bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fecal Microbiota Transplant in a Patient Infected with Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria: A Case Report
Authors: Gouveia Catarina , Palos Carlos , Pereira Patrícia , Roque Ramos Lídia , Cravo Marília
Published: August 2020

Introduction: There has been a growing interest in fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as a way to manipulate gut microbiota, with potential benefit in patients infected with multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Case Presentation: We present the case of an 87-year-old male with recurrent ascending cholangitis due to biliary atony and impaired biliary drainage after multiple biliary sphincterotomies and two papillary balloon dilations. In this context, a choledochoduodenostomy was performed, but the patient kept on having repeated episodes of acute cholangitis, resulting in multiple hospitalizations, every other week, with need of multiple broad-spectrum antibiotic courses, which led to bacteremias with MDR microorganisms. Several therapeutic strategies such as prophylactic antibiotics (including rifaximin), pre- and probiotics, prokinetics, and ursodeoxycholic acid were unsuccessfully attempted. After multidisciplinary case discussion, an FMT was proposed, with the aim of manipulating gut microbiota and decreasing MDR bacteremias. We first performed FMT via colonoscopy in September 2018, after which the patient still had 3 more hospitalizations for acute cholangitis, but isolated bacteria in blood cultures were resistant only to amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. Considering this apparent change in the microbial resistance profile, we performed a second FMT in January 2019 via the upper gastrointestinal route. During the next 4 months, the patient remained well. In April 2019, the patient relapsed again with three more episodes of cholangitis, for which we repeated the FMT via upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. No readmissions were observed during the next 4 months. All three FMTs were performed without complications. Discussion and Conclusion: FMT seems to be a safe procedure and was effective in decreasing hospital admissions and changing the profile of MDR bacteria previously isolated from blood cultures.
Capsaicin in the Treatment of Refractory Neuropathic Pain after Mastectomy Surgery: A Case Report
Authors: Flöther Lilit , Avila-Castillo David , Burgdorff Anna-Maria , Benndorf Ralf A.
Published: August 2020

A 62-year-old female patient with a history of mastectomy surgery and sentinel lymphadenectomy in the context of breast cancer therapy was referred to our clinic for the treatment of refractory neuropathic pain. She reported a complex set of symptoms including burning and electrical-like sensations as well as profound hyperesthesia, hyperalgesia, and allodynia. The symptoms persisted chronically over months with a strong intensity and did not sufficiently respond to oral pain medication and co-analgetics, that is, tapentadol and pregabalin. As the patient could hardly move her right upper arm due to the pain, the quality of life was greatly reduced. In addition, the patient reported pain-related anxiety and depression. Therefore, a therapy with capsaicin 8% patch was initiated. Treatment with capsaicin 8% led to pain relief without tolerance development and improved flexibility in the affected body area. Despite significant pain relief, previous oral pain medications (tapentadol, pregabalin) as well as the anti-depressant amitriptyline were maintained to fully resolve pain symptoms, anxiety, and depression. In conclusion, capsaicin 8% may represent an effective therapeutic alternative for patients suffering from refractory neuropathic pain.
Induction of Effector and Memory Cellular Immunity in a Patient with Long-Term Complete Molecular Response to Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Jo Tatsuro , Shioya Haruna , Tominaga Hiroo , Sakai Takahiro , Hayashi Shizuka , Matsuzaka Kaori , Kaneko Yohei , Matsuo Masatoshi , Taguchi Jun
Published: August 2020

This case report is about a patient who suffered from Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1)-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The blasts were positive for myeloid-lineage markers including CD13 and CD33, as well as B-cell-lineage markers. Minor bcr-abl1 mRNA was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Chromosomal abnormality monosomy 7 was also observed, in addition to Ph1. Despite treatment difficulties that were anticipated based on these findings, the patient had long-time complete molecular response (CMR) for approximately 5 years using chemotherapy and two tyrosine kinase inhibitors, imatinib and dasatinib. Lymphocytes were elevated after the patient switched from imatinib to dasatinib, and a T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta gene repertoire analysis revealed oligoclonal expansion of effector and memory cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), including Wilms tumor 1-specific CTLs. More specifically, the two memory CTLs expressing TCR V beta 3 and V beta 7.1 gradually increased after dasatinib administration. The activation and maintenance of anti-leukemia immunity may have allowed the patient to obtain long-time CMR. These results highlight that obtaining memory CTLs for leukemia cells may lead to safe withdrawal from dasatinib in the patient.
Optical Coherence Tomography Findings (SD-OCT and OCTA) in Early-Stage Type 3 Neovascularization
Authors: Silva Nisa , Marta Ana , Baptista Pedro , Furtado Maria João , Lume Miguel
Published: August 2020

