bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Career on Both Sides of the Atlantic: Memoirs of a Molecular Plant Pathologist
Authors: Panopoulos Nickolas J.
Published: August 2017

This article recounts the experiences that shaped my career as a molecular plant pathologist. It focuses primarily on technical and conceptual developments in molecular phytobacteriology, shares some personal highlights and untold stories that impacted my professional development, and describes the early years of agricultural biotechnology. Writing this article required reflection on events occurring over several decades that were punctuated by a mid-career relocation across the Atlantic. I hope it will still be useful, informative, and enjoyable to read. An extended version of the abstract is provided in the Supplemental Materials , available online.
Relationship of gastric emptying or accommodation with satiation, satiety, and postprandial symptoms in health
Authors: Halawi Houssam , Camilleri Michael , Acosta Andres , Vazquez-Roque Maria , Oduyebo Ibironke , Burton Duane , Busciglio Irene , Zinsmeister Alan R.
Published: August 2017

The contributions of gastric emptying (GE) and gastric accommodation (GA) to satiation, satiety, and postprandial symptoms remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the relationships between GA or GE with satiation, satiety, and postprandial symptoms in healthy overweight or obese volunteers (total n = 285, 73% women, mean BMI 33.5 kg/m2): 26 prospectively studied obese, otherwise healthy participants and 259 healthy subjects with previous similar GI testing. We assessed GE of solids, gastric volumes, calorie intake at buffet meal, and satiation by measuring volume to comfortable fullness (VTF) and maximum tolerated volume (MTV) by using Ensure nutrient drink test (30 ml/min) and symptoms 30 min after MTV. Relationships between GE or GA with satiety, satiation, and symptoms were analyzed using Spearman rank ( rs) and Pearson ( R) linear correlation coefficients. We found a higher VTF during satiation test correlated with a higher calorie intake at ad libitum buffet meal ( rs = 0.535, P < 0.001). There was a significant inverse correlation between gastric half-emptying time (GE T1/2) and VTF ( rs = −0.317, P < 0.001) and the calorie intake at buffet meal ( rs = −0.329, P < 0.001), and an inverse correlation between GE Tlag and GE25% emptied with VTF ( rs = −0.273, P < 0.001 and rs = −0.248, P < 0.001, respectively). GE T1/2 was significantly associated with satiation (MTV, R = −0.234, P < 0.0001), nausea ( R = 0.145, P = 0.023), pain ( R = 0.149, P = 0.012), and higher aggregate symptom score ( R = 0.132, P = 0.026). There was no significant correlation between GA and satiation, satiety, postprandial symptoms, or GE. We concluded that GE of solids, rather than GA, is associated with postprandial symptoms, satiation, and satiety in healthy participants.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY A higher volume to comfortable fullness postprandially correlated with a higher calorie intake at ad libitum buffet meal. Gastric emptying of solids is correlated to satiation (volume to fullness and maximum tolerated volume) and satiety (the calorie intake at buffet meal) and symptoms of nausea, pain, and aggregate symptom score after a fully satiating meal. There was no significant correlation between gastric accommodation and either satiation or satiety indices, postprandial symptoms, or gastric emptying.
Temporal changes in the exercise pressor reflex in type 1 diabetic rats
Authors: Grotle Ann-Katrin , Garcia Elizabeth A. , Huo Yu , Stone Audrey J.
Published: August 2017

Previous studies have shown that diabetic peripheral neuropathy affects both unmyelinated and myelinated afferents, similar to those evoking the exercise pressor reflex. However, the effect of type 1 diabetes (T1DM) on this reflex is not known. We examined, in decerebrate male and female T1DM [streptozotocin (STZ)] and healthy control (CTL) rats, pressor and cardioaccelerator responses to isometric contraction of the hindlimb muscles during the early and late stages of the disease. STZ (50 mg/kg) was injected to induce diabetes, and experiments were conducted at 1, 3, and 6 wk after injection. On the day of the experiment, we statically contracted the hindlimb muscles by stimulating the sciatic nerve and measured changes in mean arterial pressure and heart rate. We found that the pressor but not cardioaccelerator response was exaggerated in STZ rats at 1 wk (STZ: 21 ± 3 mmHg, n = 10, and CTL: 14 ± 2 mmHg, n = 10, P < 0.05) and at 3 wk (STZ: 26 ± 5 mmHg, n = 10, and CTL: 17 ± 3 mmHg, n = 11, P < 0.05) after injection. However, at 6 wk, and only in male rats, both the pressor (STZ: 13 ± 3 mmHg, n = 12, and CTL: 17 ± 3 mmHg, n = 13, P < 0.05) and cardioaccelerator responses (STZ: 7 ± 3 beats/min, n = 12, and CTL: 10 ± 3 beats/min, n = 13, P < 0.05) to contraction were significantly attenuated in STZ rats compared with CTL rats. These data indicate that T1DM exaggerates the exercise pressor reflex during the early stages of the disease in both male and female rats. Conversely, T1DM attenuates this reflex in the late stage of the disease in male but not female rats.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to provide evidence that the pressor and cardioaccelerator responses to skeletal muscle contraction vary depending on the duration of type 1 diabetes.
Effect of hypoxia and hyperoxia on exercise performance in healthy individuals and in patients with pulmonary hypertension: a systematic review
Authors: Ulrich Silvia , Schneider Simon R. , Bloch Konrad E.
Published: August 2017

