bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Draft Genome Sequence of Salirhabdus euzebyi Strain Q1438
Authors: Zgheib Rita , Anani Hussein , Raoult Didier , Fournier Pierre-Edouard
Published: April 2020

In 2007,
Salirhabdus euzebyi
was first described as a bacterial isolate from a sea salt evaporation pond. As no genome sequence was previously available for this species, we performed whole-genome sequencing. The chromosome of strain Q1438 was 3,784,443 bp long with 36% G+C content, 3,830 protein-coding genes, and 74 RNA genes.
Antimicrobial resistance in the Pacific Island countries and territories
Authors: Loftus Michael J , Stewardson Andrew J , Naidu Ravi , Coghlan Ben , Jenney Adam WJ , Kepas Jonila , Lavu Evelyn , Munamua Alex B , Peel Trisha N , Sahai Vinita , Tekoaua Rosemary , Tudravu Litia , Zinihite Julie , Cheng Allen C , Rafai Eric , Peleg Anton Y
Published: April 2020

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical global health threat with a disproportionate impact on low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to their higher burden of infections, reduced laboratory surveillance infrastructure and fewer regulations governing antimicrobial use among humans or animals. While there have been increasing descriptions of AMR within many LMICs in WHO’s Western Pacific and South East Asian regions, there remains a paucity of data from Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs). The PICTs represent 22 predominantly middle-income countries and territories with a combined population of 12 million people and 20 official languages, spread over hundreds of separate islands spanning an area corresponding to more than 15% of the earth’s surface. Our paper outlines the present state of the evidence regarding AMR in PICTs—discussing the present estimates of AMR and their accompanying limitations, important drivers of AMR, as well as outlining key priorities and potential solutions for tackling AMR in this region. Significant areas for action include developing National Action Plans, strengthening laboratory surveillance systems and educational activities targeted at both healthcare workers and the wider community. Ensuring adequate funding for AMR activities in PICTs is challenging given competing health and environmental priorities, in this context global or regional funding initiatives such as the Fleming Fund can play a key role.
Neutrophil expansion defines an immunoinhibitory peripheral and intratumoral inflammatory milieu in resected non-small cell lung cancer: a descriptive analysis of a prospectively immunoprofiled cohort
Authors: Mitchell Kyle G , Diao Lixia , Karpinets Tatiana , Negrao Marcelo V , Tran Hai T , Parra Edwin R , Corsini Erin M , Reuben Alexandre , Federico Lorenzo , Bernatchez Chantale , Dejima Hitoshi , Francisco-Cruz Alejandro , Wang Jing , Antonoff Mara B , Vaporciyan Ara A , Swisher Stephen G , Cascone Tina , Wistuba Ignacio I , Heymach John V , Gibbons Don L , Zhang Jianjun , Haymaker Cara L , Sepesi Boris
Published: April 2020

Background

The biological underpinnings of the prognostic and predictive significance of a relative neutrophilia in patients with non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) are undefined. We sought to comprehensively examine the relationships between circulating and intratumoral neutrophil populations and features of the immune contexture in patients undergoing NSCLC resection.

Methods

Preoperative soluble cytokine and angiogenic factors; tumor multiplex immunofluorescence; RNA, whole exome, and T-cell receptor sequencing; and flow cytometry were analyzed for relationships with populations of circulating (from complete blood counts) and intratumoral neutrophils (transcriptional signatures) in a prospectively enrolled resected NSCLC cohort (n=66). In a historical cohort (n=1524), preoperative circulating neutrophil and lymphocyte counts were analyzed for associations with overall survival (OS).

Results

Circulating neutrophil populations were positively correlated with increased tumor burden, and surgical tumor resection was followed by a subsequent reduction in peripheral neutrophil counts. Expansion of the circulating neutrophil compartment was associated with increased levels of pro-granulopoietic (IL-1β, IL-17A, TNFα, IL-6) and TH2-associated (IL-5, IL-13) cytokines. Tumors with high intratumoral neutrophil burden were marked by a blunted T-cell response characterized by reduced expression of cytotoxic T-cell genes (CD8A,CD8B,GZMA,GZMB), decreased CD3+CD8+cell infiltration, and diminished expression of IFNγ-related genes. The associations between increased intratumoral neutrophil burden and reduced CD3+CD8+infiltration persisted after adjustment for tumor size, histology, mutational burden, and PD-L1 expression. In 1524 patients, elevated preoperative circulating neutrophil count was independently associated with worse OS (main effect HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.68, p=0.002).

