bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Senescent Stromal Cells Promote Cancer Resistance through SIRT1 Loss-Potentiated Overproduction of Small Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Han Liu , Long Qilai , Li Shenjun , Xu Qixia , Zhang Boyi , Dou Xuefeng , Qian Min , Jiramongkol Yannasittha , Guo Jianming , Cao Liu , Chin Y. Eugene , Lam Eric W.-F. , Jiang Jing , Sun Yu
Published: May 2020

Cellular senescence is a potent tumor-suppressive program that prevents neoplastic events. Paradoxically, senescent cells develop an inflammatory secretome, termed the senescence-associated secretory phenotype, which is implicated in age-related pathologies including cancer. Here, we report that senescent cells actively synthesize and release small extracellular vesicles (sEV) with a distinctive size distribution. Mechanistically, SIRT1 loss supported accelerated sEV production despite enhanced proteome-wide ubiquitination, a process correlated with ATP6V1A downregulation and defective lysosomal acidification. Once released, senescent stromal sEVs significantly altered the expression profile of recipient cancer cells and enhanced their aggressiveness, specifically drug resistance mediated by expression of ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 4 (ABCB4). Targeting SIRT1 with agonist SRT2104 prevented development of cancer resistance by restraining sEV production by senescent stromal cells. In clinical oncology, sEVs in peripheral blood of posttreatment cancer patients were readily detectable by routine biotechniques, presenting an exploitable biomarker to monitor therapeutic efficacy and predict long-term outcome. Together, this study identifies a distinct mechanism supporting pathologic activities of senescent cells and provides a potent avenue to circumvent advanced human malignancies by cotargeting cancer cells and their surrounding microenvironment, which contributes to drug resistance via secretion of sEVs from senescent stromal cells.

Significance:

Senescent stromal cells produce a large number of sEVs to promote cancer resistance in therapeutic settings, a process driven by SIRT1 decline in stromal cells and ABCB4 augmentation in cancer cells.

See related commentary by Wiley, p. 3193
Immunotherapeutic Response in Tumors Is Affected by Microenvironmental ROS
Authors: Hayward Simon W.
Published: May 2020

Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAF) are a potential therapeutic target for both direct and indirect regulation of cancer progression and therapy response. In this issue of Cancer Research, Ford and colleagues investigate the influence of CAF on the immune environment of tumors, specifically focusing on the regulation of CD8+ T cells, required for immune therapy response. Their work suggests a role for stromally expressed NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) as a modulator of reactive oxygen species that in turn can reduce the number of CD8+ T cells locally. Inhibition of NOX4 increased CD8+ T cells and restored responsiveness to immune therapy, suggesting an indirect stromally targeted avenue for therapy resensitization.

See related article by Ford et al., p. 1846
Radiation Attenuates Prostate Tumor Antiviral Responses to Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Containing IFNβ, Resulting in Pronounced Antitumor Systemic Immune Responses
Authors: Udayakumar Thirupandiyur S. , Betancourt Dillon M. , Ahmad Anis , Tao Wensi , Totiger Tulasigeri M. , Patel Mausam , Marples Brian , Barber Glen , Pollack Alan
Published: May 2020

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) expressing IFNβ induces apoptosis in multiple tumor models while maintaining an excellent safety profile. VSV-IFNβ is oncoselective due to permissive replication in cells with an altered IFN pathway. The human VSV-IFNβ (hIFNβ) vector is currently used in clinical trials as a standalone therapy; however, we hypothesized that oncolytic virotherapy might be more effective when used in combination with radiotherapy (RT). We investigated the synergistic effects of RT and VSV-hIFNβ in the subcutaneous PC3 and orthotopic LNCaP prostate xenograft models and a syngeneic RM9 prostate tumor model. VSV-IFNβ combined with RT amplified tumor killing for PC3 and LNCaP xenografts, and RM9 tumors. This was attributed to the induction of proapoptotic genes leading to increased VSV-IFNβ infection and replication, VSV expression, and oncolysis. In the RM9 tumors, combination therapy resulted in a robust antitumor immune response. Treated RM9 tumor-bearing mice demonstrated an increase in CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell numbers, 100% resistance to tumor rechallenge, and reduced resistance to reimplantation challenge with CD8+ knockdown. RT enhanced the activity of VSV-mediated oncolysis via attenuation of the innate antiviral response, resulting in increased VSV replication and the generation of an adaptive immune response earmarked by an increase in CD8+ lymphocyte numbers and antitumor activity. Local tumor irradiation combined with VSV-IFNβ affects tumor cell death through direct and systemic activity in conjunction with pronounced antitumor immunity.