Exercise performance is determined by oxygen supply to working muscles and vital organs. In healthy individuals, exercise performance is limited in the hypoxic environment at altitude, when oxygen delivery is diminished due to the reduced alveolar and arterial oxygen partial pressures. In patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), exercise performance is already reduced near sea level due to impairments of the pulmonary circulation and gas exchange, and, presumably, these limitations are more pronounced at altitude. In studies performed near sea level in healthy subjects, as well as in patients with PH, maximal performance during progressive ramp exercise and endurance of submaximal constant-load exercise were substantially enhanced by breathing oxygen-enriched air. Both in healthy individuals and in PH patients, these improvements were mediated by a better arterial, muscular, and cerebral oxygenation, along with a reduced sympathetic excitation, as suggested by the reduced heart rate and alveolar ventilation at submaximal isoloads, and an improved pulmonary gas exchange efficiency, especially in patients with PH. In summary, in healthy individuals and in patients with PH, alterations in the inspiratory Po2by exposure to hypobaric hypoxia or normobaric hyperoxia reduce or enhance exercise performance, respectively, by modifying oxygen delivery to the muscles and the brain, by effects on cardiovascular and respiratory control, and by alterations in pulmonary gas exchange. The understanding of these physiological mechanisms helps in counselling individuals planning altitude or air travel and prescribing oxygen therapy to patients with PH.
Circular RNAs in rat models of cardiovascular and renal diseases
Authors: Cheng Xi , Joe Bina
Published: August 2017

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as an important new class of genomic regulatory molecules contributing to the development of various diseases, but their relevance to the development and progression of hypertension remains largely unknown. A major impediment to begin studying circRNAs in rat models of inherited hypertension is that the rat as a valuable model of human diseases lags far behind the mouse and human in providing knowledge on circRNAs. In this study, a genome-wide circRNA profiling was performed from four rat strains that are widely used in hypertension research: the Dahl salt-sensitive rat (S), the Dahl salt-resistant rat (R), the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), and the Wistar Kyoto rat (WKY). Combined hybridization data obtained from these four strains allowed for the identification of 12,846 circRNAs as being expressed in the rat kidneys. Out of these, 318 and 110 circRNAs were differentially expressed with a fold change > 1.5 ( P < 0.05) in S vs. R and SHR vs. WKY, respectively. Among these circRNAs, circRNA/microRNA interaction was predicted since circRNAs are known as microRNA sponges to sequester microRNAs. Several circRNAs were further validated by quantitative real-time PCR. To our knowledge, our study is the primary report of profiling circRNAs in renal tissue and illustrates that circRNAs could be candidate genetic factors controlling blood pressure.
Aneuploid Cell Survival Relies upon Sphingolipid Homeostasis
Authors: Tang Yun-Chi , Yuwen Hui , Wang Kaiying , Bruno Peter M. , Bullock Kevin , Deik Amy , Santaguida Stefano , Trakala Marianna , Pfau Sarah J. , Zhong Na , Huang Tao , Wang Lan , Clish Clary B. , Hemann Michael T. , Amon Angelika
Published: August 2017

Aneuploidy, a hallmark of cancer cells, poses an appealing opportunity for cancer treatment and prevention strategies. Using a cell-based screen to identify small molecules that could selectively kill aneuploid cells, we identified the compound N-[2-hydroxy-1-(4-morpholinylmethyl)-2-phenylethyl]-decanamide monohydrochloride (DL-PDMP), an antagonist of UDP-glucose ceramide glucosyltransferase. DL-PDMP selectively inhibited proliferation of aneuploid primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts and aneuploid colorectal cancer cells. Its selective cytotoxic effects were based on further accentuating the elevated levels of ceramide, which characterize aneuploid cells, leading to increased apoptosis. We observed that DL-PDMP could also enhance the cytotoxic effects of paclitaxel, a standard-of-care chemotherapeutic agent that causes aneuploidy, in human colon cancer and mouse lymphoma cells. Our results offer pharmacologic evidence that the aneuploid state in cancer cells can be targeted selectively for therapeutic purposes, or for reducing the toxicity of taxane-based drug regimens. Cancer Res; 77(19); 5272–86. ©2017 AACR.
Identification of Novel Breast Cancer Risk Loci
Authors: Chan Claire Hian Tzer , Munusamy Prabhakaran , Loke Sau Yeen , Koh Geok Ling , Wong Edward Sern Yuen , Law Hai Yang , Yoon Chui Sheun , Tan Min-Han , Yap Yoon Sim , Ang Peter , Lee Ann Siew Gek
Published: August 2017

