bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences in Body Composition in Older People from Two Regions of Mexico: Implications for Diagnoses of Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity
Authors: Rangel Peniche Diana Beatriz , Alemán Mateo Heliodoro , Barreiro Ma. de los Angeles Aguilera , Ruiz Valenzuela Roxana E. , Ramírez-Torres Maribel , Urquidez-Romero Rene
Published: July 2018

Background. Mexico is a country that is rich in ethnicity and cultural diversity, divided into three well-defined socioeconomic, ecological, and epidemiological areas. However, we do not know the influence that these factors may have on body composition. Therefore, this study was designed to assess body composition and compare appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) in older people from two areas of the country. Methods. This is a cross-sectional study that included 430 subjects ≥60 years of age from northwestern and central Mexico. Body composition, including ASM, was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, while anthropometry, handgrip strength, demographic variables, health status/chronic conditions, and energy expenditure data were all included. Results. Men and women from the northwestern region had 5.9 kg and 3.8 kg more body fat, respectively, and 3.9 kg more as a group than their counterparts from central Mexico (p ≤ 0.0001). While there were no significant differences across gender or region in terms of ASM, the older subjects from central Mexico had a significantly higher ASM index (ASMI) than the sample from the northwest. When ASM was adjusted for age, body weight, height, health status/chronic conditions, estimated energy expenditure, and demographic variables, the subjects from central Mexico had significantly higher adjusted mean values of ASM and ASMI than their counterparts from the northwest. Conclusion. Older people from two regions of Mexico had significantly different estimates of body composition. Our findings highlight the importance of regionalizing estimates of ASM and ASMI if they are to be used for diagnostic purposes. It is also important to emphasize that appendicular skeletal muscle mass, or the ASM index, should be adjusted for other associated biological variables.
PPAR-γ Promotes Hematoma Clearance through Haptoglobin-Hemoglobin-CD163 in a Rat Model of Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Wang Gaiqing , Li Tong , Duan Shu-na , Dong Liang , Sun Xin-gang , Xue Fang
Published: July 2018

Background and Purpose. PPAR-γ is a transcriptional factor which is associated with promoting hematoma clearance and reducing neurological dysfunction after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Haptoglobin- (Hp-) hemoglobin- (Hb-) CD163 acts as a main pathway to Hb scavenging after ICH. The effect of PPAR-γ on the Hp-Hb-CD163 signaling pathway has not been reported. We hypothesized that PPAR-γ might protect against ICH-induced neuronal injury via activating the Hp-Hb-CD163 pathway in a rat ICH model. Methods. 107 Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this research. They were randomly allocated to 4 groups as follows: sham group, vehicle group, monascin-treated group, and Glivec-treated group. Animals were euthanized at 3 days after the model was established successfully. We observed the effects of PPAR-γ on the brain water content, hemoglobin levels, and the expressions of CD163 and Hp in Western blot and real-ime PCR; meanwhile, we measured hematoma volumes and edema areas by MRI scanning. Result. The results showed that PPAR-γ agonist significantly reduced hematoma volume, brain edema, and hemoglobin after ICH. It also enhanced CD163 and Hp expression while PPAR-γ antagonist had the opposite effects. Conclusions. PPAR-γ promotes hematoma clearance and plays a protective role through the Hp-Hb-CD163 pathway in a rat collagenase infusion ICH model.
A Systematic Review of Long Noncoding RNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Molecular Mechanism and Clinical Implications
Authors: Hu Xiaoge , Jiang Jiahong , Xu Qiuran , Ni Chao , Yang Liu , Huang Dongsheng
Published: July 2018

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has the second highest mortality rate worldwide among all cancers. Previous studies have revealed the significant involvement of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in numerous human cancers including HCC. Both oncogenic and tumor repressive lncRNAs have been identified and implicated in the complex process of hepatocarcinogenesis. They can be further explored as prospective diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic markers for HCC. An in-depth understanding of lncRNAs’ mechanism in HCC is therefore required to fully explore their potential role. In the current review, we will concentrate on the underlying function, molecular mechanisms, and potential clinical implications of lncRNA in HCC.
A Comparison of the Immunostimulatory Effects of Polysaccharides from Tetraploid and Diploid Echinacea purpurea
Authors: Yang Guang , Li Keke , Liu Cui , Peng Peipei , Bai Mei , Sun Jiaqi , Li Qingling , Yang Zhuohong , Yang Yuesheng , Wu Hong
Published: July 2018

Polyploidization is an effective means of improving the active components and quality of secondary metabolism in medicinal plants. In the present study, we compared the immunostimulatory effects of crude polysaccharides from tetraploid and diploid Echinacea purpurea. The results showed that the carbohydrate contents of crude polysaccharide of tetraploid E. purpurea (CPE4) and diploid E. purpurea (CPE2) were 85.51% and 44.65%, respectively. 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) analyses showed no major differences in the overall structure and molecular weight of polysaccharides between CPE4 and CPE2. However, some differences in the relative content of the same polysaccharides group were observed between CPE4 and CPE2. In in vitro tests, EP4 could stimulate lymphocyte proliferation and secretion of cytokines maximally at the concentration of 0.0312 mg/mL, and EP2 could stimulate lymphocyte proliferation and secretion of cytokines maximally at the concentration of 0.125 mg/mL. In in vivo tests, EP4 was more effective at promoting the proliferation of lymphocytes and secretion of cytokines in mice immunosuppressed by cyclophosphamide than EP2 at the same concentration. Taken together, these data demonstrated that the relative content of the partial polysaccharides group is increased, and the immunoregulatory effect is enhanced in tetraploid E. purpurea.
Influence of Drying Method on the Composition, Physicochemical Properties, and Prebiotic Potential of Dietary Fibre Concentrates from Fruit Peels
Authors: Garcia-Amezquita Luis Eduardo , Tejada-Ortigoza Viridiana , Campanella Osvaldo H. , Welti-Chanes Jorge
Published: July 2018