A 76-year-old male presented with a small hyperreflective density in the outer nuclear layer with subtle retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) elevation and few intraretinal cysts on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) confirmed the presence of a tuft-shaped intraretinal neovascular lesion. SD-OCT performed 2 months before showed a smaller RPE elevation at the same location without intraretinal fluid. A 79-year-old male presented with a small hyperreflective density in the outer retina surrounded by scant intraretinal fluid on SD-OCT and a bright vessel on OCTA, suggesting early-stage type 3 neovascularization. SD-OCT performed 2 months before showed a smaller hyperreflectivity at the same location, without intraretinal fluid. An 84-year-old female presented with hyperreflective foci in the outer retina overlying a serous pigment epithelium detachment (PED) with focal RPE disruption on SD-OCT. SD-OCT performed 2 months before showed the same hyperreflective lesion associated with a shallower PED. No neovascular lesions were found on OCTA after six injections of bevacizumab. To conclude, careful evaluation of SD-OCT allows for early detection of type 3 neovascularization at a pre-exudative stage. OCTA may be useful in confirming the presence of intraretinal neovascular lesion and monitoring response to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents.
Characteristic Cytological Findings of Lobular Endocervical Glandular Hyperplasia Associated with Adenocarcinoma of the Uterine Cervix
Authors: Ishii Shuhei , Ito Takahiko , Yamada Marisa , Yamazaki Naoko , Ikebata Koichi , Fujiyama Junzo , Furuta Noriyuki , Komatsu Kyoko , Takeuchi Kengo , Sugiyama Yuko , Takazawa Yutaka
Published: August 2020

Objective: To investigate the cytological findings of lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia (LEGH) associated with adenocarcinoma and to clarify its characteristics and the coexisting adenocarcinoma using histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. Methods: Eighteen surgical cases of LEGH of the uterine cervix were retrospectively reviewed and classified into 3 groups: pure (pure type), atypical (atypical type), and LEGH with adenocarcinoma (mixed type). The mixed type is defined as LEGH or atypical LEGH with in situ or invasive adenocarcinoma. Cytological findings of conventional endocervical smear specimens (Papanicolaou stain) were analyzed. Histochemistry (periodic acid-Schiff reaction) and immunohistochemistry (M-GGMC-1, Muc-6 glycoprotein, and Ki-67) were performed using tissue specimens. Results: Cytologically, the pure type (7 cases) is characterized by glandular cell clusters that tended to form monolayered sheets with uniformly small nuclei and contain golden-yellowish mucin, whereas atypical (5 cases) and mixed (6 cases) types are characterized by glandular cell clusters similar to those of the pure type, but with complex glandular structures and mucin localization on the surface of glandular cell clusters. Ki-67 labeling index was significantly higher in atypical and mixed types than that in the pure type. Gastric-type mucinous carcinoma (MC-G) was observed in 2 out of 6 cases with mixed type. Conclusions: LEGH is found to be associated with adenocarcinoma types other than MC-G. Complex glandular structures or mucin localization on the surface of glandular cell clusters may be useful cytological findings to detect atypical and mixed types of LEGH.
Validity of International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Codes for Cirrhosis
Authors: Ramrakhiani Nathan S. , Le Michael H. , Yeo Yee Hui , Le An K. , Maeda Mayumi , Nguyen Mindie H.
Published: August 2020

Introduction: Accurate identification of patients with cirrhosis is important for research using administrative databases. We aimed to examine the accuracy of several major ICD-10 codes for cirrhosis diagnosis in a large and diverse patient cohort; there is little existing research on this topic. Methods: Using data from 3,396 patients with chronic liver disease (hepatitis B or C or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease) from 1 university and several community medical centers, we calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for several major ICD-10 codes for cirrhosis, which was verified by individual chart review. We performed a secondary validation in a general cohort of 1,560 randomly selected patients. Results: While each of the individual study ICD-10 codes were specific (98.08–100%), none of the codes were sufficiently sensitive (0.27–55.70%). PPVs were high in the chronic liver disease cohort (88.41–100%) but lower in the general population (55.53–66.76%). The AUROC for having at least 1 code was higher (0.79) than any code alone (0.50–0.65). Discussion/Conclusion: Individual ICD-10 codes are suboptimal for identifying patients with cirrhosis in the general patient population. We recommend conditioning ICD-10 code searches with a chronic liver disease diagnosis code and/or combining diagnostic codes to maximize performance.
Cardiac Conduction Disorders as Markers of Cardiac Events in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1
Authors: Itoh Hideki , Hisamatsu Takashi , Tamura Takuhisa , Segawa Kazuhiko , Takahashi Toshiaki , Takada Hiroto , Kuru Satoshi , Wada Chizu , Suzuki Mikiya , Suwazono Shugo , Sasaki Shingo , Okumura Ken , Horie Minoru , Takahashi Masanori P. , Matumura Tsuyoshi
Published: August 2020

Background

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 involves cardiac conduction disorders. Cardiac conduction disease can cause fatal arrhythmias or sudden death in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1.

Methods and Results

This study enrolled 506 patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (aged ≥15 years; >50 cytosine‐thymine‐guanine repeats) and was treated in 9 Japanese hospitals for neuromuscular diseases from January 2006 to August 2016. We investigated genetic and clinical backgrounds including health care, activities of daily living, dietary intake, cardiac involvement, and respiratory involvement during follow‐up. The cause of death or the occurrence of composite cardiac events (ie, ventricular arrhythmias, advanced atrioventricular blocks, and device implantations) were evaluated as significant outcomes. During a median follow‐up period of 87 months (Q1–Q3, 37–138 months), 71 patients expired. In the univariate analysis, pacemaker implantations (hazard ratio [HR], 4.35; 95% CI, 1.22–15.50) were associated with sudden death. In contrast, PQ interval ≥240 ms, QRS duration ≥120 ms, nutrition, or respiratory failure were not associated with the incidence of sudden death. The multivariable analysis revealed that a PQ interval ≥240 ms (HR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.9–7.19,
P
<0.05) or QRS duration ≥120 ms (HR, 9.41; 95% CI, 2.62–33.77,
P
< 0.01) were independent factors associated with a higher occurrence of cardiac events than those observed with a PQ interval <240 ms or QRS duration <120 ms; these cardiac conduction parameters were not related to sudden death.