It has been estimated that >1,000 genetic loci have yet to be identified for breast cancer risk. Here we report the first study utilizing targeted next-generation sequencing to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) associated with breast cancer risk. Targeted sequencing of 283 genes was performed in 240 women with early-onset breast cancer (≤40 years) or a family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer. Common coding variants with minor allele frequencies (MAF) >1% that were identified were presumed initially to be SNPs, but further database inspections revealed variants had MAF of ≤1% in the general population. Through prioritization and stringent selection criteria, we selected 24 SNPs for further genotyping in 1,516 breast cancer cases and 1,189 noncancer controls. Overall, we identified the JAK2 SNP rs56118985 to be significantly associated with overall breast cancer risk. Subtype analysis performed for patient subgroups defined by ER, PR, and HER2 status suggested additional associations of the NOTCH3 SNP rs200504060 and the HIF1A SNP rs142179458 with breast cancer risk. In silico analysis indicated that coding amino acids encoded at these three SNP sites were conserved evolutionarily and associated with decreased protein stability, suggesting a likely impact on protein function. Our results offer proof of concept for identifying novel cancer risk loci from next-generation sequencing data, with iterative data analysis from targeted, whole-exome, or whole-genome sequencing a wellspring to identify new SNPs associated with cancer risk. Cancer Res; 77(19); 5428–37. ©2017 AACR.
89Zr-anti-γH2AX-TAT but not 18F-FDG Allows Early Monitoring of Response to Chemotherapy in a Mouse Model of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Knight James C. , Mosley Michael J. , Bravo Luisa Contreras , Kersemans Veerle , Allen P. Danny , Mukherjee Somnath , O'Neill Eric , Cornelissen Bart
Published: August 2017

Purpose: Late-stage, unresectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is largely resistant to chemotherapy and consequently has a very poor 5-year survival rate of <5%. The ability to assess the efficacy of a treatment soon after its initiation would enable rapid switching to potentially more effective therapies if the current treatment is found to be futile. We have evaluated the ability of the PET imaging agent, 89Zr-anti-γH2AX-TAT, to monitor DNA damage in response to fluorouracil (5-FU), gemcitabine, or capecitabine treatment in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer. We have also compared the utility of this approach against the standard clinical PET radiotracer, 18F-FDG.

Experimental Design: C57BL/6 mice bearing subcutaneous pancreatic cancer (KPC; B8484) allografts were treated with 5-FU, gemcitabine, or capecitabine. Therapeutic response was monitored by PET and ex vivo biodistribution experiments using either 89Zr-anti-γH2AX-TAT or 18F-FDG as imaging agents. To further examine the effect of therapeutic response upon uptake of these imaging agents, IHC analysis of harvested tumor allograft tissue was also performed.

Results: Accumulation of 89Zr-anti-γH2AX-TAT in the tumors of mice that received chemotherapy was higher compared with vehicle-treated mice and was shown to be specifically mediated by γH2AX. In contrast, 18F-FDG did not provide useful indications of therapeutic response.

Conclusions: 89Zr-anti-γH2AX-TAT has shown a superior ability to monitor early therapeutic responses to chemotherapy by PET imaging compared with 18F-FDG in an allograft model of PDAC in mice. Clin Cancer Res; 23(21); 6498–504. ©2017 AACR.
A Multikinase and DNA-PK Inhibitor Combination Immunomodulates Melanomas, Suppresses Tumor Progression, and Enhances Immunotherapies
Authors: Tsai Alexander K. , Khan Asra Y. , Worgo Christina E. , Wang Lucy L. , Liang Yuanyuan , Davila Eduardo
Published: August 2017

Combination therapies have the potential to improve outcomes in melanoma patients but have not yet been clinically efficacious. Here, we used high-throughput flow cytometry-based screening to identify and characterize candidate therapies that might synergize with and augment T-cell immunotherapy efficacy. Two lead therapies, regorafenib (Reg) and NU7441, were selected based on their ability to alter a variety of immunomodulatory proteins, including CD55, CD73, CD155, programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR), and HLA class I in a heterogeneous panel of melanomas. The therapies also upregulated several melanoma antigens, inhibited proliferation, and perturbed activation of oncogenic signaling pathways in melanomas. T cells treated with the therapies proliferated normally and exhibited a favorably altered phenotype, including increased CD25, CD28, inducible T-cell costimulator (ICOS), and reduced expression of coinhibitory receptors. Cytokine production was also increased in treated T cells. When administered in mice, REg suppressed melanoma progression in a CD8+ T cell–dependent manner when used alone and with various immunotherapies. Additionally, Reg altered the number, phenotype, and function of various T-cell subsets in the tumor microenvironment. These studies reveal that Reg and NU7441 influence the immunobiology of both tumor cells and T cells and enhance the efficacy of various immunotherapies. Cancer Immunol Res; 5(9); 790–803. ©2017 AACR.
Sump Syndrome: A Rare Long-Term Complication of Choledochoduodenostomy
Authors: Abraham Hrudya , Thomas Sajan , Srivastava Amit
Published: August 2017

Biliary sump syndrome is a rare condition. It is seen as a rare long-term complication in patients with a history of a side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy. In the era before endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy was a common surgical procedure for the management of biliary obstruction. In the setting of a side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy, the bile does not drain through the distal common bile duct anymore. Therefore, the part of the common bile duct distal from the choledochoduodenostomy anastomosis consequently transforms into a poorly drained reservoir, making this so-called “sump” prone to accumulation of debris. These patients are prone to cholangitis. We present a 64-year-old man with a history of side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy who presented with manifestations of cholangitis. An endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography confirmed a diagnosis of sump syndrome. The etiology, clinical manifestations, and treatment of biliary sump syndrome are discussed in this article.
Correlation between Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Pathological Response in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer Patients Who Received Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in H. Adam Malik General Hospital
Authors: Siregar Kamal Basri , Pane Jamaluddin , Siburian Rikson
Published: August 2017