Dietary fibre concentrates (DFC) obtained from fruit and vegetable by-products are powders, mainly obtained by dehydration, used in food formulations to increase nutritional value and to improve functional properties. The modifications of insoluble, soluble, and total dietary fibres (IDF, SDF, and TDF), physicochemical properties (solubility, swelling capacity, water/oil retention capacity, pH, and tapping density), and prebiotic potential of DFC from orange, mango, and prickly pear peels obtained by freeze-drying (FD) and convective hot air-drying (HA) were studied. In vitro faecal fermentation was used to evaluate the short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production as a prebiotic indicator. TDF in FD orange was 5.5 g·100 g−1 higher than that in the HA sample, whereas HA increased TDF in prickly pear (9.5 g·100 g−1). No differences in fibre composition were observed in mango DFC. The physicochemical properties mostly affected by dehydration treatment were solubility and swelling capacity. HA increased SCFA production in orange peel (48 mmol·g−1 higher) but decreased it in mango and prickly pear (15 and 19 mmol·g−1 lower). Butyrate production of HA orange DFC was comparable to that obtained with the positive control (4.5 mmol·g−1). No production of propionate or butyrate was observed after 6 h fermentation in mango samples, despite the high SDF content (≈20 g·100 g−1). A decrease of the SDF : TDF ratio produced by the drying method improved the SCFA production.
New Cr-Ni-Base Alloy for High-Temperature Applications Designed on the Basis of First Principles Calculations
Authors: Razumovskiy V. I. , Scheiber D. , Razumovskii I. M. , Butrim V. N. , Trushnikova A. S. , Varlamova S. B. , Beresnev A. G.
Published: July 2018

We use ab initio calculations to analyze the influence of 4d and 5d transition metal alloying elements on cohesive properties of the bulk and a representative grain boundary in Cr within the framework of the Rice–Thomson–Wang approach. The results obtained for Cr are combined with the analogous results for Ni to select Ta and Nb as promising alloying additions to dual-phase (α/γ) Cr-Ni-base high-temperature alloys. Ta and Nb are added to the alloying system of an existing alloy I (Cr-Ni-W-V-Ti) in an attempt to design a chemical composition of a new alloy II (Cr-Ni-W-V-Ti) + (Ta-Nb). Investigation of the microstructure of the Ta-bearing Cr-Ni-alloy reveals a Ta enrichment of large γ-areas near GBs in α-matrix that we consider as potency to increase the cohesive strength of GBs and the cohesive energy of the bulk in γ-phase. Mechanical testing of alloys I and II demonstrates that the alloy II has improved tensile strength and creep resistance at high temperatures.
Analysis of Sodium Chloride Intake and Treg/Th17 Lymphocytes in Healthy Individuals and Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Vitales-Noyola Marlen , Layseca-Espinosa Esther , Baranda Lourdes , Abud-Mendoza Carlos , Niño-Moreno Perla , Monsiváis-Urenda Adriana , Rosenstein Yvonne , González-Amaro Roberto
Published: July 2018

We assessed different immune parameters in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with low (LSI) and high (HSI) sodium intake. Thirty-eight patients with RA, thirty-seven with SLE, and twenty-eight healthy subjects were studied and classified as LSI or HSI. Levels and suppressive function of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ and CD4+CD69+Foxp3− Treg cells were determined by flow cytometry in blood samples. Levels and in vitro differentiation of Th17 cells were also assessed. Similar levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ and CD4+CD69+Foxp3− Treg cells were observed in LSI and HSI patients or controls. However, a positive correlation was detected between sodium intake and levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells in SLE and a negative association between CD4+CD69+Foxp3− Treg cells and sodium intake in RA. No other significant associations were detected, including disease activity and sodium intake. Moreover, the suppressor activity of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ and CD4+CD69+Foxp3− Treg cells was similar in LSI and HSI patients or controls. The levels and in vitro differentiation of Th17 cells were also similar in LSI and HSI individuals. Our results suggest that, in the population studied (Mexican mestizo), the level of sodium intake is not apparently associated with different relevant immune parameters in healthy subjects or patients with SLE or RA.
The Evolution of Price Competition Game on Complex Networks
Authors: Xie Feng Jie , Shi Jing
Published: July 2018