Implications:

Radiotherapy enhances VSV-mediated oncolysis and anti-tumor immunity, indicating that the ombination has promise for very high risk prostate cancer.
Apolipoprotein C2 - CD36 Promotes Leukemia Growth and Presents a Targetable Axis in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Zhang Tian , Yang Jiawen , Vaikari Vijaya P. , Beckford John S. , Wu Sharon , Akhtari Mojtaba , Alachkar Houda
Published: May 2020

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a devastating hematologic malignancy that affects the hematopoietic stem cells. The 5-year overall survival (OS) of patients with AML is less than 30%, highlighting the urgent need to identify new therapeutic targets. Here, we analyze gene expression datasets for genes that are differentially overexpressed in AML cells compared with healthy hematopoietic cells. We report that apolipoprotein C2 (APOC2) mRNA is significantly overexpressed in AML, particularly in patients with mixed-lineage leukemia rearrangements. By multivariate analysis, high APOC2 expression in leukemia blasts is significantly associated with decreased OS (HR: 2.51; 95% CI, 1.03–6.07; P = 0.04). APOC2 is a small secreted apolipoprotein that constitutes chylomicrons, very-low-density lipoproteins, and high-density lipoproteins with other apolipoproteins. APOC2 activates lipoprotein lipase and contributes to lipid metabolism. By gain and loss of function approaches in cultured AML cells, we demonstrate that APOC2 promotes leukemia growth via CD36-mediated LYN–ERK signaling activation. Knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of either APOC2 or CD36 reduces cell proliferation, induces apoptosis in vitro, and delays leukemia progression in mice. Altogether, this study establishes APOC2–CD36 axis as a potential therapeutic target in AML.

Significance:

The majority of patients with AML die within five years of diagnosis. We reveal that lipid transporter APOC2 is elevated in AML and promotes leukemic cell metabolism and growth via CD36, and provide preclinical evidence that targeting this pathway may be beneficial in AML.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 127
Lupusnephritis: Protokollbiopsien therapeutisch nutzen
Authors: von Vietinghoff Sibylle
Published: May 2020

The optimal duration of maintenance immunosuppressive therapy for patients with lupus nephritis who have achieved clinical remission has not been established. Furthermore, clinical and histologic remissions are often discordant. We postulated that continuing therapy for patients with persistent histologic activity on kidney biopsies done during maintenance and discontinuing therapy only for patients without histologic activity would minimize subsequent lupus nephritis flares. To test this, a cohort of 75 prospectively-followed patients with proliferative lupus nephritis was managed using kidney biopsies performed during maintenance therapy. These patients had been on immunosuppression for at least 42 months, had responded, and had maintained their clinical response for at least 12 months before the kidney biopsy was repeated. Maintenance therapy was withdrawn if the biopsy showed an activity index of zero, but was continued if the biopsy showed an activity index of one or more. A lupus nephritis flare developed in seven patients during the average 50 months from the third biopsy and the final clinic visit for a flare rate of 1.5/year; significantly less than reported flare rates. Baseline clinical parameters (serum creatinine, proteinuria) and serologic parameters (complement C3, C4 and anti-dsDNA) did not predict an activity index of zero on the third biopsy or who would have a lupus nephritis flare. No patients developed end-stage kidney disease. Four patients developed de novo chronic kidney disease. There were no serious adverse events related to biopsy. Thus, at an experienced center, biopsy-informed management of maintenance immunosuppression is safe and may improve the lupus nephritis flare rate compared to conventional clinical management.
Konsequenz aus der geschlechtsspezifischen Prävalenz von Autoimmunerkrankungen
Authors: Mihai Carmen-Marina
Published: May 2020

Women have a higher incidence and prevalence of autoimmune diseases than men, and 85% or more patients of multiple autoimmune diseases are female. Women undergo sweeping endocrinological changes at least twice during their lifetime, puberty and menopause, with many women undergoing an additional transition: pregnancy, which may or may not be accompanied by breastfeeding. These endocrinological transitions exert significant effects on the immune system due to interactions between the hormonal milieu, innate, and adaptive immune systems as well as pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and thereby modulate the susceptibility of women to autoimmune diseases. Conversely, pre-existing autoimmune diseases themselves impact endocrine transitions. Concentration-dependent effects of estrogen on the immune system; the role of progesterone, androgens, leptin, oxytocin, and prolactin; and the interplay between Th1 and Th2 immune responses together maintain a delicate balance between host defense, immunological tolerance and autoimmunity. In this review, multiple autoimmune diseases have been analyzed in the context of each of the three endocrinological transitions in women. We provide evidence from human epidemiological data and animal studies that endocrine transitions exert profound impact on the development of autoimmune diseases in women through complex mechanisms. Greater understanding of endocrine transitions and their role in autoimmune diseases could aid in prediction, prevention, and cures of these debilitating diseases in women.
Bronchiolitis als mögliche unerwünschte Wirkung von Immuncheckpoint-Inhibitoren
Authors: Kahn Nicolas Carlos
Published: May 2020

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been shown to improve overall and progression-free survival in various cancers but have been associated with various immune-related adverse events (IRAEs), including interstitial lung disease, especially organizing pneumonia. We report 2 cases of isolated severe airway disease attributable to ICIs, a rarely reported pattern of lung toxicity. The first patient received nivolumab with or without ipilimumab in a randomized double-blind trial for locoregional metastatic melanoma. The second patient was treated with nivolumab for lung adenocarcinoma. An IRAE was suspected in both cases due to a temporal relationship between ICI initiation and symptom onset. ICIs were stopped, and high-dose prednisone, inhaled corticosteroids, and bronchodilators were administered, allowing a rapid clinical and functional improvement in Patient 1. In Patient 2, despite prolonged high-dose prednisone, only a stabilization of forced expiratory volume in 1 s could be achieved, and the disease course was complicated by respiratory infections resulting in further loss of lung function. The patient died 1 year later due to progression of metastatic disease. These 2 cases suggest that pulmonary IRAEs secondary to ICIs may present as isolated bronchitis or bronchiolitis, with variable outcomes following ICI withdrawal and systemic corticosteroids.
The Role of Innate Immunity in the Pathogenesis of Breast Cancer
Authors: Grebić Damir , Gulić Tamara , Starčević Alma , Alvirović Manuela , Blagojević Zagorac Gordana , Valković Zujić Petra , Veljković Vujaklija Danijela
Published: May 2020