Background: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are emerging as biomarkers mediating tumor response to treatments. Earlier studies have provided evidence that the level of TILs has prognostic value, particularly in triple-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-positive breast cancer. Moreover, the level of TILs has been associated with treatment outcome in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and there is a strong correlation with pathologically complete response. In this study, we analyzed whether changes in TILs take place after neoadjuvant therapy and if they correlate with pathological response to treatment. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the specimen slides from the Department of Anatomic Pathology of H. Adam Malik General Hospital during 2011–2015. We identified 51 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria of this study. The histological sections had already been evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin slides. They were reassessed by our pathologist for the percentage of intratumoral and stromal TILs. The correlation with pathological response of the tumor after neoadjuvant therapy was also studied in these patients. Each case was also defined as high- or low-TIL breast cancer adopting previously validated cutoffs. Results: The mean age of the 51 patients was 49.22 years. The most frequent type of breast cancer histology was invasive ductal breast carcinoma in 49 (96%) patients, and there were 2 (4%) patients with lobular carcinoma. The histopathological grading for high TILs was grade 1 in 5 patients, grade 2 in 15 patients, and grade 3 in 3 patients. High TILs that had a pathologically complete response were found in 47.8% of patients, and low TILs were found in 28.8%. There was no significant correlation between TILs and pathological response in patients with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.157). Conclusions: This research has not been able to demonstrate a significant correlation between TILs and pathological response in patients with locally advanced breast cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, but high TILs were more likely to have a complete response. Further information may prove useful for future biomarker trials.
Solitary Skeletal Muscle Metastasis as First Site of Recurrence of Cervical Cancer: A Case Report
Authors: Varadarajan Indumathy , Basu Aparna , Besmer Sherri , Poli Jaganmohan , Richard Scott , Styler Michael
Published: August 2017

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide, with a large majority of prevalence (85%) in developing countries. As of 2012, it accounts for 7.5% of all female cancer deaths. Despite its high prevalence, skeletal muscle metastasis from cervical cancer is extremely uncommon. In our extensive literature search, we were able to find only 8 cases where skeletal muscle metastasis was the only site of recurrence. We report a case of a 52-year-old African-American woman with a past medical history of cervical cancer (stage IIIB) who presented with pain and swelling in her left upper arm over the preceding 2 months. MRI of the left upper arm showed a solid well-circumscribed mass measuring 7.0 × 2.8 × 2.5 cm, deep to the biceps. Biopsy of the mass revealed a metastatic squamous cell carcinoma that was p16-positive. PET scan showed that the lesion was the sole site of metastasis. She received local radiation with concurrent chemotherapy. Follow-up MRI 6 months after the completion of therapy showed resolution of the mass. She has remained disease-free for the last 24 months as evidenced by a PET/CT scan in May 2016. In this case report, we discuss the role of imaging and pathology in the diagnosis of a solitary metastatic lesion. This case also emphasizes the importance of a close follow-up which aids in early intervention, increasing overall survival.
Distinct Trichoscopic Features of the Sideburns in Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia Compared to the Frontotemporal Scalp
Authors: Cervantes Jessica , Miteva Mariya
Published: August 2017

The trichoscopic features of frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) have been described in the frontotemporal area, yet there is no data detailing the trichoscopic features of the sideburns, which can be the initial or exclusive area of involvement. In this retrospective cohort study, 236 trichoscopic images of the frontotemporal and sideburn area obtained via dry trichoscopy from patients with biopsy-proven FFA were examined by two independent researchers to determine the trichoscopic features of FFA in the sideburns. The images of the sideburns were compared to 44 trichoscopic images of 11 healthy volunteers with intact sideburns. Transparent proximal hair emergence surrounded by patches of paler smooth skin was the most prominent finding in the sideburns. Peripilar casts and peripilar erythema were rare in the sideburns compared to the frontotemporal area. Although less common, transparent proximal hair emergence was also seen in the sideburns of healthy controls, yet it was shorter and restricted to individual hairs. Early FFA presenting exclusively or mostly with sideburn involvement should not be missed due to absence of peripilar casts and peripilar erythema. Dermoscopy-guided biopsy obtained from hair shafts with transparent proximal hair emergence should be considered to make the diagnosis in this location.
Health Disparities in Kidney Transplantation for African Americans
Authors: Harding Kimberly , Mersha Tesfaye B. , Pham Phuong-Thu , Waterman Amy D. , Webb Fern J. , Vassalotti Joseph A. , Nicholas Susanne B.
Published: August 2017