The well‐known “Bertrand paradox” describes a price competition game in which two competing firms reach an outcome where both charge a price equal to the marginal cost. The fact that the Bertrand paradox often goes against empirical evidences has intrigued many researchers. In this work, we study the game from a new theoretical perspective—an evolutionary game on complex networks. Three classic network models, square lattice, WS small‐world network, and BA scale‐free network, are used to describe the competitive relations among the firms which are bounded rational. The analysis result shows that full price keeping is one of the evolutionary equilibriums in a well‐mixed interaction situation. Detailed experiment results indicate that the price‐keeping phenomenon emerges in a square lattice, small‐world network and scale‐free network much more frequently than in a complete network which represents the well‐mixed interaction situation. While the square lattice has little advantage in achieving full price keeping, the small‐world network and the scale‐free network exhibit a stronger capability in full price keeping than the complete network. This means that a complex competitive relation is a crucial factor for maintaining the price in the real world. Moreover, competition scale, original price, degree of cutting price, and demand sensitivity to price show a significant influence on price evolution on a complex network. The payoff scheme, which describes how each firm’s payoff is calculated in each round game, only influences the price evolution on the scale‐free network. These results provide new and important insights for understanding price competition in the real world.
Stability Analysis of Delayed Immune Response BCG Infection in Bladder Cancer Treatment Model by Stochastic Perturbations
Authors: Shaikhet Leonid , Bunimovich-Mendrazitsky Svetlana
Published: July 2018

We present a revised mathematical model of the immune response to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment of bladder cancer, optimized according to biological and clinical data accumulated during the last decade. The improved model accounts for cytotoxic T lymphocyte differentiation as an integral element of the delayed immune response, as well as the logistic growth terms for cancer cell proliferation. Three equilibria are demonstrated for the proposed model, which is assumed to be influenced by white noise stochastic perturbations that are directly proportional to the system state deviation from an equilibrium. Stability conditions for all equilibria are analyzed using the Kolmanovskii-Shaikhet general method of Lyapunov functionals construction.
Spectral Representation of Uncertainty in Experimental Vibration Modal Data
Authors: Sepahvand K. , Geweth Ch. A. , Saati F. , Klaerner M. , Kroll L. , Marburg S.
Published: July 2018

It is well known that structures exhibit uncertainty due to various sources, such as manufacturing tolerances and variations in physical properties of individual components. Modeling and accurate representation of these uncertainties are desirable in many practical applications. In this paper, spectral-based method is employed to represent uncertainty in the natural frequencies of fiber-reinforced composite plates. For that, experimental modal analysis using noncontact method employing Laser-Vibrometer is conducted on 100 samples of plates having identical nominal topology. The random frequencies then are represented employing generalized Polynomial Chaos (gPC) expansions having unknown deterministic coefficients. This provides us with major advantage to approximate the random experimental data using closed form functions combining deterministic coefficients and random orthogonal basis. Knowing the orthogonal basis, the statistical moments of the data are used to estimate the unknown coefficients.
Toxicity and Metal Corrosion of Glutaraldehyde-Didecyldimethylammonium Bromide as a Disinfectant Agent
Authors: Lin Wenshu , Niu Bing , Yi Jialin , Deng Zhirui , Song Jiang , Chen Qin
Published: July 2018

The wide use of disinfectants has prompted resistance from the microbiome which will in turn reduce the bactericidal effect of disinfectants. Hence, glutaraldehyde (GA) and didecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) were used to develop a combination disinfectant with high stability and antimicrobial effects, which was named GA-DDAB combination disinfectant (GD). The bactericidal mechanism against Escherichia coli was studied in our earlier work. In this study, we focused on GD’s bactericidal efficacy in both the laboratory and environment, the genetic toxicity to mouse lymphoma L5178Y TK+/− cells, acute peroral toxicity in mice, and its metal corrosion properties with a view to providing theoretical support for developing a high-efficiency, low toxicity, and weakly corrosive disinfectant for general use.
Therapeutic Targeting of the Premetastatic Stage in Human Lung-to-Brain Metastasis
Authors: Singh Mohini , Venugopal Chitra , Tokar Tomas , McFarlane Nicole , Subapanditha Minomi K. , Qazi Maleeha , Bakhshinyan David , Vora Parvez , Murty Naresh K. , Jurisica Igor , Singh Sheila K.
Published: July 2018

Brain metastases (BM) result from the spread of primary tumors to the brain and are a leading cause of cancer mortality in adults. Secondary tissue colonization remains the main bottleneck in metastatic development, yet this “premetastatic” stage of the metastatic cascade, when primary tumor cells cross the blood–brain barrier and seed the brain before initiating a secondary tumor, remains poorly characterized. Current studies rely on specimens from fully developed macrometastases to identify therapeutic options in cancer treatment, overlooking the potentially more treatable “premetastatic” phase when colonizing cancer cells could be targeted before they initiate the secondary brain tumor. Here we use our established brain metastasis initiating cell (BMIC) models and gene expression analyses to characterize premetastasis in human lung-to-BM. Premetastatic BMIC engaged invasive and epithelial developmental mechanisms while simultaneously impeding proliferation and apoptosis. We identified the dopamine agonist apomorphine to be a potential premetastasis-targeting drug. In vivo treatment with apomorphine prevented BM formation, potentially by targeting premetastasis-associated genes KIF16B, SEPW1, and TESK2. Low expression of these genes was associated with poor survival of patients with lung adenocarcinoma. These results illuminate the cellular and molecular dynamics of premetastasis, which is subclinical and currently impossible to identify or interrogate in human patients with BM. These data present several novel therapeutic targets and associated pathways to prevent BM initiation.