Background: Breast carcinoma is the most common malignant disease in the female population and one of the leading causes of death among women worldwide. One crucial hallmark of cancer is chronic inflammation where the immunosuppressive environment is dominant. The immunosuppressive environment is largely achieved by the interaction of tumor cells and infiltrating leukocytes. Summary: Usually, human macrophages and natural killer cells are involved in antitumor immunity. The therapeutic potential of this population against cancers has stimulated their study and led to the discovery of several different tumor-associated macrophages and natural killer cell subsets, each of which is endowed with different immunoregulatory functions. Both heterogeneity and plasticity of the tumor-associated macrophages and natural killer cell compartment, which are both tightly linked to the tumor microenvironment of different breast cancer types. Key Messages: The identification of specific tumor-associated macrophages and natural killer cell subsets endowed with particular functional capabilities might help monitor tumor-mediated responses in breast cancer patients. Currently, one of the most used strategies for breast cancer of newly diagnosed patients is neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Diagnostische Fallstricke bei männlichem Patienten mit systemischem Lupus erythematodes
Authors: Gheorghe Andrei Cristian Dan , Hodorogea Andreea Simona , Georgescu Cristina Elena , Ciobanu Ana , Nanea Ioan Tiberiu , Gheorghe Gabriela Silvia
Published: May 2020

Systemischer Lupus erythematodes (SLE) ist eine chronische, multi-systemische, immunvermittelte Erkrankung mit irreführender Symptomatik und später Diagnosestellung. Wir berichten hier vom Fall eines 32-jährigen Mannes mit persistierender positiver VDRL-Reaktion (Venereal Disease Research Laboratory) nach Syphilistherapie 5 Jahre zuvor, der mit Exanthem, Gewichtsverlust, Panzytopenie, inflammatorischem Syndrom und erheblicher spontaner Verlängerung der aktivierten partiellen Thromboplastinzeit (aPTT) aufgenommen wurde. Bei dem Patienten wurden Antiphospholipid-Antikörper nachgewiesen und die Diagnose SLE gestellt. Das unerkannte falsch-positive VDRL-Ergebnis und die verzögerte SLE-Diagnose waren für den Patienten gesundheitsschädigend, da er zum Zeitpunkt der Diagnosestellung bereits renale und kardiale Komplikationen entwickelt hatte. Lerninhalte • Eine positive VDRL-Reaktion im Rahmen der Syphilis-Diagnostik muss durch andere Tests wie TPHA oder Western Blot gesichert werden, insbesondere wenn kein entsprechender klinischer Kontext vorliegt; die Möglichkeit eines falsch-positiven Ergebnisses muss bedacht werden. • Eine spontane aPTT-Verlängerung kann mit dem Vorhandensein von Antiphospholipid-Antikörpern zusammenhängen. • In der klinischen Praxis müssen Ärzte immer an eine Gesamtdiagnose für den jeweiligen Einzelfall denken, die alle klinischen Merkmale und laboranalytischen Daten einbezieht, auch wenn die Kombination zunächst unstimmig erscheint.
Treat-to-Target bei systemischem Lupus erythematodes
Authors: Aringer Martin , Leuchten Nicolai , Schneider Matthias
Published: May 2020

Das Treat-to-target-Prinzip, bei dem die entzündliche Krankheitsaktivität mithilfe von krankheitsmodifizierenden Arzneimitteln (disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, DMARDs) oder Immunsuppressiva unter Kontrolle gebracht wird, ist auch für den systemischen Lupus erythematodes (SLE) umzusetzen. Eine Intensivierung der Immunsuppression mit höher dosierten Glukokortikoiden kann die Behandlungsergebnisse bei SLE jedoch verschlechtern. Infolgedessen sprechen sich alle aktuellen Empfehlungen für eine bessere Krankheitskontrolle bei gleichzeitiger Begrenzung der täglichen Glukokortikoid-Dosen auf maximal 5 oder 7,5 mg Prednisolon aus. Zusätzlich erfolgen eine Behandlung mit Hydroxychloroquin und weitere prophylaktische Maßnahmen, und das Anti-Phospholipid-Syndrom wird mit Antikoagulantien und nicht mit Immunsuppressiva behandelt. Dies macht den Treat-to-target-Therapieansatz beim SLE etwas schwieriger, spiegelt jedoch die Komplexität der Erkrankung wider.
Ki-67 Index of 55% Distinguishes Two Groups of Bronchopulmonary Pure and Composite Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinomas with Distinct Prognosis
Authors: Milione Massimo , Maisonneuve Patrick , Grillo Federica , Mangogna Alessandro , Centonze Giovanni , Prinzi Natalie , Pusceddu Sara , Garzone Giovanna , Cattaneo Laura , Busico Adele , Bossi Paola , Spaggiari Paola , Pellegrinelli Alessio , Del Gobbo Alessandro , Ferrero Stefano , Kankava Ketevani , Pruneri Giancarlo , Rolli Luigi , Roca Elisa , Bercich Luisa , Tironi Andrea , Benvenuti Mauro Roberto , Gallazzi Maria Sole , Romano Rosalia , Berruti Alfredo , Pastorino Ugo , Capella Carlo
Published: May 2020