Background: The persistent challenges of bridging healthcare disparities for African Americans (AAs) in need of kidney transplantation continue to be unresolved at the national level. This healthcare disparity is multifactorial: stemming from limited kidney donors suitable for AAs; inconsistent care coordination and suboptimal risk factor control; social determinants, low socioeconomic status, reduced access to care; and mistrust of clinicians and the healthcare system. Summary: There are numerous opportunities to significantly lessen the disparities in kidney transplantation for AAs through the following measures: the adoption of new care and patient engagement models that include education, enhanced practice-level cultural sensitivity, and timely referral as well as increased research on the impact of the environment on genetic risk, and implementation of new transplantation-related policies. Key Messages: This systematic review describes pretransplant concerns related to access to kidney transplantation, posttransplant complications, and policy interventions to address the challenging issues associated with kidney transplantation in AAs.
TLR2 Plays a Key Role in Platelet Hyperreactivity and Accelerated Thrombosis Associated With Hyperlipidemia
Authors: Biswas Sudipta , Zimman Alejandro , Gao Detao , Byzova Tatiana V. , Podrez Eugene A.
Published: August 2017

Rationale:

Platelet hyperreactivity, which is common in many pathological conditions, is associated with increased atherothrombotic risk. The mechanisms leading to platelet hyperreactivity are complex and not yet fully understood.

Objective:

Platelet hyperreactivity and accelerated thrombosis, specifically in dyslipidemia, have been mechanistically linked to the accumulation in the circulation of a specific group of oxidized phospholipids (oxPC
CD36
) that are ligands for the platelet pattern recognition receptor CD36. In the current article, we tested whether the platelet innate immune system contributes to responses to oxPC
CD36
and accelerated thrombosis observed in hyperlipidemia.

Methods and Results:

Using in vitro approaches, as well as platelets from mice with genetic deletion of MyD88 (myeloid differentiation factor 88) or TLRs (Toll-like receptors), we demonstrate that TLR2 and TLR6 are required for the activation of human and murine platelets by oxPC
CD36
. oxPC
CD36
induce formation of CD36/TLR2/TLR6 complex in platelets and activate downstream signaling via TIRAP (Toll-interleukin 1 receptor domain containing adaptor protein)-MyD88-IRAK (interleukin-1 receptor–associated kinase)1/4-TRAF6 (TNF receptor–associated factor 6), leading to integrin activation via the SFK (Src family kinase)-Syk (spleen tyrosine kinase)-PLCγ2 (phospholipase Cγ2) pathway. Intravital thrombosis studies using
ApoE
−/−
mice with genetic deficiency of TLR2 or TLR6 have demonstrated that oxPC
CD36
contribute to accelerated thrombosis specifically in the setting of hyperlipidemia.

Conclusions:

Our studies reveal that TLR2 plays a key role in platelet hyperreactivity and the prothrombotic state in the setting of hyperlipidemia by sensing a wide range of endogenous lipid peroxidation ligands and activating innate immune signaling cascade in platelets.
Rethinking Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2b
Authors: Tung Eric L. , McTaggart Ryan A. , Baird Grayson L. , Yaghi Shadi , Hemendinger Morgan , Dibiasio Eleanor L. , Hidlay Douglas T. , Tung Glenn A. , Jayaraman Mahesh V.
Published: August 2017

Background and Purpose—

Within the thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) classification, TICI 2b has been historically considered successful recanalization. Recent studies have suggested that TICI 3 and a proposed TICI 2c should be separately reported from TICI 2b, in both the original (>66% reperfusion) and modified (>50% reperfusion) definitions, because of differences in clinical outcomes with greater reperfusion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in early neurological improvement and independence at 90 days using the original TICI, modified TICI, and modified TICI with 2c scales.

Methods—

A retrospective review of 129 consecutive patients with middle cerebral artery, M1 segment or intracranial internal carotid artery occlusions. Patient angiograms were graded by 2 experienced readers by percentage recanalization. This was then categorized into original TICI, modified TICI (mTICI), and mTICI with TICI 2c (mTICI 2c) grading scales. Comparison of baseline demographics, early neurological improvement, and independence at 90 days was performed.

Results—

A significant difference in early neurological improvement was observed between 2b and 3 (
P
=0.032), as well as between 2b and 2c (
P
=0.028) under the mTICI 2c grading scale. Similarly, a significant difference in functional independence was observed between 2b and 3 (
P
=0.037), as well as between 2b and 2c (
P
=0.047) under the mTICI 2c scale. The difference in early neurological improvement or functional independence between 2b and 3 for the original TICI and mTICI scales was not significant. When combining the 2c and 3 groups under the mTICI 2c scale, there were significant differences between 2b and 2c/3 in regards to both early neurological improvement (
P
=0.011) and independence (
P
=0.018).

Conclusions—

Using a TICI grading system that includes an additional category beyond TICI 2b allows for refined prediction of early neurological improvement and functional independence.
Permeability Surface of Deep Middle Cerebral Artery Territory on Computed Tomographic Perfusion Predicts Hemorrhagic Transformation After Stroke
Authors: Li Qiao , Gao Xinyi , Yao Zhenwei , Feng Xiaoyuan , He Huijin , Xue Jing , Gao Peiyi , Yang Lumeng , Cheng Xin , Chen Weijian , Yang Yunjun
Published: August 2017

Background and Purpose—

Permeability surface (PS) on computed tomographic perfusion reflects blood–brain barrier permeability and is related to hemorrhagic transformation (HT). HT of deep middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory can occur after recanalization of proximal large-vessel occlusion. We aimed to determine the relationship between HT and PS of deep MCA territory.