Significance: These findings unveil molecular features of the premetastatic stage of lung-to-brain metastases and offer a potential therapeutic strategy to prevent brain metastases. Cancer Res; 78(17); 5124–34. ©2018 AACR.
Emerging Targeted Therapy for Tumors with NTRK Fusion Proteins
Authors: Kheder Ed S. , Hong David S.
Published: July 2018

The oncogenesis-promoting role of chromosomal rearrangements for several hematologic and solid malignancies is well recognized. However, identifying targetable, actionable, and druggable chromosomal rearrangements remains a challenge. Targeting gene fusions and chromosomal rearrangements is an effective strategy in treating gene rearrangement–driven tumors. The NTRK (Neurotrophic Tyrosine Receptor Kinase) gene family encodes three tropomyosin-related kinase (TRK) receptors that preserve central and peripheral nervous system development and function. NTRK genes, similar to other genes, are subject to alterations, including fusions. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that TRK fusion proteins promote oncogenesis by mediating constitutive cell proliferation and survival. Several clinical trials have estimated the safety and efficacy of TRK fusion kinase receptor inhibitors and have demonstrated encouraging antitumor activity in patients with NTRK-rearranged malignancies. Specifically, larotrectinib and entrectinib have emerged as potent, safe, and promising TRK inhibitors. Herein, we discuss the potential oncogenic characteristics of TRK fusion proteins in various malignancies and highlight ongoing clinical trials of kinase inhibitors targeting them.
Effects of Cannabidiol and a Novel Cannabidiol Analog against Tactile Allodynia in a Murine Model of Cisplatin-Induced Neuropathy: Enhanced Effects of Sub-Analgesic Doses of Morphine
Authors: Harris Hannah Marie , Gul Waseem , ElSohly Mahmoud A. , Sufka Kenneth J.
Published: July 2018

Objective: This research examined whether a cannabidiol (CBD)-opioid pharmacotherapy could attenuate cisplatin-induced tactile allodynia. Methods: Mice (C57BL/6) were given 6 doses of 2.3 mg/kg cisplatin intraperitoneally (IP) on alternating days to induce tactile allodynia as quantified using an electric von Frey (eVF). Test groups in Experiment 1 received either vehicle, 0.1 or 2.5 mg/kg morphine, 1.0 or 2.0 CBD, or the 2 drugs in combination. Test groups in Experiment 2 received either vehicle, 0.1 or 2.5 mg/kg morphine, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, or 4.0 mg/kg NB2111 (a long-acting CBD analogue), or the 2 drugs in combination. Drugs were administered IP 45 min before eVF assessment. Results: Cisplatin produced tactile allodynia that was attenuated by 2.5 mg/kg morphine. Both CBD and NB2111 produced dose-dependent attenuation of tactile allodynia. CBD and NB2111, given in combination with sub-analgesic doses of morphine, produced attenuation of tactile allodynia equivalent to 2.5 mg/kg morphine. Conclusions: While both CBD and NB2111, either alone or in combination with sub-analgesic doses of opioids, exhibited analgesic effects, NB2111 could be capable of superior analgesia over time by virtue of enhanced pharmacokinetics.
Racial Differences in Long-Term Outcomes Among Older Survivors of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Chen Lena M. , Nallamothu Brahmajee K. , Spertus John A. , Tang Yuanyuan , Chan Paul S. ,   the GWTG-R Investigators
Published: July 2018

Background:

Black patients have worse in-hospital survival than white patients after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), but less is known about long-term outcomes. We sought to assess among IHCA survivors whether there are additional racial differences in survival after hospital discharge and to explore potential reasons for differences.

Methods:

This was alongitudinal study of patients ≥65 years of age who had an IHCA and survived until hospital discharge between 2000 and 2011 from the national Get With The Guidelines–Resuscitation registry whose data could be linked to Medicare claims data. Sequential hierarchical modified Poisson regression models evaluated the proportion of racial differences explained by patient, hospital, and unmeasured factors. Our exposure was black or white race. Our outcome was survival at 1, 3, and 5 years.

Results:

Among 8764 patients who survived to discharge, 7652 (87.3%) were white and 1112 (12.7%) were black. Black patients with IHCA were younger, more frequently female, sicker with more comorbidities, less likely to have a shockable initial cardiac arrest rhythm, and less likely to be evaluated with coronary angiography after initial resuscitation. At discharge, black patients were also more likely to have at least moderate neurological disability and less likely to be discharged home. Compared with white patients and after adjustment only for hospital site, black patients had lower 1-year (43.6% versus 60.2%; relative risk [RR], 0.72), 3-year (31.6% versus 45.3%; RR, 0.71), and 5-year (23.5% versus 35.4%; RR, 0.67; all
P
<0.001) survival. Adjustment for patient factors explained 29% of racial differences in 1-year survival (RR, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.75–0.86), and further adjustment for hospital treatment factors explained an additional 17% of racial differences (RR, 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.80–0.92). Approximately half of the racial difference in 1-year survival remained unexplained, and the degree to which patient and hospital factors explained racial differences in 3-year and 5-year survival was similar.

