanalyses, buoys, and satellites. For the first time, satellite retrievals suggest that CTD cloud decks may play a unique role in the radiation budget due to a combination of aerosol sources that enhance cloud droplet number concentration and reduce cloud droplet effective radius. This particular type of cloud regime should therefore be treated differently than that which is more commonly found in the summertime months over the northeast Pacific Ocean. The potential influence of a coherent wind stress cycle on sea surface temperatures and sea salt aerosol is also explored.
Neurosarcoidosis Presenting Initially as Idiopathic Vocal Cord Paralysis
Authors: Wu Tara J. , Lewis Sean M. , Woo Peak
Published: October 2018

Introduction:

The presentation, course, and management of a rare laryngeal manifestation of neurosarcoidosis due to central nervous system (as opposed to peripheral nervous system) injury are described.

Methods:

The authors present 3 cases of vocal cord paralysis as the initial symptom of isolated neurosarcoidosis at a tertiary care laryngology clinic.

Results:

Laryngoscopy diagnosed unilateral vocal cord paralysis. Laryngeal electromyography revealed high vagal injury, prompting workup on brain magnetic resonance imaging. On magnetic resonance imaging, 2 cases showed basilar leptomeningeal inflammation and 1 case showed a brainstem mass. Patients were found at follow-up to have severe, progressive vagal injury, with patients developing severe quality of life impairments and medical complications.

Conclusions:

Neurosarcoidosis is not usually considered in the differential diagnosis of vocal cord paralysis. At initial presentation, all patients lacked other cranial neuropathies and systemic sarcoidosis manifestations, making diagnosis difficult. Otolaryngologists should be aware of this rare presentation, as prompt diagnosis by brain magnetic resonance imaging with or without central nervous system biopsy, as opposed to traditional chest radiography or computed tomography for the workup of peripheral nerve injury, is necessary. Serial laryngeal examinations are recommended for close monitoring of progressive disease and recommending treatment. Injection or medialization laryngoplasty can provide improvements in voicing but not swallow.
Addressing the threat of climate change to agriculture requires improving crop resilience to short-term abiotic stress
Authors: Beacham Andrew M , Hand Paul , Barker Guy C , Denby Katherine J , Teakle Graham R , Walley Peter G , Monaghan James M
Published: October 2018

Climate change represents a serious threat to global agriculture, necessitating the development of more environmentally resilient crops to safeguard the future of food production. The effects of climate change are appearing to include a higher frequency of extreme weather events and increased day-to-day weather variability. As such, crops which are able to cope with short-term environmental stress, in addition to those that are tolerant to longer term stress conditions are required . It is becoming apparent that the hitherto relatively little studied process of post-stress plant recovery could be key to optimizing growth and production under fluctuating conditions with intermittent transient stress events. Developing more durable crops requires the provision of genetic resources to identify useful traits through the development of screening protocols. Such traits can then become the objective of crop breeding programmes. In this study, we discuss these issues and outline example research in leafy vegetables that is investigating resilience to short-term abiotic stress.
Male Weight Trainers’ Body Dissatisfaction and Exercise Dependence: Mediating Role of Muscularity Drive
Authors: Liu Hong-Yu , Chang Chiu-Chen , Gill Diane L. , Wu Shu-Ching , Lu Frank J. H.
Published: October 2018

In considering that body image-related perceptions may be associated with weight trainers’ exercise dependence, the purpose of this study was to examine the (a) relationship between body dissatisfaction and drive for muscularity and (b) drive for muscularity as a mediator of the body dissatisfaction–exercise dependence relationship. In sum, 278 male weight trainers ( Mage =29.03 years, SD = 7.83) residing in a southern city of Taiwan completed scales of body dissatisfaction, drive for muscularity, and exercise dependence. Pearson correlation analysis found that body dissatisfaction, drive for muscularity, and exercise dependence were all correlated. Further, the indirect mediation model with bootstrapping found that drive for muscularity partially mediated the body dissatisfaction–exercise dependence relationship (c path: β = .51, SE = 0.07, p=.001: c′ path: β = .13, SE = 0.80, p = .03). We concluded that male weight trainers’ body image-related perceptions influence exercise behavior and suggested that body image-related perceptions might be considered in studying exercise dependence.
A study of ultrasound/H2O2 combined surface modification on polyglycolic acid monofilaments for acupoint catgut embedding therapy application
Authors: Fu Shaoju , Yang Dongchao , Zhao Cunyi , Zhang Peihua
Published: October 2018