Conclusions

Cardiac conduction disorders are independent markers associated with cardiac events. Further investigation on the prediction of occurrence of sudden death is warranted.
The Incidence and Associated Factors of Early Neurological Deterioration After Thrombolysis
Authors: Yu Wai M. , Abdul-Rahim Azmil H. , Cameron Alan C. , Kõrv Janika , Sevcik Petr , Toni Danilo , Lees Kennedy R. , Wahlgren N. , Ahmed N. , Caso V. , Roffe C. , Kobayashi A. , Tsivgoulis G. , Toni D. , Ford G.A. , Lees K.R. , Ringleb P.
Published: August 2020

Background and purpose:

Early neurological deterioration (END) after stroke onset may predict severe outcomes. Estimated rates of END after intravenous thrombolysis among small patient samples have been reported up to 29.8%. We studied the incidence and factors associated with END among patients following intravenous thrombolysis.

Methods:

We analyzed SITS-International Stroke Thrombolysis registry patients with known outcomes enrolled in 2010 to 2017. END was defined as an increase in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≥4 or death within 24 hours from baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale. We determined the incidence of END and used logistic regression models to inspect its associated factors. We adjusted for variables found significant in univariate analyses (
P
<0.05). Main outcomes were incidence of END, associated predictors of END, ordinal day-90 mRS, and day-90 mortality.

Results:

We excluded 53 539 patients and included 50 726 patients. The incidence of END was 3415/50 726 (6.7% [95% CI, 6.5%–7.0%]). Factors independently associated with END on multivariate analysis were intracerebral hemorrhage (OR, 3.23 [95% CI, 2.96–3.54],
P
<0.001), large vessel disease (LVD) with carotid stenosis (OR, 2.97 [95% CI, 2.45–3.61],
P
<0.001), other LVD (OR, 2.41 [95% CI, 2.03–2.88],
P
<0.001), and ischemic stroke versus transient ischemic attack (TIA)/stroke mimics (OR, 16.14 [95% CI, 3.99–65.3],
P
<0.001). END was associated with worse outcome on ordinal mRS: adjusted OR 2.48 (95% CI, 2.39–2.57,
P
<0.001) by day-90 compared with no END. The adjusted OR for day-90 mortality was 9.70 (95% CI, 8.36–11.26,
P
<0.001).

Conclusions:

The routinely observed rate of END reflected by real-world data is low, but END greatly increases risk of disability and mortality. Readily identifiable factors predict END and may help with understanding causal mechanisms to assist prevention of END.
Risk Factors for Postprocedural Arterial Ischemic Stroke in Children With Cardiac Disease
Authors: Henzi Bettina C. , Brotschi Barbara , Balmer Christian , Hennig Bert , Rimensberger Peter , Perez Marie-Hélène , Pfammatter Jean-Pierre , Beghetti Maurice , Sekarski Nicole , Datta Alexandre N. , Fluss Joel , Faignart Nicole , Hackenberg Annette , Regényi Mária , Steinlin Maja , Hug Maja I.
Published: August 2020

Background and Purpose:

Cardiac pathologies are the second most frequent risk factor (RF) in children with arterial ischemic stroke (AIS). This study aimed to analyze RFs for AIS in children with cardiac disease and cardiac intervention.

Methods:

Data were drawn from the Swiss Neuropediatric Stroke Registry. Patients with cardiac disease and postprocedural AIS registered from 2000 until 2015 were analyzed for the cause of cardiac disease and for potential RFs.

Results:

Forty-seven out of 78 children with cardiac disease had a cardiac intervention. Of these, 36 presented a postprocedural AIS. Median time from cardiac intervention to symptom onset was 4 days (interquartile range, 2–8.5); time to diagnosis of AIS was 2 days (interquartile range, 0–5.8). Main RFs for postprocedural AIS were hypotension, prosthetic cardiac material, right-to-left shunt, arrhythmias, low cardiac output, and infections.

Conclusions:

In children with postprocedural AIS, time to diagnosis was delayed. Most patients presented multiple potentially modifiable RFs as hemodynamic alterations and infections.
Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage After Mechanical Thrombectomy in Chinese Ischemic Stroke Patients
Authors: Zhang Xiaohao , Xie Yi , Wang Huaiming , Yang Dong , Jiang Teng , Yuan Kang , Gong Pengyu , Xu Pengfei , Li Yunzi , Chen Jingjing , Wu Min , Sheng Lei , Liu Dezhi , Liu Xinfeng , Xu Gelin
Published: August 2020

Background and Purpose:

Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), potentially associated with poor prognosis, is a major complication of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for ischemic stroke patients. We aimed to develop and validate a risk model for predicting sICH after EVT in Chinese patients due to large-artery occlusions in the anterior circulation.