Methods—

We retrospectively reviewed 70 consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients presenting with occlusion of the distal internal carotid artery or M1 segment of the MCA. All patients underwent computed tomographic perfusion within 6 hours after symptom onset. Computed tomographic perfusion data were postprocessed to generate maps of different perfusion parameters. Risk factors were identified for increased deep MCA territory PS. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to calculate the optimal PS threshold to predict HT of deep MCA territory.

Results—

Increased PS was associated with HT of deep MCA territory. After adjustments for age, sex, onset time to computed tomographic perfusion, and baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, poor collateral status (odds ratio, 7.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.67–37.14;
P
=0.009) and proximal MCA-M1 occlusion (odds ratio, 4.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–16.52;
P
=0.045) were independently associated with increased deep MCA territory PS. Relative PS most accurately predicted HT of deep MCA territory (area under curve, 0.94; optimal threshold, 2.89).

Conclusions—

Increased PS can predict HT of deep MCA territory after recanalization therapy for cerebral proximal large-vessel occlusion. Proximal MCA-M1 complete occlusion and distal internal carotid artery occlusion in conjunction with poor collaterals elevate deep MCA territory PS.
How Much Regulation? A Fuzzy Regression Discontinuity Analysis of Student Literacy Skills in Prekindergarten vs. Transitional Kindergarten
Authors: Doss Christopher
Published: August 2017

A growing body of research provides evidence that quality early childhood experiences can affect a host of life outcomes. Equally well documented is the variation in the quality of prekindergarten (pre-K) programs offered to children. In this study, I use a fuzzy regression discontinuity approach to evaluate the efficacy of transitional kindergarten (TK) on student outcomes in the San Francisco Unified School District. TK is a highly regulated, state-funded, early education program. Importantly, universal pre-K was already established in San Francisco, making this study a comparison of pre-K opportunities. This study tests whether a more highly regulated pre-K program, situated solely in schools, can provide benefits to young five-year-olds over a modern, robust universal pre-K market. I find that students who attended TK outperform their peers on a variety of foundational literacy skills, with some evidence the gains are larger for minority children. TK, however, had little effect on the rate of absences in kindergarten and first grade.
Simultaneous Estimation of Nongaussian Components and Their Correlation Structure
Authors: Sasaki Hiroaki , Gutmann Michael U. , Shouno Hayaru , Hyvärinen Aapo
Published: August 2017

The statistical dependencies that independent component analysis (ICA) cannot remove often provide rich information beyond the linear independent components. It would thus be very useful to estimate the dependency structure from data. While such models have been proposed, they have usually concentrated on higher-order correlations such as energy (square) correlations. Yet linear correlations are a fundamental and informative form of dependency in many real data sets. Linear correlations are usually completely removed by ICA and related methods so they can only be analyzed by developing new methods that explicitly allow for linearly correlated components. In this article, we propose a probabilistic model of linear nongaussian components that are allowed to have both linear and energy correlations. The precision matrix of the linear components is assumed to be randomly generated by a higher-order process and explicitly parameterized by a parameter matrix. The estimation of the parameter matrix is shown to be particularly simple because using score-matching (Hyvärinen, 2005 ), the objective function is a quadratic form. Using simulations with artificial data, we demonstrate that the proposed method improves the identifiability of nongaussian components by simultaneously learning their correlation structure. Applications on simulated complex cells with natural image input, as well as spectrograms of natural audio data, show that the method finds new kinds of dependencies between the components.
Ficus bilinaensis (Moraceae), a replacement name for a fossil fig tree of the Czech Republic
Authors: MACHADO ANDERSON F. P. , QUEIROZ LUCIANO P. DE
Published: August 2017

During the revision of fossils of Ficus Linnaeus (1753: 1059) (Moraceae) we consulted the International Fossil Plant Names Index (IFPNI, Doweld 2016) and found a name which is a later homonym of a living Neotropical species of fig tree. Ficus clusiifolia Ettingshausen (1866: 68) is a fossil described from the Kučlín village at the south of Bílina town, Czech Republic. The Kučlín region represents a stratigraphically important locality of the North Bohemian Tertiary (Kvaček and Teodoridis 2011).
First records of Elachistinae from New Caledonia: evidence of repeated dispersal events with Australia (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Elachistidae)
Authors: KAILA LAURI
Published: August 2017

The first records of Elachistinae (Lepidoptera, Elachistidae) are reported from New Caledonia. Eight species are recognized. Elachista cynopa Meyrick is reported outside Australia for the first time. All other species are described as new: Elachista concubia sp. nov., E. achlyodes sp. nov., E. scoteina sp. nov., E. cardiaca sp. nov., E. dilobates sp. nov., E. vespertina sp. nov. and E. fugax sp. nov. All the new species have sister-species level relatives in Australia. E. fugax is attributed to Elachista sg. Elachista. All other species are placed in Elachista sg. Atachia. Following Kaila’s (2011) system E. achlyodes and E. concubia belong to the E. catarata section of the E. gerasmia group; E. cardiaca, E. dilobates, E. scoteina and E. vespertina belong to the E. gerasmia section of E. gerasmia group. Further, E. cardiaca is a member of the E. paragauda species complex, E. scoteina a member of the E. gerasmia species complex, and E. dilobates, E. vespertina of the E. cynopa species complex; E. dilobates is morphologically close to E. toryna Kaila. This pattern suggests at least six separate dispersal events between Australia and New Caledonia.
Resisting labour market insecurity: Old and new actors, rivals or allies?
Authors: Hyman Richard , Gumbrell-McCormick Rebecca
Published: August 2017