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that neutrophil expansion reflects protumorigenic and immunosuppressive processes that manifest as worse OS in patients undergoing NSCLC resection. These results justify further investigation of therapeutic strategies targeting neutrophil-associated immune evasion.
A Review of Medicinal Plants in Cardiovascular Disorders: Benefits and Risks
Authors: Naveed Muhammad , Majeed Fatima , Taleb Abdoh , Zubair Hafiz Muhammad , Shumzaid Muhammad , Farooq Muhammad Asim , Baig Mirza Muhammad Faran Ashraf , Abbas Muhammad , Saeed Muhammad , Changxing Li
Published: April 2020

Many cultivated and wild plants are used for the management of various diseases, specifically renal and hepatic diseases and those of the immune and cardiovascular systems. In China, medicinal plants from ancient to modern history have been used in patients with angina pectoris, congestive heart failure (CHF), systolic hypertension, arrhythmia, and venous insufficiency for centuries. The latest increase in the fame of natural products and alternative medicine has revived interest in conventional remedies that have been consumed in the management of CVD. The cardio-protective properties of the various herbs are possibly due to their anti-oxidative, antihypercholesterolemic, anti-ischemic activities, and inhibition of platelet aggregation that reduce the risk of CVD. Ethno-pharmacological and biological properties of these plants are explored, based upon published scientific literature. Although a majority of medicinal plants having a biological mechanism that linked with CVD management, to date, published literature pertaining to their promising scientific properties are still poorly understood. Compared with synthetic medicines, alternative medicines do not need scientific studies before their formal approval from the government sector and due to this purpose; their safety, as well as efficacy, still remain elusive. Taken together, we addressed all accessible evidence on alternative medicines commonly consumed in CVD management. Our comprehensive analysis of the scientific literature indicated that many TCMs are available and valuable herbal medication would be the best alternative for the management of CVD as a complementary therapy. Furthermore, practitioners should always discuss possible benefits–risks of alternative medicines with patients so that they are aware of the consumption of alternative medications.
New LHCb pentaquarks as hadrocharmonium states
Authors: Eides Michael I. , Petrov Victor Yu. , Polyakov Maxim V.
Published: April 2020

New LHCb Collaboration results on pentaquarks with hidden charm1 are discussed. These results fit nicely in the hadrocharmonium pentaquark scenario.[Formula: see text] In the new data the old LHCb pentaquark [Formula: see text] splits into two states [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. We interpret these two almost degenerated hadrocharmonium states with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], as a result of hyperfine splitting between hadrocharmonium states predicted in Ref. 2. It arises due to QCD multipole interaction between color-singlet hadrocharmonium constituents. We improve the theoretical estimate of hyperfine splitting[Formula: see text] that is compatible with the experimental data. The new [Formula: see text] state finds a natural explanation as a bound state of [Formula: see text] and a nucleon, with [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and binding energy 42 MeV. As a bound state of a spin-[Formula: see text] meson and a nucleon, hadrocharmonium pentaquark [Formula: see text] does not experience hyperfine splitting. We find a series of hadrocharmonium states in the vicinity of the wide [Formula: see text] pentaquark that can explain its apparently large decay width. We compare the hadrocharmonium and molecular pentaquark scenarios and discuss their relative advantages and drawbacks.
Rare decays of the top quark mediated by Z′ gauge bosons and flavor violation
Authors: Aranda J. I. , Espinosa-Gómez D. , Montaño J. , Ramírez-Zavaleta F. , Tututi E. S.
Published: April 2020

The rare top quark decays mediated by a new neutral massive gauge boson that is predicted in models with extended gauge symmetries are studied. We focus on the processes [Formula: see text] induced at the one loop level, where [Formula: see text], by considering different extended models. It is found that, within a broad range of mass of the new neutral gauge boson, the models predict branching ratios for the decays in study that are competitive with respect to the corresponding branching ratios in the Standard Model (SM). In order to establish bound on our branching ratios, we consider the recent experimental bounds as [Formula: see text], depending on the model, which also impose restrictions on our calculation. Even in this case, the resulting branching ratios are of the same order of magnitude as that predicted by the SM. It should be noted that for the case of two models studied here, since no experimental bound exists to compare with, the results could be important, as they are, in the best of cases, two orders of magnitude larger than the predicted by the SM.
Social Network Analysis in Software Development Projects: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Schreiber Roland Robert , Zylka Matthäus Paul
Published: April 2020