Methods:

The derivation cohort recruited patients with EVT from the Endovascular Treatment for Acute Anterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke Registry in China. sICH was diagnosed according to the Heidelberg Bleeding Classification within 24 hours of EVT. Stepwise logistic regression was performed to derive the predictive model. The discrimination and calibration of the risk model were assessed using the C index and the calibration plot. An additional cohort of 503 patients from 2 stroke centers was prospectively enrolled to validate the new model.

Results:

We enrolled 629 patients who underwent EVT as the derivation cohort, among whom 87 developed sICH (13.8%). In the multivariate adjustment, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (odds ratio [OR], 0.85;
P
=0.005), baseline glucose (OR, 1.13;
P
=0.001), poor collateral circulation (OR, 3.06;
P
=0.001), passes with retriever (OR, 1.52;
P
=0.001), and onset-to-groin puncture time (OR, 1.79;
P
=0.024) were independent factors of sICH and were incorporated as the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, Baseline Glucose, Poor Collateral Circulation, Passes With Retriever, and Onset-to-Groin Puncture Time (ASIAN) score. The ASIAN score demonstrated good discrimination in the derivation cohort (C index, 0.771 [95% CI, 0.716–0.826]), as well as the validation cohort (C index, 0.758 [95% CI, 0.691–0.825]).

Conclusions:

The ASIAN score reliably predicts the risk of sICH in Chinese ischemic stroke patients treated by EVT.
Critical Appraisal on the Quality of Reporting on Safety and Efficacy of Transcarotid Artery Stenting With Flow Reversal
Authors: Coelho Andreia , Prassaparo Tossapol , Mansilha Armando , Kappelle Jaap , Naylor Ross , de Borst Gert J.
Published: August 2020

Transcarotid revascularization is an alternative to transfemoral carotid artery stenting, designed to avoid aortic arch manipulation and concomitant periprocedural stroke. This article aims to perform a detailed analysis on the quality of the currently available evidence on safety and efficacy of transcarotid artery revascularization. Although current evidence is promising, independent randomized controlled studies comparing transcarotid artery revascularization with carotid endarterectomy in recently symptomatic patients are lacking and will be necessary to establish the true value of transcarotid artery revascularization in carotid artery revascularization.
Cortical Microinfarcts Associated With Worse Outcomes in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Receiving Endovascular Treatment
Authors: Wei Yufei , Pu Yuehua , Pan Yuesong , Nie Ximing , Duan Wanying , Liu Dacheng , Yan Hongyi , Lu Qixuan , Zhang Zhe , Yang Zhonghua , Wen Miao , Gu Weibin , Hou Xinyi , Ma Ning , Leng Xinyi , Miao Zhongrong , Liu Liping , Wang Ning , Chen Shengli , Zhang Meng , Li Wei , Zhang Xu , Ke Kaifu , Niu Xiaoyuan , Sun Bing , Zhang Xin , Du Huishan , Li Hongyan , Wu Jin , Wang Changqing , Xiong Yingqiong , Liu Yong , Yang Jun , Wu Guode , Song Xiaonan
Published: August 2020

Background and Purpose:

We aimed to evaluate the impact of cortical microinfarcts (CMIs) on functional outcome after endovascular treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Methods:

In a multicenter registration study for RESCUE-RE (a registration study for Critical Care of Acute Ischemic Stroke After Recanalization), eligible patients with large vessel occlusion stroke receiving endovascular treatment, who had undergone 3T magnetic resonance imaging on admission or within 24 hours after endovascular treatment were analyzed. We evaluated the presence and numbers of CMIs with assessment of axial T1, T2-weighted images, and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images. The primary outcome was functional dependence or death defined as modified Rankin Scale scores of 3 to 6 at 90 days. Secondary outcomes included early neurological improvement, any intracranial hemorrhage, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and mortality. We investigated the independent associations of CMIs with the outcomes using multivariable logistic regression in overall patients and in subgroups.

Results:

Among 414 patients (enrolled from July 2018 to May 2019) included in the analyses, 96 (23.2%) patients had at least one CMI (maximum 6). Patients with CMI(s) were more likely to be functionally dependent or dead at 90 days, compared with those without (55.2% versus 37.4%;
P
<0.01). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, presence of CMI(s) (adjusted odds ratio, 1.78 [95% CI, 1.04−3.07];
P
=0.04) and multiple CMIs (CMIs ≥2; adjusted odds ratio, 7.41 [95% CI, 2.48−22.17];
P
<0.001) were independently, significantly associated with the primary outcome. There was no significant difference between subgroups in the associations between CMI presence and the primary outcome.

Conclusions:

Acute large vessel occlusion stroke patients receiving endovascular treatment with CMI(s) were more likely to have a poor functional outcome at 90 days, independent of patients’ characteristics. Such associations may be dose-dependent.