Background: Little information is available concerning prognostic factors for bronchopulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas (BP-LCNECs) and even less is known about combined LCNECs (Co-LCNECs). We investigated whether an integrated morphological, immunohistochemical, and molecular approach could be used for their prognostic evaluation. Methods: Morphological (including combined features), proliferative (mitotic count/Ki-67 index), immunohistochemical (napsin A, p40, TTF-1, CD44, OTP, SSTR2A, SSTR5, mASH1, p53, RB1, and MDM2), and genomic (TP53, RB1, ATM, JAK2, KRAS, and STK11) findings were analyzed in BP-LCNECs from 5 Italian centers, and correlated with overall survival (OS). The Ki-67 index was expressed as the percentage of positive cells in hot spots as indicated in the WHO 2019 Digestive System Tumors and, for Co-LCNECs, the Ki-67 index was evaluated only in the LCNEC component. Results: A total of 111 LCNECs were distinguished into 70 pure LCNECs, 35 Co-LCNECs (27 with adenocarcinoma [ADC] and 8 with squamous cell carcinoma [SqCC]), and 6 LCNECs with only napsin A immunoreactivity. The Ki-67 index cutoff at 55% evaluated in the neuroendocrine component was the most powerful predictor of OS (log-rank p = 0.0001) in all LCNECs; 34 cases had a Ki-67 index <55% (LCNEC-A) and 77 had a Ki-67 index ≥55% (LCNEC-B). Statistically significant differences in OS (log-rank p = 0.0001) were also observed between pure and Co-LCNECs. A significant difference in OS was found between pure LCNECs-A and Co-LCNECs-A (p < 0.05) but not between pure LCNECs-B and Co-LCNECs-B. Co-LCNEC-ADC and LCNEC napsin A+ cases had longer OS than pure LCNEC and Co-LCNEC-SqCC cases (log-rank p = 0.0001). On multivariable analysis, tumor location, pure versus combined features, and napsin A, but no single gene mutation, were significantly associated with OS after adjustment for Ki-67 index and study center (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The Ki-67 proliferation index and the morphological characterization of combined features in LCNECs seem to be important tools for predicting clinical outcome in BP-LCNECs.
Cardiovascular Considerations in Caring for Pregnant Patients: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association
Authors: Mehta Laxmi S. , Warnes Carole A. , Bradley Elisa , Burton Tina , Economy Katherine , Mehran Roxana , Safdar Basmah , Sharma Garima , Wood Malissa , Valente Anne Marie , Volgman Annabelle Santos ,   On behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Clinical Cardiology; Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology; Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; and Stroke Council
Published: May 2020

Cardio-obstetrics has emerged as an important multidisciplinary field that requires a team approach to the management of cardiovascular disease during pregnancy. Cardiac conditions during pregnancy include hypertensive disorders, hypercholesterolemia, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathies, arrhythmias, valvular disease, thromboembolic disease, aortic disease, and cerebrovascular diseases. Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of pregnancy-related mortality in the United States. Advancing maternal age and preexisting comorbid conditions have contributed to the increased rates of maternal mortality. Preconception counseling by the multidisciplinary cardio-obstetrics team is essential for women with preexistent cardiac conditions or history of preeclampsia. Early involvement of the cardio-obstetrics team is critical to prevent maternal morbidity and mortality during the length of the pregnancy and 1 year postpartum. A general understanding of cardiovascular disease during pregnancy should be a core knowledge area for all cardiovascular and primary care clinicians. This scientific statement provides an overview of the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease during pregnancy.
Effects of Liraglutide on Worsening Renal Function Among Patients With Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction
Authors: Redouane Brahim , Greene Stephen J. , Fudim Marat , Vaduganathan Muthiah , Ambrosy Andrew P. , Sun Jie-Lena , DeVore Adam D. , McNulty Steven E. , Mentz Robert J. , Hernandez Adrian F. , Felker G. Michael , Cooper Lauren B. , Borlaug Barry A. , Velazquez Eric J. , Margulies Kenneth B. , Sharma Abhinav
Published: May 2020

Background:

The FIGHT (Functional Impact of GLP-1 [glucagon-like peptide-1] for Heart Failure Treatment) trial randomized 300 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and a recent hospitalization for heart failure to liraglutide versus placebo. While there was no difference in the primary outcome (rank score of time to death, time to rehospitalization for heart failure, and change in NT-proBNP [N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide]), there was a significant increase in cystatin C among patients randomized to liraglutide raising concern of adverse renal outcomes. We performed a post hoc analysis of FIGHT to investigate whether liraglutide was associated with worsening renal function (WRF).

Methods:

The relationship between randomization to liraglutide and WRF was evaluated using logistic regression models. Two hundred seventy-four patients (91%) had complete data to assess for WRF defined as: increase in SCr ≥0.3 mg/dL, or ≥25% decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate, or an increase in cystatin C ≥0.3 mg/L from baseline to 180-days.