Conclusions:

Black survivors of IHCA have lower long-term survival compared with white patients, and about half of this difference is not explained by patient factors or treatments after IHCA. Further investigation is warranted to better understand to what degree unmeasured but modifiable factors such as postdischarge care account for unexplained disparities.
Computed Tomography and Adrenal Venous Sampling in the Diagnosis of Unilateral Primary Aldosteronism
Authors: Williams Tracy A. , Burrello Jacopo , Sechi Leonardo A. , Fardella Carlos E. , Matrozova Joanna , Adolf Christian , Baudrand René , Bernardi Stella , Beuschlein Felix , Catena Cristiana , Doumas Michalis , Fallo Francesco , Giacchetti Gilberta , Heinrich Daniel A. , Saint-Hilary Gaëlle , Jansen Pieter M. , Januszewicz Andrzej , Kocjan Tomaz , Nishikawa Tetsuo , Quinkler Marcus , Satoh Fumitoshi , Umakoshi Hironobu , Widimský Jiří , Hahner Stefanie , Douma Stella , Stowasser Michael , Mulatero Paolo , Reincke Martin
Published: July 2018

Unilateral primary aldosteronism is the most common surgically correctable form of endocrine hypertension and is usually differentiated from bilateral forms by adrenal venous sampling (AVS) or computed tomography (CT). Our objective was to compare clinical and biochemical postsurgical outcomes of patients with unilateral primary aldosteronism diagnosed by CT or AVS and identify predictors of surgical outcomes. Patient data were obtained from 18 internationally distributed centers and retrospectively analyzed for clinical and biochemical outcomes of adrenalectomy of patients with surgical management based on CT (n=235 patients, diagnosed from 1994–2016) or AVS (526 patients, diagnosed from 1994–2015) using the standardized PASO (Primary Aldosteronism Surgical Outcome) criteria. Biochemical outcomes were highly different according to surgical management approach with a smaller proportion in the CT group achieving complete biochemical success (188 of 235 [80%] patients versus 491 of 526 [93%],
P
<0.001) and a greater proportion with absent biochemical success (29 of 235 [12%] versus 10 of 526 [2%],
P
<0.001). A diagnosis by CT was associated with a decreased likelihood of complete biochemical success compared with AVS (odds ratio, 0.28; 0.16–0.50;
P
<0.001). Clinical outcomes were not significantly different, but the absence of a postsurgical elevated aldosterone-to-renin ratio was a strong marker of complete clinical success (odds ratio, 14.81; 1.76–124.53;
P
=0.013) in the CT but not in the AVS group. In conclusion, patients diagnosed by CT have a decreased likelihood of achieving complete biochemical success compared with a diagnosis by AVS.
Involvement of Arterial Stiffness and Inflammation in Hyperuricemia-Related Development of Hypertension
Authors: Tomiyama Hirofumi , Shiina Kazuki , Vlachopoulos Charalambos , Iwasaki Yoichi , Matsumoto Chisa , Kimura Kazutaka , Fujii Masatsune , Chikamori Taishiro , Yamashina Akira
Published: July 2018

This study analyzed repeated measurement data to clarify the longitudinal associations between hyperuricemia and the risk factors for the development of hypertension (ie, increased arterial stiffness, renal dysfunction, and inflammation), and then examined whether these risk factors show longitudinal associations with the development of hypertension. In 3274 Japanese men without hypertension, the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, blood pressure, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and serum uric acid and CRP (C-reactive protein) levels were measured annually over an 8-year period. Of these, 474 subjects developed hypertension by the end of the study period. Mixed model linear regression analysis revealed a significant longitudinal association of hyperuricemia with increase of the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (estimate=5.50,
P
=0.04), decrease of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (estimate=−2.02,
P
<0.01), and elevation of the CRP (estimate=0.08×10
−1
,
P
=0.02). Hyperuricemia at the study baseline was associated with a significant odds ratio for the development of hypertension by the end of the study period. After adjustments for covariates, the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (estimate=0.51×10
−2
,
P
<0.01) and CRP (estimate=1.91,
P
=0.03), but not estimated glomerular filtration rate, were found to show independent longitudinal associations with the new onset of hypertension. In Japanese men without hypertension, hyperuricemia may have a longitudinal association with the development of hypertension, and increased arterials stiffness and inflammation may be involved in the risk of development of hypertension associated with hyperuricemia.
Association of Low Lysosomal Enzymes Activity With Brain Arterial Dilatation
Authors: Shah Harsh , Liong Christopher , Levy Oren A. , Waters Cheryl , Fahn Stanley , Marder Karen , Kang Un J. , Wolf Pavlina , Oliva Petra , Zhang Kate , Alcalay Roy N. , Gutierrez Jose
Published: July 2018

Background and Purpose—

Absent or diminished α-galactosidase A (GLA) and acid α-glucosidase (GAA) enzyme activity are core features of Fabry and Pompe disease, respectively. Patients with Fabry or Pompe disease may have dilated intracranial arteries but whether lower GLA or GAA enzyme activity relates to brain arterial dilatation in other populations is unknown.

Methods—

Participants included Parkinson disease patients and nonblood-related controls, whose GLA and GAA enzymatic activities were measured in dried blood spots. Independent readers measured the axial arterial diameter of the ascending portion of the cavernous internal carotid arteries and the most proximal segment of the basilar artery in T2 black voids. Linear regression models were built to investigate the relationship between brain arterial diameters and lysosomal enzymatic activities.