Registration:

URL:
http://www.chictr.org.cn
; Unique identifier: ChiCTR1900022154.
Transient Neural Activation of Abstract Relations on an Incidental Analogy Task
Authors: Wang Wei-Chun , Hsieh Liang-Tien , Swamy Gowri , Bunge Silvia A.
Published: August 2020

Although a large proportion of the lexicon consists of abstract concepts, little is known about how they are represented by the brain. Here, we investigated how the mind represents relations shared between sets of mental representations that are superficially unrelated, such as car–engine and dog–tongue, but that nonetheless share a more general, abstract relation, such as whole–part. Participants saw a pair of words on each trial and were asked to indicate whether they could think of a relation between them. Importantly, they were not explicitly asked whether different word pairs shared the same relation, as in analogical reasoning tasks. We observed representational similarity for abstract relations in regions in the “conceptual hub” network, even when controlling for semantic relatedness between word pairs. By contrast, we did not observe representational similarity in regions previously implicated in explicit analogical reasoning. A given relation was sometimes repeated across sequential word pairs, allowing us to test for behavioral and neural priming of abstract relations. Indeed, we observed faster RTs and greater representational similarity for primed than unprimed trials, suggesting that mental representations of abstract relations are transiently activated on this incidental analogy task. Finally, we found a significant correlation between behavioral and neural priming across participants. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate relational priming using functional neuroimaging and to show that neural representations are strengthened by relational priming. This research shows how abstract concepts can be brought to mind momentarily, even when not required for task performance.
A new species of Frullania subg. Frullania (Marchantiophyta) from the Brazilian Amazon

Authors: LIMA ELIENE , ILKIU-BORGES ANNA LUIZA , GRADSTEIN S. ROBBERT
Published: August 2020

Frullania subg. Frullania (= subg. Thyopsiella) is a little-known group of liverworts in the Neotropics, being represented by only two species. Both are members of the subsect. Microphylla characterized by very small, dioicous plants, ocellate leaves, caducous leaf lobes and very small, distant underleaves. Here we describe and illustrate a third neotropical species in this group, F. amazonica sp. nov., from the Amazon region of Brazil.  The new species is readily distinguished from its two allies in the elongate median leaf cells, the very narrow, oblong underleaves with rounded apices and the strongly toothed female bracts and bracteoles. The new name F. section Microphyllae (R.M.Schust.) comb. nov. is proposed and a key is provided to the neotropical members of this section.
A new species from the temporary ponds of southwest Portugal: Helosciadium milfontinum

Authors: CIRES EDUARDO , PINTO-CRUZ CARLA , NAVA HERMINIO S. , FERNÁNDEZ PRIETO JOSÉ ANTONIO
Published: August 2020

The genus Helosciadium has six species of which three have been identified in Portugal: H. nodiflorum, frequent and abundant in much of the territory, and H. inundatum and H. repens, with a scattered distribution in Portugal. In the present study, a new species, Helosciadium milfontinum, a seriously threatened plant endemic, rare and scarce that grows in the temporary ponds of the Vicentinan Coastal District is described and illustrated. Morphological characters and molecular analysis of nuclear internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and plastid regions (matK, rps16-trnK and trnL-F) confirm the existence of this new taxon. Conservation status and taxonomic relationships of the new species are examined.
Ganoderma bambusicola sp. nov. (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) from southern Asia

Authors: WU SHENG-HUA , CHERN CHI-LIANG , WEI CHIA-LING , CHEN YU-PING , AKIBA MITSUTERU , HATTORI TSUTOMU
Published: August 2020

Ganoderma bambusicola sp. nov. is described and illustrated from tropical Taiwan; it is also found in Laos and Myamar. The species is recognized as new based on morphological study and phylogenetic analyses using three gene regions: ITS, rpb2 and tef1-α. Ganoderma bambusicola has been incorrectly identified as G. neojaponicum in Taiwan for several decades on account of it having a similar shiny dark reddish brown to purplish black pileus surface and a blackish long stipe, but it differs from the latter species in having a homogeneous pileal context. Ganoderma bambusicola is, to date, only known from southern Asia and grows on bamboo roots, while G. neojaponicum occurs on roots or trunks of conifers in Japan, China and Korea. These two species do not have a close relationship according to the present phylogenetic study.
Amanita lacerosquamosa, a new species of Amanita sect. Validae from southwestern China

Authors: ZHANG KAI-PING , ZHANG YI-ZHE , SUN CHENG-YE , ZHANG HONG-SHUN , LU JUN-JIA , SI JING , LI HAI-JIAO
Published: August 2020

Amanita lacerosquamosa, a new species of Amanita sect. Validae, is described from southwestern China based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. The new species is characterized by its medium-sized basidioma, greyish brown, brown to dark brown pileus with brownish grey to greyish brown, verrucose, patchy and sometimes subpyramidal remnants of the universal veil, upper-middle to lower-middle annulus on stipe with snakeskin shaped, floccose, grey to light brown squamules above the annulus, and amyloid, globose, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores 6−7.5 × 5−7 μm.
Rediscovery of the enigmatic Andean frog Telmatobius halli Noble (Anura: Telmatobiidae), re-description of the tadpole and comments on new adult’s characters, type locality and conservation status
Authors: CUEVAS C.C. , FORMAS J.R. , ALVARADO-RYBAK M. , PEÑAFIEL-RICAURTE A. , AZAT C.
Published: August 2020

We report the rediscovery of Telmatobius halli (Hall’s water frog), which had not been found since its description (over 80 years) since its type locality was not clearly established. “Aguas Calientes” near Ollagüe is hypothesized as the original type locality where Frank Gregory Hall collected the type material in 1935. The tadpole is re-described, and new data on the external and internal morphology of adults is provided. These new morphological data are compared with Telmatobius spp. inhabiting geographically close to T. halli in Chile and Bolivia. In addition, comments on its ecology, conservation, and taxonomic status in relation with other Telmatobius spp. inhabiting nearby areas in Ascotán and Carcote salt pans are provided. No evidence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Ranavirus infection was found in T. halli and a sympatric amphibian species. Our work supports the validity of T. halli and suggests this species should be considered as Data Deficient in the IUCN Red List assessment until taxonomic issues are resolved.
Syllidae (Annelida) from East Timor and the Philippines (Pacific Ocean), with the description of three new species of Syllis Savigny in Lamarck, 1818
Authors: MARTÍNEZ MARÍA JOSÉ , MARTÍN GUILLERMO SAN
Published: August 2020