Results:

Patients with WRF (n=113, 41%), compared with those without, were older, had more comorbidities, and lower utilization of guideline-directed medical treatment. Logistic regression models showed that age and baseline cystatin C levels were associated with WRF. In adjusted models, liraglutide was not associated with excess risk of WRF compared with placebo (odds ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.62–1.67]). There was also no difference in the rank score when WRF was added as a fourth-tier outcome.

Conclusions:

Liraglutide was not associated with WRF among patients with HFrEF and a recent hospitalization for heart failure. These data support the relative renal safety profile of liraglutide among patients with HFrEF.

Registration:

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01800968.
Sex Differences in Symptom Presentation in Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis
Authors: van Oosterhout Roos E. M. , de Boer Annemarijn R. , Maas Angela H. E. M. , Rutten Frans H. , Bots Michiel L. , Peters Sanne A. E.
Published: May 2020

Background

Timely recognition of patients with acute coronary syndromes (
ACS
) is important for successful treatment. Previous research has suggested that women with
ACS
present with different symptoms compared with men. This review assessed the extent of sex differences in symptom presentation in patients with confirmed
ACS
.

Methods and Results

A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane up to June 2019. Two reviewers independently screened title‐abstracts and full‐texts according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale. Pooled odds ratios (
OR
) with 95% CI of a symptom being present were calculated using aggregated and cumulative meta‐analyses as well as sex‐specific pooled prevalences for each symptom. Twenty‐seven studies were included. Compared with men, women with
ACS
had higher odds of presenting with pain between the shoulder blades (
OR
2.15; 95%
CI
, 1.95–2.37), nausea or vomiting (
OR
1.64; 95%
CI
, 1.48–1.82) and shortness of breath (
OR
1.34; 95%
CI
, 1.21–1.48). Women had lower odds of presenting with chest pain (
OR
0.70; 95%
CI
, 0.63–0.78) and diaphoresis (OR 0.84; 95%
CI
, 0.76–0.94). Both sexes presented most often with chest pain (pooled prevalences, men 79%; 95%
CI
, 72–85, pooled prevalences, women 74%; 95%
CI
, 72–85). Other symptoms also showed substantial overlap in prevalence. The presence of sex differences has been established since the early 2000s. Newer studies did not materially change cumulative findings.

Conclusions

Women with
ACS
do have different symptoms at presentation than men with
ACS
, but there is also considerable overlap. Since these differences have been shown for years, symptoms should no longer be labeled as “atypical” or “typical.”
New species of Ceropegia (Apocynaceae) from the Horn of Africa

Authors: BRUYNS PETER V. , KLAK CORNELIA , MAZUCH TOMÁŠ , GELLE FAYSAL JAMA , ELMI HASSAN SH ABDIRAHMAN , HANÁČEK PAVEL
Published: May 2020

We describe three new species of Ceropegia L., namely C. buraoensis Bruyns of sect. Echidnopsis (Hook.f.) Bruyns from Somaliland, C. marronina Bruyns & Hanáček of sect. Orbea (Haw.) Bruyns from northern Ethiopia and C. pseudorhynchantha Bruyns of sect. Phalaena H.Huber from southern Ethiopia.
West Coast Forecast Challenges and Development of Atmospheric River Reconnaissance
Authors: Ralph F. Martin , Cannon Forest , Tallapragada Vijay , Davis Christopher A. , Doyle James D. , Pappenberger Florian , Subramanian Aneesh , Wilson Anna M. , Lavers David A. , Reynolds Carolyn A. , Haase Jennifer S. , Centurioni Luca , Ingleby Bruce , Rutz Jonathan J. , Cordeira Jason M. , Zheng Minghua , Hecht Chad , Kawzenuk Brian , Delle Monache Luca
Published: May 2020

Water management and flood control are major challenges in the western United States. They are heavily influenced by atmospheric river (AR) storms that produce both beneficial water supply and hazards; for example, 84% of all flood damages in the West (up to 99% in key areas) are associated with ARs. However, AR landfall forecast position errors can exceed 200 km at even 1-day lead time and yet many watersheds are <100 km across, which contributes to issues such as the 2017 Oroville Dam spillway incident and regularly to large flood forecast errors. Combined with the rise of wildfires and deadly post-wildfire debris flows, such as Montecito (2018), the need for better AR forecasts is urgent. Atmospheric River Reconnaissance (AR Recon) was developed as a research and operations partnership to address these needs. It combines new observations, modeling, data assimilation, and forecast verification methods to improve the science and predictions of landfalling ARs. ARs over the northeast Pacific are measured using dropsondes from up to three aircraft simultaneously. Additionally, airborne radio occultation is being tested, and drifting buoys with pressure sensors are deployed. AR targeting and data collection methods have been developed, assimilation and forecast impact experiments are ongoing, and better understanding of AR dynamics is emerging. AR Recon is led by the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes and NWS/NCEP. The effort’s core partners include the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, NCAR, ECMWF, and multiple academic institutions. AR Recon is included in the “National Winter Season Operations Plan” to support improved outcomes for emergency preparedness and water management in the West.
Path Properties of Atmospheric Transitions: Illustration with a Low-Order Sudden Stratospheric Warming Model
Authors: Finkel Justin , Abbot Dorian S. , Weare Jonathan
Published: May 2020