Polyglycolic acid (PGA) monofilament has been regarded as an excellent acupoint catgut embedding therapy (ACET) material because it offers numerous advantages, including easy accessibility and good forming and degradable properties. However, the poor hydrophilicity and cytocompatibility are the main disadvantages preventing it from having wider applications. In this communication, two types of PGA monofilaments were first fabricated from their polymer chips, followed by ultrasound/H2O2 combined surface modification at 1:1 (V/V), and different ultrasound frequencies (45, 60 and 75 KHz) were explored. The modified PGA monofilaments were fully characterized with respect to structure characterizations (surface morphology, weights and diameters, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis and hydrophilicity), mechanical properties (tensile property, swelling behavior and flexibility) and in vitro properties (cytotoxicity, cell attachment and cell morphology). The results showed that the PGA monofilaments after modification would become coarser, with larger weights and diameters. Samples 1-PGA 75 and 2-PGA 75 exhibited the smallest contact angles at 70.51° ± 3.27° and 62.84° ± 2.53°, respectively. The FT-IR analysis results confirmed that some polar groups emerged, promoting the hydrophilicity of PGA monofilaments. The swelling behavior of monofilaments was enhanced, while tensile and bending stiffness values slightly decreased. All the prepared samples presented no toxicity, and the cell attachment ratio (cultured for 48 h) of PGA monofilaments had been greatly improved after modification. These findings present important clinical implications in the ACET materials manufacturing process and warrant further study to develop new PGA embedding materials with outstanding clinical efficacy.
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis with neurological manifestations in an infant with scrub typhus: a rare fatal occurrence
Authors: Agrwal Shipra , Dabas Aashima , Mantan Mukta , Yadav Sangeeta
Published: October 2018

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a syndrome of unchecked activation of the immune system leading to phagocytosis of blood cells and proliferation of histiocytes in solid organs. HLH can be primary or secondary to infective, autoimmune and malignant conditions. Scrub typhus is an infective illness caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, transmitted by mite. The illness ranges from mild fever with rash to severe multisystem illness. Scrub typhus has rarely been associated with secondary HLH. We report an infant with scrub typhus who progressed to develop HLH with central nervous system involvement with fatal outcome.
The Consequences of Strategic News Coverage for Democracy: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zoizner Alon
Published: October 2018

One of the most dominant ways of covering politics in the media is by focusing on politicians’ strategies for gaining public support and their positions at the polls. The conventional wisdom is that this tendency—usually referred to as strategic, horse race, or game coverage—has negative consequences for democracy because it increases political alienation. Others argue, however, that the public’s attraction to strategic coverage improves knowledge about issues and encourages civic engagement. This study examines the consequences of strategic coverage by performing a meta-analysis of published and unpublished studies. Based on 54 findings from 32 studies and 38,658 respondents, I show that across studies and contexts, strategic coverage increases political cynicism ( d = 0.32), reduces substance-based political knowledge ( d = −0.31), and discourages positive evaluations regarding the news items ( d = −0.22). However, there is no evidence that this coverage erodes participation. These findings correspond with scholars’ previous concerns.
Nonanatomic Horn Position Increases Risk of Early Graft Failures After Lateral Meniscal Allograft Transplantation
Authors: Kim Jae Hyan , Bin Seong-Il , Lee Bum-Sik , Kim Jong-Min , Kim Nam-Ki , Lee Chang-Rack , Han Geunwon
Published: October 2018

Background:

The cause of early graft failure within 1 year of meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) remains unclear. The association of early failure with a nonanatomic horn position of the allograft after lateral MAT with the keyhole technique has never been evaluated.

Hypothesis:

A nonanatomic horn position of an allograft would be a significant risk factor for a premature graft tear as compared with an anatomically positioned allograft.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

From October 2007 to October 2016, 208 patients (214 knees) with primary isolated lateral MAT in a single center were enrolled. A >5-mm or 10% discrepancy between pre- and postoperative horn position was defined as “nonanatomic,” and the early failure rate was compared. Among 214 cases of lateral MAT, 54 were nonanatomically positioned, and 160 were anatomically positioned. The early failures (within 1 year after MAT) were defined as (1) grade 3 signal intensities (tears) over one-third of the allograft on magnetic resonance image or (2) removal of more than one-third of the allograft because of tears.