East Timor is an island located to the south of the Indonesian Archipelago and to the north of Australia, between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is included in the Coral Triangle and houses an amazing quantity of marine biodiversity. However, only two species of Syllidae (Annelida) have been reported up to now: Trypanosyllis migueli and T. devae. Based on a small collection from the Australian Museum, we have identified nine genera and 17 species: Brevicirrosyllis mariae, Opisthodonta morena, Sphaerosyllis densopapillata, Branchiosyllis australis, B. exilis, B. maculata, B. verruculosa, Haplosyllis djiboutiensis, Opisthosyllis brunnea, Syllis alternata, S. broomensis, S. corallicola, S. erikae, S. gerlachi, S. hyalina, S. setoensis and Trypanosyllis luzonensis. This is the first record of S. gerlachi outside the Indian Ocean, and B. mariae, O. morena, S. densopapillata, H. djiboutiensis, S. corallicola and S. erikae have not been previously reported in tropical Asia. A specimen of Parahaplosyllis sp. could not be identified due to its poor condition. Three species belonging to Syllis are herein described as new: S. cambuk n. sp. has a large size body, with anterior segments much wider and shorter than posterior ones, long whip-shaped dorsal cirri and bidentate midbody and posterior chaetae, with both teeth equal in size and shape; Syllis hampirmenyatu n. sp. has three chaetae per posterior parapodium, with short and wide blades appearing to be fused with shafts, but still clearly distinguishable from each other, bidentate, with proximal tooth clearly smaller and thinner than distal one; and S. maganda n. sp. is easily recognizable because of its spectacular orange and blue colouration, only observable in living specimens, with broad transverse red stripes on the dorsum forming a distinctive pattern and red spots on the cirri and prostomium observable in both living and fixed specimens. Additionally, Philippine samples from the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales of Madrid have been examined corresponding to S. maganda n. sp. A Philippine specimen of S. maganda n. sp. had a small unidentified specimen of Haplosyllis attached to a posterior dorsal cirrus, which is the first documented case of such an interaction between two species of Syllidae. This provisionally called Haplosyllis sp. is characterized by its simple chaetae with short spur and two very long, distinct curved teeth, very close to each other. A regenerated prostomium and a stolon were also found in other Philippine specimens of S. maganda n. sp.
Four new species of the Oriental genus Elacatophora L. W. Schaufuss (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae)
Authors: JAŁOSZYŃSKI PAWEŁ
Published: August 2020

Ten hitherto known species of Elacatophora L. W. Schaufuss are distributed in the Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Java. Four newly described species expand the known genus range to Sumatra (Elacatophora jambiana sp. n. and E. kerinciana sp. n.), Thailand (E. thailandiana sp. n.), and north-eastern sub-Himalayan India (E. indica sp. n.).
A Comparison of Intra-Annual and Long-Term Trend Scaling of Extreme Precipitation with Temperature in a Large-Ensemble Regional Climate Simulation
Authors: Sun Qiaohong , Zwiers Francis , Zhang Xuebin , Li Guilong
Published: August 2020

Long-term changes in extreme daily and subdaily precipitation simulated by climate models are often compared with corresponding temperature changes to estimate the sensitivity of extreme precipitation to warming. Such “trend scaling” rates are difficult to estimate from observations, however, because of limited data availability and high background variability. Intra-annual temperature scaling (here called binning scaling), which relates extreme precipitation to temperature at or near the time of occurrence, has been suggested as a possible substitute for trend scaling. We use a large ensemble simulation of the Canadian regional climate model (CanRCM4) to assess this possibility, considering both daily near-surface air temperature and daily dewpoint temperature as scaling variables. We find that binning curves that are based on precipitation data for the whole year generally look like the composite of binning curves for winter and summer, with the lower temperature portion similar to winter and the higher temperature portion similar to summer, indicating that binning curves reflect seasonal changes in the relationship between temperature and extreme precipitation. The magnitude and spatial pattern of binning and trend scaling rates are also quantitatively different, with little spatial correlation between them, regardless of precipitation duration or choice of temperature variable. The evidence therefore suggests that binning scaling with temperature is not a reliable predictor for future changes in precipitation extremes in the climate simulated by CanRCM4. Nevertheless, external forcing does have a discernable influence on binning curves, which are seen to shift upward and to the right in some regions, consistent with a general increase in extreme precipitation.
Do Lidocaine Patches Reduce Opioid Use in Acute Rib Fractures?
Authors: Johnson Matthew , Strait Lauren , Ata Ashar , Bartscherer Ashley , Miller Claire , Chang Andrew , Stain Steven C. , Tafen Marcel
Published: August 2020

Background

Pain control is an important aspect of rib fracture management. With a rise in multimodal care approaches, we hypothesized that transdermal lidocaine patches reduce opioid utilization in hospitalized patients with acute rib fractures not requiring continuous opioid infusion.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of adult trauma patients with acute rib fractures admitted to the Trauma Service from January 2011 to October 2018. We compared patients who received transdermal lidocaine patches to those who did not and evaluated cumulative opioid consumption, expressed in morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs). Secondary outcomes included the rate of pulmonary complications and length of hospital stay.