Many rare weather events, including hurricanes, droughts, and floods, dramatically impact human life. To accurately forecast these events and characterize their climatology requires specialized mathematical techniques to fully leverage the limited data that are available. Here we describe transition path theory (TPT), a framework originally developed for molecular simulation, and argue that it is a useful paradigm for developing mechanistic understanding of rare climate events. TPT provides a method to calculate statistical properties of the paths into the event. As an initial demonstration of the utility of TPT, we analyze a low-order model of sudden stratospheric warming (SSW), a dramatic disturbance to the polar vortex that can induce extreme cold spells at the surface in the midlatitudes. SSW events pose a major challenge for seasonal weather prediction because of their rapid, complex onset and development. Climate models struggle to capture the long-term statistics of SSW, owing to their diversity and intermittent nature. We use a stochastically forced Holton–Mass-type model with two stable states, corresponding to radiative equilibrium and a vacillating SSW-like regime. In this stochastic bistable setting, from certain probabilistic forecasts TPT facilitates estimation of dominant transition pathways and return times of transitions. These “dynamical statistics” are obtained by solving partial differential equations in the model’s phase space. With future application to more complex models, TPT and its constituent quantities promise to improve the predictability of extreme weather events through both generation and principled evaluation of forecasts.
Tracing Future Spring and Summer Drying in Southern Africa to Tropical Lows and the Congo Air Boundary
Authors: Howard Emma , Washington Richard
Published: May 2020

In southern Africa, models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) predict robust future drying associated with a delayed rainy-season onset in the austral spring and a range of wetting and drying patterns in the austral summer. This paper relates these rainfall changes to dynamical shifts in two classes of weather systems: the Congo Air Boundary (CAB) and tropical lows. Objective algorithms are used to track these features in CMIP5 model output. It is then established that the climatological locations and frequencies of these systems are reasonably well represented in the CMIP5 models. RCP8.5 end-of-twenty-first-century projections are compared with historical end-of-twentieth-century simulations. Future projections in tropical-low locations and frequencies diverge, but indicate an overall average decrease of 15% and in some cases a northward shift. The projected spatial change in the tropical-low frequency distribution is weakly positively correlated to the projected spatial change in the austral summer rainfall distribution. Meanwhile, future projections indicate a 13% increase in CAB frequency from October to December. This is associated with the gradual climatological CAB breakdown occurring half a month later on average in end-of-twenty-first-century RCP8.5 projections. A delay in the gradual seasonal decline of the CAB prevents rainfall to the south of the CAB’s mean position, most of which is shown to occur on CAB breakdown days, hence creating the austral spring drying signal and delayed wet-season onset. Intermodel variability in the magnitude of CAB frequency increase is able to explain intermodel variability in the projected drying.
Why Is the Mediterranean a Climate Change Hot Spot?
Authors: Tuel A. , Eltahir E. A. B.
Published: May 2020

Higher precipitation is expected over most of the world’s continents under climate change, except for a few specific regions where models project robust declines. Among these, the Mediterranean stands out as a result of the magnitude and significance of its winter precipitation decline. Locally, up to 40% of winter precipitation could be lost, setting strong limits on water resources that will constrain the ability of the region to develop and grow food, affecting millions of already water-stressed people and threatening the stability of this tense and complex area. To this day, however, a theory explaining the special nature of this region as a climate change hot spot is still lacking. Regional circulation changes, dominated by the development of a strong anomalous ridge, are thought to drive the winter precipitation decline, but their origins and potential contributions to regional hydroclimate change remain elusive. Here, we show how wintertime Mediterranean circulation trends can be seen as the combined response to two independent forcings: robust changes in large-scale, upper-tropospheric flow and the reduction in the regional land–sea temperature gradient that is characteristic of this region. In addition, we discuss how the circulation change can account for the magnitude and spatial structure of the drying. Our findings pave the way for better understanding and improved modeling of the future Mediterranean hydroclimate.
Measured and Modeled Historical Precipitation Trends for Svalbard
Authors: Førland Eirik J. , Isaksen Ketil , Lutz Julia , Hanssen-Bauer Inger , Schuler Thomas Vikhamar , Dobler Andreas , Gjelten Herdis M. , Vikhamar-Schuler Dagrun
Published: May 2020

Precipitation plays an important role in the Arctic hydrological cycle, affecting different areas like the surface energy budget and the mass balance of glaciers. Thus, accurate measurements of precipitation are crucial for physical process studies, but gauge measurements in the Arctic are sparse and subject to relocations and several gauge issues. From Svalbard, we analyze precipitation trends at six weather stations for the last 50–100 years by combining different observation series and adjusting for inhomogeneities. For the past 50 years, the measured annual precipitation has increased by 30%–45%. However, precipitation measurements in the cold and windy climate are strongly influenced by gauge undercatch. Correcting for undercatch reduces the trend values by 10% points, since the fraction of solid precipitation has decreased and undercatch is larger for solid precipitation. Thus, precipitation corrected for undercatch should be used to study “true” precipitation trends in the Arctic. Precipitation over Svalbard has been modeled by downscaling reanalysis data to a spatial resolution of 1 km. In general, the modeled annual precipitation is higher (13%–175%) than the measured values and mainly higher than the precipitation corrected for undercatch. Although the model resolves orographic effects on a regional scale, the downscaling is not able to reproduce local orographic enhancement for onshore winds, nor local effects of rain shadow. The downscaled dataset explains approximately 60% of the interannual precipitation variability. The model-based trends during 1979–2018 are positive, but weaker (~4% decade−1) than the observed (~8% decade−1) trends.
Perspectives sur l’authenticité et conditions d’efficacité rituelle : Nécessité de convaincre et enjeux de transmission dans le rituel du Teyyam
Authors: Brillant-Giroux Vincent
Published: May 2020