In most of the world, work has usually been precarious. For several decades, however, greater employment security was achieved in the developed economies. These gains have been increasingly eroded by neoliberal globalisation. We focus on Western Europe to examine whether trade unions are merely protectors of the remaining labour market ‘insiders’, or whether they can also represent the interests of the growing numbers of ‘outsiders’. We also examine the role of ‘new’ social movements in mobilising against insecurity. Our reflections end by considering whether and how the two modes of response offered by trade unions and social movements may be integrated.
Supra-union and intersectional organizing: An examination of two prominent cases in the low-wage US restaurant industry
Authors: Tapia Maite , Lee Tamara L , Filipovitch Mikhail
Published: August 2017

In this article, we examine strategic approaches by the Restaurant Opportunities Center and the Fight for 15 campaign to organizing low-wage workers in the US restaurant industry. Existing industrial relations literature explains that traditional trade unions have had little success in organizing these workers – a growing number of whom identify as racial minorities, women, and immigrant workers – due in part to structural challenges to unionization. However, despite existing institutional and legal obstacles, in recent years two ‘supra-union’ cases of low-wage worker organizing have spread across the nation, resulting in unanticipated economic, legal, and political gains for this diverse group of workers. To better understand the recent success of these alternative forms of worker organizing, we bring the literature on intersectionality, under-utilized in the examination of labor movement organizing, into the industrial relations context. We argue that the Restaurant Opportunities Center and Fight for 15 campaign’s success is due in part to strategic approaches to organizing that have intentionally focused on workers’ interests not solely as a class, but as workers holding multiple identities in an increasingly diverse workforce. More broadly, this article has implications for the future of worker representation and cross-movement solidarity building in the United States.
IG Metall’s comeback: Trade union renewal in times of crisis
Authors: Schmalz Stefan , Thiel Marcel
Published: August 2017

Germany’s biggest trade union, IG Metall, is celebrating a comeback. IG Metall seized the window of opportunity offered by the 2008–2009 financial and economic crisis to consolidate its political influence, and since 2011 has registered a continuous rise in membership. In this article, we analyse the renewal of IG Metall by invoking and adding to the international discussion on trade union revitalisation and by emphasising the importance of leadership in the organisation’s multilevel structures. We argue that organisational renewal and the consolidation of power resources have taken place at various levels of IG Metall. This process was structured by incentives from the union’s national leadership, such as the creation of a central innovation fund. IG Metall has successfully developed strategic capabilities, reorganised its structure, improved its public image and seized the shock of the financial crisis to revive political dialogue with the government on employment policies. However, the renewal process continues to be fragile, as IG Metall faces new challenges, such as the rise of the extreme political right in Germany.
Exploring Relationships Between K–12 Music Educators’ Demographics, Perceptions of Intrapreneuring, and Motivation at Work
Authors: Hanson Josef
Published: August 2017

Gifford Pinchot III coined the term intrapreneur to recognize “dreamers who do”: individuals who transform ideas into new endeavors within existing organizations. The purpose of this study was to gauge the salience of intrapreneuring for K–12 music teachers and examine how its attributes and behaviors relate to teachers’ workplace motivation and demographics. From a sampling frame of 1,351 public school music teachers in New York State, 576 teachers completed an online questionnaire for a response rate of 42.6%. Results showed statistically significant differences in teachers’ intrapreneurial orientation depending on teaching experience, level and specialization of teaching position, and school affluence. Higher levels of confidence in and contextual support for intrapreneuring predicted stronger teacher motivation. Respondents who self-identified as intrapreneurs facilitated collaborations between their students and guest musicians, piloted new approaches for teaching creativity and improvisation, and developed innovative curricula. While respondents generally felt autonomous, they did not feel they had adequate resources for launching new endeavors, and they perceived low levels of tolerance for risk and mistakes within their school organizations. Findings of this study may help isolate specific intrapreneurial attributes and organizational factors that could support teacher-driven pedagogy and reduce teacher demotivation and attrition.
Sufentanil–medetomidine anaesthesia compared with fentanyl/fluanisone–midazolam is associated with fewer ventricular arrhythmias and death during experimental myocardial infarction in rats and limits infarct size following reperfusion
Authors: ter Horst Ellis N , Krijnen Paul A J , Flecknell Paul , Meyer Klaas W , Kramer Klaas , van der Laan Anja M , Piek Jan J , Niessen Hans W M
Published: August 2017