Results

Of the 21 190 trauma admissions, 3927 (18.5%) had rib fractures. Overall, 1555 patients who received continuous opioid infusion were excluded. Of the remaining 2372 patients, 725 (30.6%) patients received lidocaine patches. The mean total MME of patients who received lidocaine patches was 55.7 MME (30.7 MME on multivariate analysis) and was lower than that of patients who did not receive lidocaine patches ( P ≤ .01). There was no difference in hospital length of stay (no lidocaine patches vs received lidocaine patches: 6.2 days vs 6.5 days, P = .34) or pulmonary complications (1.7% vs 2.8%, P = .08).

Discussion

In admitted trauma patients with acute rib fractures not requiring continuous intravenous opiates, lidocaine patch use was associated with a significant decrease in opiate utilization during the patients’ hospital course.
Sonographic assessment of femoral cartilage thickness in healthy adults
Authors: Bedewi Mohamed A , Elsifey Ayman A. , Naguib Moheyeldeen F , Saleh Ayman K , Nwihadh Naif Bin , Abd-Elghany Amr A. , Swify Sherine M
Published: August 2020

Objective

This study was performed to obtain normative data of the distal femoral cartilage thickness in healthy adults by ultrasound.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 72 healthy adults. The demographic characteristics of the participants were recorded, and the thickness of the femoral articular cartilage was measured using a 5- to 18-MHz linear probe.

Results

Significant statistical difference towards the male side at left medial condyle (P = 0.001) and left lateral condyle (P = 0.009). Weakly positive statistical difference was noted towards the male side at right medial condyle (P = 0.06) and right lateral condyle (P = 0.07). The femoral cartilage thickness in the study participants did not correlate with weight, body mass index, and age (P >0.05). Positive statistical correlation with height noted in right medial condyle, right lateral condyle, right intercondylar area, and left medial condyle.

Conclusion

This study increases the pool of normative data of femoral cartilage thickness measurements. Additionally, the findings of this study emphasize the fact that women have thinner cartilage than men in four of the studied parameters.
“We’re pushing back”: Group singing, social identity, and caring for a spouse with Parkinson’s
Authors: Forbes Melissa
Published: August 2020

This article explores spouse caregivers’ experiences of a community singing group for people with Parkinson’s disease and their carers. Previous studies have demonstrated the health and wellbeing benefits of group singing for a range of populations including people with Parkinson’s, however, caregivers’ experiences of these same groups remain under-researched. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six spouse caregivers who regularly attended a joint caregiver/care recipient Parkinson’s singing group for a minimum period of 18 months. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to explore and interpret caregivers’ experiences of group singing. Using the “social cure approach” as a theoretical lens in the later stages of analysis, findings demonstrated that group singing created a social identity which helped fulfill caregivers’ basic psychological needs for belonging, meaning and purpose, social support, and agency within the marital relationship. Caregivers’ new and valued social identity helped counteract the diminishing effects of life impacted by Parkinson’s. These findings support the recognition and further understanding of group singing as an accessible and cost-effective community-based psychosocial intervention for Parkinson’s spouse caregivers.
Moabite women, Transjordanian women, and incest and exogamy: The gendered dimensions of boundaries in the Hebrew Bible
Authors: Sabo Peter J
Published: August 2020

Building on the work of David Jobling (who suggests there is a structural coding of the Cisjordan as male and the Transjordan as female) and Rachel Havrelock (who suggests the Transjordan and Moab are places of gender deviancy), this article explores issues of geographical, ethnic, and gender identity in stories of Moabite and Transjordanian women. Particular attention is given to the twin tropes of incest and exogamy and how this relates to the pattern of anxiety and lost identity in the Transjordan. Analysis begins with the story of Lot’s daughters, who serve as archetypal and paradigmatic Moabite women, and moves on to include the Moabite women in Numbers 25, Zelophehad’s daughters, Jephthah’s daughter, and Ruth.
Metformin protects against diabetes-induced heart injury and dunning prostate cancer model
Authors: Bayrak BB , Koroglu P , Karabulut Bulan O , Yanardag R
Published: August 2020

In this study, both diabetes and Dunning prostate cancer were induced for the first time in Copenhagen rats in vivo. Thus, the effects of metformin against heart tissue damage of these rats were investigated by biochemical methods. Dunning prostate cancer was induced in Copenhagen rats using high metastatic MAT-LyLu cells. The rats were divided as follows: Control group: only injected with 0.9% NaCl for 14 days; Diabetic group: only injected single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) (65 mg/kg); Cancer group: subcutaneously (s.c) inoculated with 2 x 104 MAT-LyLu cells only; Diabetic + cancer (DC) group: inoculated with 2 x 104 MAT-LyLu cells and STZ injection, Cancer + metformin (CM) group: injected with metformin for 14 days after Mat-LyLu cells application; Diabetic + cancer + metformin (DCM) group: metformin administered for 14 days together with STZ and Mat-LyLu cells. At the end of the experimental period, heart tissues were taken. Reduced glutathione and total antioxidant status levels in heart tissues were decreased, whereas lipid peroxidation, advanced oxidized protein products, nitric oxide, homocysteine, and reactive oxygen species levels, total oxidant status and catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase activities increased in the diabetic, cancer and DC groups. Treatment with metformin reversed these effects. In conclusion, the present study shows that metformin has a protective effect against heart tissue damage in STZ-induced diabetic rats with Dunning prostate cancer.
Toward Hybridity? Nationality, Ownership, and Governance of News Agencies in Europe
Authors: Rantanen Terhi
Published: August 2020