À partir d’une recherche menée sur les rituels de possession du Teyyam, au Kerala, Inde du Sud, nous examinons en quoi les questions d’authenticité formulées du point de vue des acteurs, et des processus qui s’y rattachent, ont un rôle à jouer pour générer une confiance en l’efficacité du rituel à réaliser les attentes des fidèles à son endroit. Alors que les performeurs de la nouvelle génération essaient de concilier l’exigence de cette pratique avec une amélioration de leurs conditions de vie, des performeurs plus âgés, qui valorisent l’idée d’un sacrifice de soi pour la communauté, alimentent un débat au sujet de leur compétence. Au cœur de ce débat, il y a des enjeux interreliés se rapportant à la notion d’authenticité donnant lieu à des interprétations, ancrées à la fois dans l’imaginaire mythique et contestataire du Teyyam de même que dans la réalité de l’Inde actuelle, qui orientent les conceptions de part et d’autre, et rappellent l’importance de répondre à la nécessité de convaincre que les dieux pourront toujours continuer à intervenir en faveur des fidèles. Que passe-t-il lorsque des critères pour confirmer la présence d’une divinité lors d’un rituel sont réinterprétés ? À quoi doivent-ils satisfaire pour assurer un consensus ?
African American Child and Adolescent Academic Help-Seeking: A Scoping Review
Authors: Davis-Bowman Jennifer
Published: May 2020

To influence school achievement, researchers investigate student academic help-seeking. However, a growing population of students of color combined with the risk of poorer academic performance yields attention toward African American student academic help-seeking. In this review, 13 studies analyzed sampling characteristics, theoretical frameworks, and designing methodologies. Results illustrated that samples varied in terms of data collection, settings, participant characteristics, and research purpose. Also, frameworks differed with the majority of the studies referencing culture or motivation-informed theory. The methodology focused on quantitative measures of help-seeking behavior, attitude, and influencing variables. Qualitative measures showed African American students experienced help-seeking challenges, family involvement, and assumed responsibility for seeking help. Implications for research and practice are provided.
Cremation and Grief: Are Ways of Commemorating the Dead Related to Adjustment Over Time?
Authors: Birrell John , Schut Henk , Stroebe Margaret , Anadria Daniel , Newsom Cate , Woodthorpe Kate , Rumble Hannah , Corden Anne , Smith Yvette
Published: May 2020

Funeral services are known to serve multiple functions for bereaved persons. There is also a common, intuitively reasonable assumption of positive associations between engaging in funeral activities and adjustment to bereavement. We examined whether restricting ceremonial cremation arrangements to a minimum has a negative association with grief over time. Bereaved persons in the United Kingdom completed questionnaires 2 to 5 months postloss and again a year later ( N = 233 with complete data; dropout = 11.4%). Neither type nor elaborateness of the cremation service, nor satisfaction with arrangements (typically high), emerged as significantly related to grief; no major subgroup differences (e.g., according to income level) were found. Results suggested that it does not matter to grief whether a more minimalistic or elaborate funeral ceremony was observed. We concluded that the funeral industry represented in this investigation is offering bereaved people the range of choices regarding cremation arrangements to meet their needs. Limits to generalizability are discussed.
When You Win, Nothing Hurts: The Durability of Electoral Salience on Individuals’ Satisfaction with Democracy
Authors: Loveless Matthew
Published: May 2020

There is a substantial literature on the impact of having voting for an electorally victorious party on individual voters’ satisfaction with democracy. Yet, there have been few evaluations as to temporally salient are elections to the satisfaction levels for those who voted for a “winning” party and those who voted for a “losing” party. Using rounds 1–8 of the European Social Surveys, I find evidence from 92 elections in 27 European countries that both the levels of and the difference between satisfaction levels of “winners” and “losers” do not attenuate quickly but rather last almost 5 years. That is, it appears that “winners” are more satisfied with democracy and stay that way. While this confirms earlier, smaller studies, the absence of a causal connection between the time from election and satisfaction levels poses a significant challenge to the current literature about the electoral mechanism of this relationship.
The Paradox of Interaction: Communication Network Centralization, Shared Task Experience, and the Wisdom of Crowds in Online Crowdsourcing Communities
Authors: Yan Bei , Jian Lian , Ren Ruqin , Fulk Janet , Sidnam-Mauch Emily , Monge Peter
Published: May 2020