Software development in project teams has become more and more complex, with increasing demands for information and decision making. Software development in projects also hugely depends on effective interaction between people, and human factors have been identified as key to successful software projects. Especially in this context, managing and analyzing social networks is highly important. The instrument of social network analysis (SNA) provides fine-grained methods for analyzing social networks in project teams, going beyond the traditional tools and techniques of project management. This paper examines the importance of the application of SNA in software development projects. We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) of research on software development projects and social network data published between 1980 and 2019. We identified and analyzed 86 relevant studies, finding that research on software development projects spans the topics of project organization, communication management, knowledge management, version and configuration management, requirement management, and risk management. Further, we show that most studies focus on project organization and that the most common method used to gather social data relies on automated extraction from various software development repositories in the SNA context. Our paper contributes to the software development literature by providing a broad overview of published studies on the use of social networks in helping software development projects. Finally, we identify research opportunities and make suggestions for addressing existing research gaps.
Bézier and B-spline curves — A study and its application in wavelet decomposition
Authors: Raja S. P.
Published: April 2020

The objective of this paper is to give a study on Bézier and B-Spline curves. The paper has divided into three parts. The first studies Bézier curves and their mathematical solutions, while the second describes B-spline curves and their mathematical solutions. Finally, the application of B-spline curves in wavelet decomposition is shown. The PeakSignal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) are considered for evaluation, and it is justified that Bézier and B-spline curves are indispensable in the field of computer graphics.
Mechanical controls on structural styles in shortening environments: a discrete-element modelling approach
Authors: Hughes Amanda
Published: April 2020

It has long been recognized that the structures that accommodate shortening within fold-and-thrust belts exhibit a wide variety of styles that reflect the mechanical behaviour of the stratigraphic units that are being deformed. The ability to characterize these different structural styles, and to understand the factors that control their variability, is essential to many applications, including petroleum geology, earthquake hazard assessment and regional geological studies. The relative contributions of different aspects of the mechanical stratigraphy and boundary conditions to determining fault-related folding style are investigated through the use of the discrete-element modelling (DEM) method in this study. Modelling emergent contractional structures within a shortening wedge with this method demonstrates that (a) The major different styles of shortening structures can all be reproduced under different mechanical circumstances within the range of realistic mechanical conditions, and (b) Different aspects of the mechanics of the deforming rock units (for example, peak strength, strain weakening, layer strength anisotropy) exert various degrees of control on the styles of structures that emerge from the models as shortening progresses. These analyses inform our understanding of the relative importance of these different factors in determining the style of structures which accommodate shortening in different fold-and-thrust belt systems.
A new international initiative for facilitating data-driven Earth science transformation
Authors: Cheng Qiuming , Oberhänsli Roland , Zhao Molei
Published: April 2020

Data-driven techniques including machine-learning (ML) algorithms with big data are re-activating and re-empowering research in traditional disciplines for solving new problems. For geoscientists, however, what matters is what we do with the data rather than the amount of it. While recent monitoring data will help risk and resource assessment, the long-earth record is fundamental for understanding processes. Thus, how big data technologies can facilitate geoscience research is a fundamental question for most organizations and geoscientists. A quick answer is that big data technology may fundamentally change the direction of geoscience research. In view of the challenges faced by governments and professional organizations in contributing to the transformation of Earth science in the big data era, the International Union of Geological Sciences has established a new initiative: the IUGS-recognized Big Science Program. This paper elaborates on the main opportunities and benefits of utilizing data-driven approaches in geosciences and the challenges in facilitating data-driven earth science transformation. The main benefits may include transformation from human learning alone to integration of human learning and AI, including ML, as well as from known questions seeking answers to formulating as-yet unknown questions with unknown answers. The key challenges may be associated with intelligent acquisition of massive, heterogeneous data and automated comprehensive data discovery for complex Earth problem solving.
Cusp tectonics: an Ediacaran megakarst landscape and bidirectional mass slides in a Pan-African syntaxis (NW Namibia)
Authors: Hoffman Paul F.
Published: April 2020