This article explores the nationality, ownership, and governance of news agencies in Europe, and suggests that we need to rethink and problematize the categories previously used when studying these. Drawing on recent data from a pan-European study, the article suggests that the concept of hybridity could be applied to analyzing news agencies’ nationality, ownership, and governance. It reviews the concept through different fields: (a) cultural studies, (b) organizational studies, and (c) political-regime and media-system studies, each of these contributing to a complementary understanding of the concept of hybridity. It concludes that (a) the previously fixed categories of national and international news agencies have become more integrated, (b) the different ownership forms of national news agencies have been partly amalgamated in terms of both owners and clients, and (c) ownership category alone cannot determine whether governance is democratic or nondemocratic, so we also need to look at governance. The article suggests that, by using the concept of hybridity when analyzing news agencies, we are able to see crossing boundaries of earlier ideal types and even developing possible alternative approaches to studying news agencies in future.
Duration of contact lens removal before myopic refractive surgery
Authors: Shehadeh-Mashor Raneen , Mimouni Michael , Shapira Yinon , Sela Tzahi , Munzer Gur , Kaiserman Igor
Published: August 2020

Purpose:

To compare refractive surgery outcomes in patients with different periods without contact lenses prior laser surgery.

Materials and methods:

Patients included in this study underwent myopic keratorefractive laser surgery between January 2005 and December 2014. Patients were divided into three groups based on the duration of time passed free of soft contact lens wearing prior to final preoperative evaluation and surgery (<24 h, 1–3 days or >3 days). Spectacle wearers served as a control group. Postoperative safety index, efficacy index and % of eyes within 0.5 D of the four groups were compared. A general linear model was used to compare main outcomes while adjusting for age, gender, preoperative measurements, and procedure type (LASIK vs PRK).

Results:

Overall, 19,747 eyes were included. Soft contact lenses were worn by 42.3% (<24 h: 4.8%, 1–3 days: 18.5% and >3 days: 19.0%) and spectacles by 57.7% prior to surgery. In the PRK group, after adjusting for differences in baseline variables, the <24-h group had a significantly lower efficacy index than all the other groups. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of % eyes within ±0.5 D of intended correction ( p = 0.55) or safety index (0.20). In the LASIK group, after adjusting for differences in baseline variables, there were no significant differences between groups in all primary outcomes.

Conclusion:

Soft contact lenses should be removed at least 24 h prior to final preoperative evaluation and refractive surgery, especially for patients undergoing PRK.
Meta-herpetic ulcer following intravitreal bevacizumab
Authors: Behera Geeta , Gokhale Tanmay , Deb Amit Kumar , Babu Krishna Ramesh
Published: August 2020

Purpose:

To report a case of meta-herpetic ulcer that developed after intravitreal bevacizumab injection.

Methods:

A 55-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus and nephropathy received intravitreal injection of bevacizumab in his right eye for proliferative diabetic retinopathy with macular edema.

Results:

Two days after the injection, the patient presented with severe pain, redness, and photophobia, and decreased visual acuity in the right eye. The cornea showed a paracentral epithelial erosion with heaped margins with subepithelial haze and punctate keratopathy, and high intraocular pressure. He initially responded to topical antiviral and antiglaucoma medications. However, it rapidly progressed to a geographic ulcer on initiation of mild steroid and became resistant to conventional medical management. His nephropathy precluded treatment with full dose of systemic antivirals and antiglaucoma drugs. Subsequently, it healed after a paramedian tarsorrhaphy was performed.

Conclusion:

Herpetic epithelial keratitis following intravitreal bevacizumab is a rare occurence. However, this case is the first report of progression to a meta-herpetic ulcer.
Evaluation of the tribological properties and oxidative stability of epoxidized and ring opened products of pure rice bran oil
Authors: Thampi Ananthan D , John Abhishek R , Arif M Muhammed , Rani S
Published: August 2020

Vegetable oils constitute a potential base stock for bio-lubricants, which has good biodegradability, high flash point, high viscosity index and excellent boundary lubrication properties. They also possess some limitations like low thermal and oxidation stability, poor low temperature properties and narrow range of viscosities. These limitations can be altered by modifying the vegetable oils chemically or by providing additives into the oils. This research work focused on the chemical modification of pure rice bran oil by epoxidation process using 30% hydrogen peroxide and glacial acetic acid. The epoxidized rice bran oil was then subjected to ring opening process using butanoic acid. The epoxidation process was optimized with four factors (Temperature, Time, Weight % of Catalyst, Hydrogen Peroxide molar ratio), each factors having four levels. The lubricant properties of pure rice bran oil (RBO), epoxidized rice bran oil (ERBO) and ring opened rice bran oil (RRBO) were studied. It was noted that the lubricant properties of ERBO and RRBO were better compared to pure RBO.