To improve infarct healing following myocardial infarction in humans, therapeutic interventions can be applied during the inflammatory response. Animal models are widely used to study this process. However, induction of MI in rodents is associated with high mortality due to ventricular fibrillation (VF) during coronary artery ligation. The anaesthetic agent used during the procedure appears to influence the frequency of this complication. In this retrospective study, the effect on ventricular arrhythmia incidence during ligation and infarct size following in vivo reperfusion of two anaesthetic regimens, sufentanil–medetomidine (SM) and fentanyl/fluanisone–midazolam (FFM) was evaluated in rats. Anaesthetics were administered subcutaneously using fentanyl/fluanisone (0.5 mL/kg) with midazolam (5 mg/kg) (FFM group, n = 48) or sufentanil (0.05 mg/kg) with medetomidine (0.15 mg/kg) (SM group, n = 47). The coronary artery was ligated for 40 min to induce MI. Heart rate and ventricular arrhythmias were recorded during ligation, and infarct size was measured via histochemistry after three days of reperfusion. In the SM group, heart rate and VF incidence were lower throughout the experiment compared with the FFM group (6% versus 30%) ( P < 0.01). Fatal VF did not occur in the SM group whereas this occurred in 25% of the animals in the FFM group. Additionally, after three days of reperfusion, the infarcted area following SM anaesthesia was less than half as large as that following FFM anaesthesia (8.5 ± 6.4% versus 20.7 ± 5.6%) ( P < 0.01). Therefore, to minimize the possibility of complications related to VF and acute death arising during ligation, SM anaesthesia is recommended for experimental MI in rats.
Proneness to Boredom and Risk Behaviors During Adolescents’ Free Time
Authors: Biolcati Roberta , Mancini Giacomo , Trombini Elena
Published: August 2017

As a clinical condition, boredom is an emotional state, widespread among young people, characterized by unpleasant feelings, lack of motivation, and low physiological arousal in which the level of stimulation is perceived as unsatisfactorily low. Boredom is an important emotional state due to its spread among young people. Recent research has mainly studied the complex connection between boredom and leisure-time experiences, which may be involved in adolescents’ risk-taking behaviors. The current study aims to investigate boredom proneness, conceived as a personality trait, in adolescents’ free time, and its involvement in more extreme behaviors, such as binge drinking and addictive Internet use, which may represent ways to cope with the search for additional stimuli. Data from a large sample of Italian adolescents ( n = 478, aged between 14 years and 19 years, M = 16.31, SD = 1.47) revealed significant differences between low-boredom and high-boredom subjects. Both girls and boys with high boredom proneness used technology more, engaged less in hobbies and activities such as sports, more frequently consumed strong drinks and binge drank, and were more at risk of Internet addiction than non-bored adolescents. These findings suggest a hypothetical risk profile linked to boredom proneness in adolescence. The results are discussed in light of the literature from a psychosocial and clinical perspective.
Polytobacco Use and the “Customization Generation”—New Perspectives for Tobacco Control
Authors: Horn Kimberly , Pearson Jennifer L. , Villanti Andrea C.
Published: August 2017

In recent years, the United States observed a significant uptake in concurrent use of multiple tobacco products and alternative nicotine delivery devices among youth—a phenomenon identified as polytobacco use—making tobacco control efforts more complex for clinicians, policy makers, and scientists, alike.The present commentary stimulates new perspectives on tobacco control in the context of polytobacco use and a youth culture of customization. This culture-based value of today’s youth may inform current patterns of tobacco use. More specifically, the authors hypothesize a concept of tobacco customization—the concurrent use of multiple tobacco products to create personalized tobacco experience matching lifestyle, culture, values, and addiction levels. With a range of experiences made possible through an ever-increasing menu of tobacco products, flavors, and novel devices, the current youth culture of customization may also translate to tobacco customization. Given the predominance of polytobacco use in youth-tobacco users, tobacco control initiatives must be challenged to new perspectives. Should we discover the viability of tobacco customization, tobacco use strategies that target cultural values, harness popular trends, and culture and provide customizable experiences may have a notable impact on tobacco use in this population.
Feasible Researches in Historical Jesus Tradition: A Critical Response to Chris Keith
Authors: Downing F. Gerald
Published: August 2017

In his programmatic article, ‘The Narratives of the Gospels and the Historical Jesus: Current Debates, Prior Debates, and the Goal of Historical Jesus Research’, Chris Keith argues for a very clear distinction between two styles or types of historiography (Keith 2016). One searches ‘behind’ the gospel texts for ‘authentic’ matter; the other, according to Keith, the only ‘feasible’ method, allowing for ‘memory theory’ in particular, is to discern how ‘the tradition’ developed, and only thence generate theoretical reconstructions of a Jesus who may have originally prompted it. It is argued here that this presents an unsustainable dichotomy, for the historical tradition(s) of the ﬁrst Christians also themselves ‘lie behind’ our texts, and imaginative searches for both Jesus and Jesus traditions have to proceed hand in hand.
In Search of Real Circumcision: Ritual Failure and Circumcision in Paul
Authors: Smit Peter-Ben
Published: August 2017

This article applies the theoretical framework of ‘ritual failure’, a sub-discipline of ritual criticism, to Paul’s discussion of circumcision in his letter to the Galatians, Philippians and Romans. It is argued that the application of this theoretical perspective clariﬁes the dynamics at stake and provides a new way of understanding the development in Paul’s position regarding circumcision. There is movement from an attitude of strong propagation, by way of indifference and a subsequent attitude of rejection, to one of modiﬁed reintegration into Paul’s thinking. At every turn of this development, ritual failure plays a pivotal role and functions as a catalyst for the development of Paul’s theology.