Research on the wisdom of crowds (WOC) identifies two paradoxical effects of communication. The social influence effect hampers the WOC, whereas the collective learning effect improves crowd wisdom. Yet it remains unclear under what conditions such communication impedes or enhances collective wisdom. The current study examined two features characterizing communication in online communities, communication network centralization and shared task experience, and their effect on the WOC. Both these features can serve as indicators of the likelihood that underlying communication may facilitate either social influence or collective learning. With an 8-year longitudinal behavioral-trace data set of 269,871 participants and 1,971 crowds, we showed that communication network centralization negatively affected the WOC. By contrast, shared task experience positively predicted the WOC. Shared task experience also moderated the effect of communication network centralization such that centralized communication networks became more beneficial for crowd performance as shared task experience increased.
A Case of Primary Systemic Amyloidosis Involving the Sinonasal Tract
Authors: Onishi Toshinori , Yasuda Makoto , Koida Atsuhide , Inui Taka-aki , Okamoto Shota , Hirano Shigeru
Published: May 2020

We present a case of primary systemic amyloidosis diagnosed by endoscopic sinus surgery. A 75-year-old woman had blurred vision in her left eye; computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed shadows of the bilateral paranasal sinuses. Endoscopic sinus surgery was performed, and amyloidosis was diagnosed by histopathology. She had previously been diagnosed with amyloidosis of the stomach, and therefore, she was diagnosed with primary systemic amyloidosis. A systemic workup for additional amyloid deposits revealed no evidence of other diseases. The patient remained under follow-up without further treatment, as no further amyloid deposition or progression of the lesions was seen. Amyloidosis is a rare condition characterized by the deposition of abnormal protein filaments in the extracellular tissue. Generally, systemic amyloidosis does not involve the head and neck region, and the presence of amyloid in the nasal and paranasal sinus mucosa is more likely to be indicative of a localized process. However, in our patient, the lesions were located in both the sinonasal tract and the stomach, indicating systemic amyloidosis. To our knowledge, there have been no previous reports of systemic amyloidosis involving the sinonasal tract, and therefore, we consider this case to be extremely rare.
Head and Neck Tumor Resection and Free Flap Reconstruction in Low-Volume Center
Authors: Brennan Malia , Wong Shelley , Faringer Paul D. , Lim Jae H.
Published: May 2020

Objective:

To determine the surgical outcomes of free tissue transfer surgery following head and neck tumor extirpation in a low-volume medical center.

Methods:

Retrospective chart review of patients who underwent free tissue transfer surgery for head and neck cancer at Moanalua Medical Center from 2015 to 2018.

Main Outcome of Measure:

Free flap failure rate and free flap-related complications.

Results:

From 2015 to 2018, there were 27 free tissue transfer surgery (mean 6.75 flap surgery/year). There were 2 events of partial flap necrosis, and no cases of total flap loss. One patient required leech therapy for venous congestion. One patient required additional free flap surgery. Two patients developed orocutaneous fistula that resolved with local wound care. One patient developed malocclusion following mandible reconstruction using fibular free flap. Overall free flap success rate was 96%.

Conclusion:

This study supports the ability of small-volume centers to produce positive outcomes with few complications in head and neck cancer free flap reconstructive surgery. While the data are limited to a single surgical team in one care center, it provides additional support for the idea that there are factors beyond the surgical volume that determine outcome.
Performance Feedback Persistence: Comparative Effects of Historical Versus Peer Performance Feedback on Innovative Search
Authors: Ye Yang , Yu Wei , Nason Robert
Published: May 2020

Firms use aspirations to regulate innovative search activities, but peer and historical referents may contain different signals regarding performance feedback. Integrating insights from the literature on profit persistence with the behavioral theory of the firm, we propose a persistence-based framework of organizational innovative search that connects the persistence characteristics of feedback from peer and historical referents with innovative search. We first predict that feedback from peer referents is more persistent than feedback from historical referents. Further, we theorize that peer performance feedback produces more pronounced effects: Performance above (below) peer aspiration leads to less (more) innovative search compared with performance above (below) the historical aspiration level. In addition, because industries impose heterogeneous levels of profit persistence, the differential effect between peer and historical performance feedback on innovative search is likely to be more evident in highly persistent industries. Examining the research-and-development intensity of a comprehensive panel of Compustat manufacturing firms over the past 45 years, our results from quasi–maximum likelihood analysis and fixed-effect panel regression largely support our theoretical development. Our study extends a nascent understanding of aspiration heterogeneity by revealing and empirically confirming the critical role of persistence.
Digital media as a driver of change in political organisation: 2010 and 2015 UK general elections
Authors: Ridge-Newman Anthony
Published: May 2020

In Britain, by 2015, Web 2.0 had become a more widely accepted and established mode of civic engagement of which political e-participation became an observable extension. However, in the run-up to 2010, social media were newer, less understood and largely associated with younger generations. These changes present questions about how wider technocultural developments impacted political engagement between the 2010 and 2015 UK general elections. This article aims to go some way in examining this question with a theoretical focus on the role of Facebook as a driver of change in political organisation. Using the British Conservative Party as a case study, the article analyses and compares events, observations and shifting power relations associated with digital technology and organisational change observed over two election cycles spanning from 2005 to 2015. A focal aim is to examine changes in Conservative Party campaigns and organisation in order to contribute to wider debates about the impact of digital technology in changing the organisation and activities of actors, like political parties and political participants, in democratic contexts. The article concludes that a complex combination of internal and external, technological and human, and grassroots and centralised factors played roles in changing the Conservative Party.