Results—

The cohort included 107 participants (mean age, 66.5±10.3; 67% men). In an adjusted linear regression model, lower GLA activity was associated with larger brain arterial diameters (B=0.50±0.23,
P
=0.03). The strength of association was the greatest for the basilar artery diameter (B=0.80±0.33,
P
=0.02). Similarly, lower GAA activity was associated with an increased basilar arterial diameter (B=0.73±0.35,
P
=0.04).

Conclusions—

Lower GLA and GAA enzymatic activities were associated with larger brain arterial diameters, particularly the basilar artery diameter. Lower lysosomal enzymatic function in patients without Fabry or Pompe disease may play a role in brain arterial dilatation.
Dynamic connectivity and the effects of maturation in youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: de Lacy Nina , Calhoun Vince D.
Published: July 2018

The analysis of time-varying connectivity by using functional MRI has gained momentum given its ability to complement traditional static methods by capturing additional patterns of variation in human brain function. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex, common developmental neuropsychiatric disorder associated with heterogeneous connectivity differences that are challenging to disambiguate. However, dynamic connectivity has not been examined in ADHD, and surprisingly few whole-brain analyses of static functional network connectivity (FNC) using independent component analysis (ICA) exist. We present the first analyses of time-varying connectivity and whole-brain FNC using ICA in ADHD, introducing a novel framework for comparing local and global dynamic connectivity in a 44-network model. We demonstrate that dynamic connectivity analysis captures robust motifs associated with group effects consequent on the diagnosis of ADHD, implicating increased global dynamic range, but reduced fluidity and range localized to the default mode network system. These differentiate ADHD from other major neuropsychiatric disorders of development. In contrast, static FNC based on a whole-brain ICA decomposition revealed solely age effects, without evidence of group differences. Our analysis advances current methods in time-varying connectivity analysis, providing a structured example of integrating static and dynamic connectivity analysis to further investigation into functional brain differences during development.
The History and Fulfilment of Western Rationality: Martin Jay’s The Eclipse of Reason
Authors: Doran Robert
Published: July 2018

This review-essay examines Martin Jay’s The Eclipse of Reason: On Late Critical Theory with a view toward understanding the stakes of its interpretative approach to intellectual history. I show how Jay's book aims to provide much more than a mere history of reason (although it does this admirably), for it seeks to legitimate and resuscitate an idea of reason in the face of more than one hundred years of anti-rationalist thought. I contend that Jay offers Habermas’s intersubjective rationality (“late Critical Theory”) as both an alternative to, but also in some sense a continuation of, the dominant forms of subjectivist and objectivist rationality Jay documents in his book. According to the logic of Jay’s account, then, Habermas represents in some sense the fulfillment of the history of Western rationality. My only critique of an otherwise excellent and fascinating study is that Jay’s Frankfurt School-centric narrative effectively inhibits a larger discussion of Habermas’s relevance to recent and current debates about the direction of philosophy. An elaboration specifically of the post-structuralist critique of reason would have greatly enhanced our understanding of the place of "late Critical Theory" in the intellectual landscape of our time.
Squalus clarkae sp. nov., a new dogfish shark from the Northwest Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, with comments on the Squalus mitsukurii species complex
Authors: PFLEGER MARIAH O. , GRUBBS R. DEAN , COTTON CHARLES F. , DALY-ENGEL TOBY S.
Published: July 2018

Sharks of the genus Squalus have slow reproductive rates coupled with low genetic diversity, as is typical of deep-water sharks, making this group slow to rebound from depletion due to overfishing. The number of species within Squalus has been expanding recently due to increased attention on taxonomic revision, and a growing research focus on little-known deep-water sharks in general. Here we use genetics and morphology to describe a new species of dogfish shark, Squalus clarkae sp. nov. from the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) which replaces Squalus mitsukurii in this region, and place it in the context of congeners from the Atlantic and elsewhere. Previously, S. clarkae sp. nov. was considered a part of the Squalus mitsukurii species complex, a group of closely related but distinct species. We sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and the NADH Dehydrogenase II gene of S. mitsukurii from the type location in Japan, S. clarkae sp. nov. from the GoM, as well as three closely related species (S. cubensis, S. blainville, and S. megalops) and S. cf. mitsukurii from Brazil. Squalus clarkae sp. nov. is genetically distinct from other species with significant statistical support (>98.6% bootstrap support/posterior probability), and 2.8% divergent from S. mitsukurii in the type location of Japan. Morphological estimates also revealed differences between S. clarkae sp. nov., S. mitsukurii, and other Atlantic Squalus species, with S. clarkae sp. nov. exhibiting a longer body, smaller interorbital space, shorter caudal fin, and a differently-proportioned first dorsal fin. In general, dogfish sharks in the Atlantic and GoM are characterized by similar but distinct morphology, significant genetic variation, and small species ranges.
On the taxonomy and natural history of the secretive Ischnocnema lactea Miranda-Ribeiro, 1923) (Anura: Brachycephaloidea: Brachycephalidae)
Authors: SILVA-SOARES THIAGO , MALAGOLI LEO RAMOS , CRUZ CARLOS ALBERTO GONÇALVES , CARAMASCHI ULISSES
Published: July 2018