Results:

Among the early failure cases, 6 were in the nonanatomic group and 5 in the anatomic group. The failure rate was 11.1% (6 of 54) in the nonanatomic group and 3.1% (5 of 160) in the anatomic group, with a 5.1% (11 of 214) overall early failure rate. The nonanatomic horn position group had an increased risk of early graft failure as compared with the anatomically positioned group (odds ratio = 3.88; 95% CI, 1.13-13.26). Anteriorized and lateralized horn position was identified in the nonanatomic group as compared with the anatomic group. Differences in patient age, sex, body mass index, involved knee, cartilage status, alignment of lower extremity, and joint space width were not statistically significant between the groups.

Conclusion:

Horn position discrepancy was associated with an increased risk of early graft failures. Meticulous insertion of a bone bridge is needed to ensure anatomically correct horn positioning to avoid early graft failure in lateral MAT with the keyhole technique.
Social Media Communication in the Workplace: Evidence From Public Employees’ Networks
Authors: Fusi Federica , Zhang Fengxiu
Published: October 2018

Although public employees increasingly utilize social media in the workplace, public management scholarship has provided little evidence on how public employees use such tools and what role they play in professional networks. Public organizations struggle to balance policies encouraging social media use for communication and regulations that prevent time wasting or security issues. We suggest that an examination of social media communication patterns can guide public organizations to design organizational policies and address internal social media use. Combining a network approach with insights from communication and social media studies, we investigate how closeness, proximity, interactions, and resources predict public employees’ communication on social media. We develop and test a multilevel model using 2014 egocentric network data among 2,362 employees in a U.S. public university. We find that social media communication in public organizations is explained by proximity, closeness, and social interactions rather than professional interactions and access to resources.
What About the Role of Virtual Reality in Parkinson Disease’s Cognitive Rehabilitation? Preliminary Findings From a Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Maggio Maria Grazia , De Cola Maria Cristina , Latella Desirèe , Maresca Giuseppa , Finocchiaro Chiara , La Rosa Gianluca , Cimino Vincenzo , Sorbera Chiara , Bramanti Placido , De Luca Rosaria , Calabrò Rocco Salvatore
Published: October 2018

Background:

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a virtual reality training with BTS Nirvana (BTS-N) system in the cognitive and behavioral recovery in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). The BTS-N is a semi-immersive therapy system used for motor and cognitive rehabilitation of patients with neurological diseases, by creating virtual scenarios with which the patient may interact.

Methods:

We enrolled 20 patients with PD undergoing neurorehabilitation. All the patients were randomized into 2 groups: experimental group performing semi-immersive virtual reality training with BTS-N and control group undergoing traditional cognitive training. Each participant was evaluated before and immediately after the end of the training. Each cognitive training consisted of 3 sessions a week, each lasting 60 minutes, for 8 weeks, for a total of 24 sessions in each group.

Results:

Experimental group showed a greater improvement in cognitive functioning, with regard to executive and visuospatial abilities, as compared with the control group.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest that rehabilitation through a new virtual reality instrument could be a valuable tool in improving cognitive and behavioral outcomes of patients with PD.
Comparison of flexoelectric and piezoelectric ring energy harvester
Authors: Zhang XF , Hu KM , Li H
Published: October 2018

Flexoelectric/piezoelectric effect is an electromechanical coupling effect occurring in dielectrics. In this study, a flexoelectric/piezoelectric ring energy harvester is proposed based on the direct flexoelectric/piezoelectric effect. The flexoelectric/piezoelectric ring energy harvester is made of an elastic ring and a flexoelectric/piezoelectric patch laminated on its surface. The electromechanical coupling mechanism of the flexoelectric/piezoelectric ring energy harvester is explored. Then the voltage and power output across the load resistance are derived in the closed-circuit condition for the energy harvester. The distinctive characteristics between the flexoelectric and the piezoelectric energy harvesters are discussed and compared in detail. The output power/voltage is related to various parameters, such as flexoelectric/piezoelectric patch size, load resistance, and flexoelectric/piezoelectric patch thickness, which are discussed to improve the power output across the load resistance. The flexoelectric ring energy harvester is more effective than the piezoelectric ring energy harvester in the transverse oscillation-bending dominant vibration, since the flexoelectric effect is sensitive to the strain gradient (bending strain). This study, including theoretical derivations and simulation plots, provide design guidelines in engineering applications for flexoelectric/piezoelectric effect.
Fiscal welfare in Europe: Why should we care and what do we know so far?
Authors: Morel Nathalie , Touzet Chloé , Zemmour Michaël
Published: October 2018

This article offers a reflection on how integrating fiscal welfare into welfare state research can shed light on some subtle, yet important, transformations of welfare states and social citizenship in Europe. We begin by clarifying the concepts of fiscal welfare and social tax expenditures (STEs), by reviewing and critically assessing the various related concepts found in the literature. We also map out the empirical knowledge currently available, highlighting the limitations in the available data. Then, drawing on both existing knowledge (developed especially in the context of the US welfare state) and the emerging literature on fiscal welfare in Europe, we identify a number of trends and set out some hypotheses as to why tax expenditures have become a privileged instrument in the field of social policy: not only do STEs appear as a useful instrument to build consensus across party lines in a context of budgetary austerity and strong control of public expenditures, they also enable the discreet privatization of social insurance schemes. Fiscal welfare also allows for a new mode of governing social policy through incentives, which entails a different mode of redistribution than traditional social policy instruments. Finally, we identify the remaining empirical and theoretical gaps to guide future research on the subject.
Extreme Personalities at Work and in Life
Authors: Carter Nathan T. , Miller Joshua D. , Widiger Thomas A.
Published: October 2018

Contemporary personality taxonomies cast personality traits as ranging from the maladaptive (e.g., low conscientiousness) to adaptive (e.g., high conscientiousness) levels. Despite philosophical and conventional wisdom dating back to the ancients, researchers have only recently begun to uncover evidence that extreme standing on “normal” or “desirable” personality traits might be maladaptive. Here, we present an emerging perspective on why and how extreme standing on “desirable” trait continua translates into maladaptive behavior and undesirable outcomes at work and in life. An overview of the literature on the topic is presented for each trait within the five-factor model. We suggest two reasons for the lack of clarity in the empirical literature: (a) problems with statistical tests resulting from measurement error and (b) lack of breadth in the conceptualization and measurement of personality traits. We suggest that a solution to this problem is to extend trait continua to reflect maladaptive levels at both ends. We close by pointing out that a major implication of this emerging perspective indicates that many more people possess optimal personality-trait levels than previously thought and that future research needs to examine whether the question is consistent with evolutionary and neurophysiological accounts of personality science.
Linkages Between the Foreign Exchange Markets of BRIC Countries—Brazil, Russia, India and China—and the USA
Authors: Aroul Ramya Rajajagadeesan , Swanson Peggy E.
Published: October 2018

The past decade has witnessed increasing trade and capital flow movements between BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and the USA indicating a need for a better understanding of currency linkages between these countries. This article examines long-run and short-run relationships between foreign exchange markets of BRIC countries and the USA. Long-run results indicate that, over a period beginning January 2000 and ending November 2013, the currency markets of China, India and the USA are tied together, implying that from the perspective of the US investor, the markets of Brazil and Russia provide the greater diversification benefits. Further, the USA is found to be the source of the common trend (CT), suggesting that it leads the three (cointegrated) markets towards the long-run equilibrium relationships. Brazil and India share no short-run lead-lag relationship with the USA.

JEL Classification: F31, G15
Conquering Relevance: Entrepreneurship Research's Grand Challenge
Authors: Wiklund Johan , Wright Mike , Zahra Shaker A.
Published: October 2018

Entrepreneurship research has grown rapidly in its scope, rigor, and impact. By every measure, our field now enjoys considerable academic acceptance and legitimacy as a scholarly discipline. However, several forces around the globe are demanding greater attention to (and perhaps redefinition of) relevance. We discuss what relevance means, how the field can achieve it, and how to best communicate it to the diverse stakeholders of our field.
Findings From a Thematic Synthesis of Key Messages From a Palliative Care Research Network: The KINDLE Project
Authors: Nicholson Emma , Murphy Tara , Larkin Philip , Normand Charles , Guerin Suzanne
Published: October 2018

Background:

Effective palliative care requires a strong evidence base to advance clinical practice and policy-making. Calls for more collaborative and strategic approaches to research have resulted in the development of research networks at national and wider regional levels.

Aim:

The aim was to synthesize the learning arising from the activities of the Palliative Care Research Network from the island of Ireland, in order to identify the overarching messages from these activities. The ultimate aim is to promote the communication of these messages to practice.