The original description of Ischnocnema lactea (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1923) was based on  two specimens and an inaccurate type locality. These circumstances have obscured the identity of this name. Moreover, the I. lactea species  has had a complex taxonomic history and, in general, specimens of species in this group are poorly represented in amphibian collections. The diagnosis of the series is confusing, with many non-exclusive and variable characters barely useful. An accurate diagnosis for the series requires a precise characterization of I. lactea, its type species. Recently discovered populations, museum data, and new information on the collector of the type specimen allowed the elucidation of important issues related to this species. Here we provide the redescription of Ischnocnema lactea based on the lectotype, and intraspecific variation based on newly collected specimens. Ischnocnema lactea  is characterized by its large body size (adult 19.6–26.7 mm SVL; females 27.6–34.3 mm SVL); dorsum and flanks rugose, venter granular; vocal sac single and subgular, externally expanded; finger disks expanded, T-shaped, indented and truncate in fingers II–IV; toes relative length I<II<III<V<IV; black blotch on cloacal region, tarsus, and feet; moderate calcar tubercle present. Its advertisement call consists on a single short pulsed note ranging from 634 to 1060 milliseconds, with dominant frequency ranging from 2239.5 to 2756.2 Hz. Males call perched on vegetation mostly during daytime, starting early in the morning, and reproduction is explosive, associated to cold front rains. Ischnocnema lactea is a secretive and endemic inhabitant of the Serra do Mar in Southeastern Brazil. The type locality is redefined to the Municipality of Caraguatatuba.
Cobbia bengalensis sp. nov. (Xyalidae: Monhysterida) from an eroding island of Sundarban, India
Authors: DATTA TRIDIP KUMAR , BHOWMIK MOUMITA , CHOUDHURY AMALESH
Published: July 2018

A new species, Cobbia bengalensis sp. nov., of free-living marine nematodes is described from an island of Sundarban, Indian coast and compared with other eight valid species of the genus. Cobbia bengalensis sp. nov. is characterized and differentiated from the others by a unique combination of sexually dimorphic tail, arrangement of anterior sensilla, amphid position, presence of four subcephalic sensilla at the level of amphid, buccal cavity with one dorsal and two subventral teeth, elongated cardia and the shape of gubernaculum. Some previously recorded taxa thought to be the species of Cobbia has also been discussed. Wrongly recorded data for nematofaunal inventory from Indian water has also been criticized.
Multilevel Tower Observations of Vertical Eddy Diffusivity and Mixing Length in the Tropical Cyclone Boundary Layer during Landfalls
Authors: Tang Jie , Zhang Jun A. , Aberson Sim D. , Marks Frank D. , Lei Xiaotu
Published: July 2018

This study analyzes the fast-response (20 Hz) wind data collected by a multilevel tower during the landfalls of Tropical Storm Lionrock (1006), Typhoon Fanapi (1011), and Typhoon Megi (1015) in 2010. Turbulent momentum fluxes are calculated using the standard eddy-correlation method. Vertical eddy diffusivity Km and mixing length are estimated using the directly measured momentum fluxes and mean-wind profiles. It is found that the momentum flux increases with wind speed at all four levels. The eddy diffusivity calculated using the direct-flux method is compared to that using a theoretical method in which the vertical eddy diffusivity is formulated as a linear function of the friction velocity and height. It is found that below ~60 m, Km can be approximately parameterized using this theoretical method, though this method overestimates Km for higher altitude, indicating that the surface-layer depth is close to 60 m in the tropical cyclones studied here. It is also found that Km at each level varies with wind direction during landfalls: Km estimated based on observations with landward fetch is significantly larger than that estimated using data with seaward fetch. This result suggests that different parameterizations of Km should be used in the boundary layer schemes of numerical models forecasting tropical cyclones over land versus over the ocean.
Distinct Mechanisms of Decadal Subsurface Heat Content Variations in the Eastern and Western Indian Ocean Modulated by Tropical Pacific SST
Authors: Jin Xiaolin , Kwon Young-Oh , Ummenhofer Caroline C. , Seo Hyodae , Kosaka Yu , Wright Jonathon S.
Published: July 2018

Decadal variability of the subsurface ocean heat content (OHC) in the Indian Ocean is investigated using a coupled climate model experiment, in which observed eastern tropical Pacific sea surface temperature (EPSST) anomalies are specified. This study intends to understand the contributions of external forcing relative to those of internal variability associated with EPSST, as well as the mechanisms by which the Pacific impacts Indian Ocean OHC. Internally generated variations associated with EPSST dominate decadal variations in the subsurface Indian Ocean. Consistent with ocean reanalyses, the coupled model reproduces a pronounced east–west dipole structure in the southern tropical Indian Ocean and discontinuities in westward-propagating signals in the central Indian Ocean around 100°E. This implies distinct mechanisms by which the Pacific impacts the eastern and western Indian Ocean on decadal time scales. Decadal variations of OHC in the eastern Indian Ocean are attributed to 1) western Pacific surface wind anomalies, which trigger oceanic Rossby waves propagating westward through the Indonesian Seas and influence Indonesian Throughflow transport, and 2) zonal wind anomalies over the central tropical Indian Ocean, which trigger eastward-propagating Kelvin waves. Decadal variations of OHC in the western Indian Ocean are linked to conditions in the Pacific via changes in the atmospheric Walker cell, which trigger anomalous wind stress curl and Ekman pumping in the central tropical Indian Ocean. Westward-propagating oceanic Rossby waves extend the influence of this anomalous Ekman pumping to the western Indian Ocean.
Statistically and Dynamically Downscaled, Calibrated, Probabilistic 10-m Wind Vector Forecasts Using Ensemble Model Output Statistics
Authors: Holman Bryan P. , Lazarus Steven M. , Splitt Michael E.
Published: July 2018