Design:

The study developed a systematic search process influenced by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines, with analysis of data adopting a qualitative critical interpretative synthesis approach using thematic synthesis.

Participants:

In total, 142 dissemination products were sourced from 22 associated projects, including peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, reports, and web/social media posts.

Results:

The synthesis of dissemination products identified 4 key themes relating to palliative care research and practice: (1) addressing the needs of patients while recognizing the caregiver role, (2) equal access to connected services, (3) general and specific needs in palliative care research, and (4) challenges in palliative care research.

Conclusions:

The key themes identified relate to challenges in both practice and research, highlighting the complexity of palliative care provision that aims to support both patients and carers, and research in this area. However, an important implication is the need for a broader approach to dissemination (beyond traditional academic activities) to ensure that research in palliative care is well placed to inform both practice and policy.
Parties, Candidates, and Gendered Political Recruitment in Closed-List Proportional Representation Systems: The Case of Spain
Authors: Verge Tània , Wiesehomeier Nina
Published: October 2018

Throughout the world, the number of women elected to legislatures has risen dramatically. Most of the quantitative research explaining party, district, or national differences has focused on the aggregate rather than the candidate level thereby overlooking women’s access to party ballots. In examining both the election and selection stages, we focus on Spain, a closed-list proportional representation system where parties have tight control over their ballots and the election of candidates is largely a function of rank orders on the ballot. In this South European democracy women’s representation in the national parliament has experienced an incremental track, reaching 39 percent in 2016. Party differences in gender outcomes and policies promoting equal gender representation did not vanish once a legislated quota was introduced in 2007. The empirical analysis builds on an original set of candidate longitudinal data covering nine elections held between 1986 and 2016. Specifically, we test how party and candidate factors differentially affect the selection of men and women to party ballots and their likelihood of getting elected. We show that strategic discrimination against female candidates affects all parties and it happens irrespective of candidates’ political experience, which explains why male overrepresentation has been significantly reduced but not overturned.
Synchronous Pulmonary Adenofibroma and Solitary Fibrous Tumor: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Olson Nicholas J. , Czum Julianna M. , de Abreu Francine B. , Linos Konstantinos , Black Candice C.
Published: October 2018

Pulmonary adenofibroma (PAF) is a rare neoplasm that may be related to solitary fibrous tumor (SFT). A subset of PAFs harbor the NAB2-STAT6 fusion that is typical of SFT, but a significant proportion do not. Their distinction is clinically important as SFTs can potentially have an aggressive clinical course, while there has been no report of a PAF behaving in a malignant fashion. We report a case of a 60-year-old male who developed a SFT and PAF in the same lung. The SFT harbored a NAB2-STAT6 fusion, while the PAF did not have any identifiable fusion. This case represents the first instance of a single patient with both of these tumors occurring simultaneously in the same lung.
Factors affecting the motor outcome after corrective surgery for acquired comitant esotropia
Authors: Kassem Rehab R
Published: October 2018

Purpose:

To determine the possible predictors of the motor outcome after corrective surgery for acquired comitant esotropia.

Methods:

The study included 40 patients with acquired comitant esotropia. After evaluation of the visual, sensory, and motor status; cycloplegic refraction; fundus examination; and spectacle prescription, all patients underwent corrective strabismus surgery. A successful motor outcome was defined as 0 to 10 prism diopters of horizontal tropia. Statistical analysis of the results was done using the chi-square tests.

Results:

At the sixth postoperative month, 90% achieved a successful motor outcome, while 2.5% had a consecutive exotropia >10 prism diopters, and 7.5% had a residual esotropia >10 prism diopters. A statistically significant relationship existed between the motor outcome and the following: preoperative results of the Worth four-dot test at 6 m ( p = .011) and 0.33 m ( p = .009), preoperative distant ( p = .016) and near ( p = .017) angles of esotropia with glasses, postoperative near angles of deviation at 1 week ( p = .005), 1 month ( p < .001), 6 weeks ( p < .001), 3 months ( p = .001), and 6 months ( p < .001) following surgery, postoperative distant angles of deviation at 6 weeks ( p < .001) and 3 months ( p = .03) following surgery, 6 week ( p  = .01) and 6 month ( p  = .036) postoperative results of the Worth four-dot test at 0.33 m, and the 6-month postoperative sensory outcome ( p  = .006).

Conclusion:

Preoperative and postoperative sensory and motor functions are predictors of the 6-month postoperative motor outcome.