A computationally efficient method is developed that performs gridded postprocessing of ensemble 10-m wind vector forecasts. An expansive set of idealized WRF Model simulations are generated to provide physically consistent, high-resolution winds over a coastal domain characterized by an intricate land/water mask. The ensemble model output statistics (EMOS) technique is used to calibrate the ensemble wind vector forecasts at observation locations. The local EMOS predictive parameters (mean and variance) are then spread throughout the grid utilizing flow-dependent statistical relationships extracted from the downscaled WRF winds. In a yearlong study, the method is applied to 24-h wind forecasts from the Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) at 28 east-central Florida stations. Compared to the raw GEFS, the approach improves both the deterministic and probabilistic forecast skill. Analysis of multivariate rank histograms indicates that the postprocessed forecasts are calibrated. A downscaling case study illustrates the method as applied to a quiescent easterly flow event. Strengths and weaknesses of the approach are presented and discussed.
Large-Eddy Simulation over Complex Terrain Using an Improved Immersed Boundary Method in the Weather Research and Forecasting Model
Authors: Bao Jingyi , Chow Fotini Katopodes , Lundquist Katherine A.
Published: July 2018

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model is increasingly being used for higher-resolution atmospheric simulations over complex terrain. With increased resolution, resolved terrain slopes become steeper, and the native terrain-following coordinates used in WRF result in numerical errors and instability. The immersed boundary method (IBM) uses a nonconformal grid with the terrain surface represented through interpolated forcing terms. Lundquist et al.’s WRF-IBM implementation eliminates the limitations of WRF’s terrain-following coordinate and was previously validated with a no-slip boundary condition for urban simulations and idealized terrain. This paper describes the implementation of a log-law boundary condition into WRF-IBM to extend its applicability to general atmospheric complex terrain simulations. The implementation of the improved WRF-IBM boundary condition is validated for neutral flow over flat terrain and the complex terrain cases of Askervein Hill, Scotland, and Bolund Hill, Denmark. First, comparisons are made to similarity theory and standard WRF results for the flat terrain case. Then, simulations of flow over the moderately sloped Askervein Hill are used to demonstrate agreement between the IBM and terrain-following WRF results, as well as agreement with observations. Finally, Bolund Hill simulations show that WRF-IBM can handle steep topography (standard WRF fails) and compares well to observations. Overall, the new WRF-IBM boundary condition shows improved performance, though the leeside representation of the flow can be potentially further improved.
The Effect of Principals’ Social Justice Leadership on Teachers’ Academic Optimism in Taiwan
Authors: Feng Feng-I , Chen Wei-Lin
Published: July 2018

This study examined teacher perceptions of principals’ social justice leadership and their effect on teachers’ academic optimism in Taiwan, along with the moderating effects of teachers’ gender, position, and school size. While a total sample of 1,470 elementary and secondary school teachers were surveyed, this study applied a multidimensional framework to examine social justice leadership. The results indicate that teachers perceive principals’ social justice leadership to a high degree. Second, teachers’ perceptions of social justice leadership significantly vary by gender, position, and school size. Third, social justice leadership positively relates to teachers’ academic optimism. Fourth, gender has a moderating effect on the relationship of social justice leadership and teachers’ academic optimism, which suggests that the practice of principals’ social justice leadership is influenced by the inherent culture, at least to an extent.
A multi-process pilot plant as a didactical tool for the teaching of industrial processes control in electrical engineering course
Authors: Alves Luiz F , Brandão Dennis , Oliveira Marcelo A
Published: July 2018

The control of industrial processes is an important theme covered by electrical engineering courses. The implementation of practical activities in laboratories with physical systems and devices complements the theory about control and automation addressed in lectures and enables apprentices to face real situations and problems present in industrial environments. This paper discusses the use of a didactic pilot plant by the students of University of São Paulo in an electrical engineering undergraduate discipline based on the project-based learning approach. The students performed simultaneous experiments with the following control systems: water temperature in the plant, water level in two reservoirs, and water flow rate through the plant, and also monitored the variables of the processes through a supervisory system. The answers of a questionnaire applied to the students after each project and the results registered in technical reports illustrate their performance in the discipline and provide a positive feedback on the use of the industrial plant as a didactic tool.
Henrietta Rose-Innes and the politics of space
Authors: Riach Graham K.
Published: July 2018

In “Falling”, a short story from Henrietta Rose-Innes’s 2010 collection Homing, there is a productively unresolved tension between the aesthetic demands of spatial form and the spatially segregated nation of post-apartheid South Africa. I track why spatial politics remain central to understanding contemporary South Africa and its literature, and set this against W. J. T. Mitchell’s expanded conception of Joseph Frank’s theory of spatial form, in which divergent understandings of literary spatiality are combined. Using “Falling” as an example, I then analyse how different modes of space operate in Rose-Innes’s fiction, and discuss how her formal concerns intersect with the politically charged space of Cape Town, where the story takes place. In particular, I argue that her characteristic use of spatial means to imperfectly resolve narrative material can be read as a literary negotiation of the unresolved issue of post-apartheid spatial distribution. These cadences offer partial catharsis, but also reveal where formal resolution and lived reality come into conflict.