Lithospheric cusps occur where arcs are joined end to end. Where a subducting plate moves directly into a cusp, the slab experiences lateral constriction due to the cusp geometry. Buckled slabs of Cenozoic age occur at cusps (also known as ‘syntaxes’) in the Arabian, Indian, Pacific, Juan de Fuca and other plates. Here I report an Ediacaran example from the cusp of the Congo Craton where Pan-African collision zones meet at a right angle in NW Namibia. The craton was blanketed by syn- and post-rift Neoproterozoic marine carbonate, disconformably overlain by collision-related foredeep clastics. The disconformity has little stratigraphic relief in a 900 km-long fold belt rimming the craton, except within 60 km of the cusp apex where foredeep deposits bury a megakarst landscape floored by exhumed crystalline basement. Forebulge uplift, estimated from palaeokarst relief, was ≥1.85 km. This far exceeds characteristic forebulge heights of
c.
0.5 km and matches the deepest part of the Grand Canyon of Arizona (USA). Coeval with megakarst development, map-scale mass slides moved coherently westwards and southwards towards the advancing accretionary prisms. Rapid burial by foredeep clastics preserved the megakarst palaeosurface and associated mass slides; folding them brought protection from complete destructive resurfacing for eons.
A slab failure origin for the Donegal composite batholith, Ireland as indicated by trace-element geochemistry
Authors: Archibald Donnelly B. , Murphy J. Brendan
Published: April 2020

The Silurian–early Devonian Donegal composite batholith of Ireland is a classic composite batholith that intruded Neoproterozoic Dalradian metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks during and after the Scandian phase (
c.
435–425 Ma) of the Caledonian Orogeny. The Scandian phase is widely attributed to the collision of Baltica, Ganderia and Avalonia with Laurentia during closure of the Iapetus Ocean. Isotopic and lithogeochemical data indicate episodic construction of the composite batholith from
c.
430–400 Ma. The granitoid rocks are enriched in large-ion lithophile elements, such as Cs, Rb and Ba, and are depleted in high field strength (Nb, Ta, P and Ti) and heavy rare-earth elements. In particular, the chemistry of granitoid rocks from the Donegal composite batholith has Nb/Y >0.4, La/Yb >10, Sm/Yb >2.5 and Gd/Yb >2.0. These characteristics are compatible with a slab-failure origin for the batholith. Following collision, the Iapetus Ocean slab severed by detaching from the trailing continental crust. Upwelling asthenosphere filled the void and the advected heat melted the subcontinental lithospheric mantle and/or the base of the crust to generate the magmas that formed the Donegal composite batholith. The trace-element data indicate melt derivation from processes that left behind a garnet-bearing, plagioclase-absent residue.
Organizations and the Governance of Urban Poverty
Authors: Marwell Nicole P. , Morrissey Shannon L.
Published: April 2020

Many recent sociological studies of urban poverty have drawn inspiration from the Chicago School model of social disorganization. Studies of urban poverty and formal organizations have been profoundly shaped by this theoretical perspective, casting organizations as components of neighborhoods and thus relevant for study as potential contributors to neighborhood social control. We argue that this approach obscures many ways in which formal organizations are involved in the production and management of urban poverty. In order to take advantage of the many insights offered by sociological studies of organizations, we propose that students of urban poverty expand their theoretical perspective on formal organizations. We develop such an approach, an amalgamation of key concepts from two existing theoretical frameworks rarely discussed in urban poverty studies: urban governance and strategic action fields . This perspective offers new directions for research on urban poverty and urges greater integration with related studies from political science and geography.
Effectiveness and Safety of Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Primary Dysmenorrhea: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses
Authors: Yang Jun , Xiong Jun , Yuan Ting , Wang Xue , Jiang Yunfeng , Zhou Xiaohong , Liao Kai , Xu Lingling
Published: April 2020

Background. Acupuncture and moxibustion have been accepted as treatment options for primary dysmenorrhea (PD). So far, several systematic reviews (SRs) and meta‐analyses (MAs) have reported on the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion in treating PD. Objectives. The aim of this study was to critically summarize the evidence from relevant SRs and MAs reporting on the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment of PD. Materials and Methods. Seven electronic databases, including Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE, PubMed, SinoMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), and Wanfang database, were systematically searched. SRs or MAs about acupuncture for PD published up to May 2019 were included in the analysis. More than two authors independently assessed the quality of the evidence by AMSTAR2, PRISMA, PRISMA‐A, and GRADE approach. Results. A total of 28 SRs and MAs, 281 original studies, reporting on 26,459 female patients were analyzed. The majority of the SRs were of moderate reporting quality and poor methodological quality. Moderate‐quality evidence suggested that acupuncture and moxibustion were more effective compared to indomethacin or Fenbid in treating PD. Low‐quality evidence suggested that, compared to NSAIDs, acupuncture and moxibustion could relieve pain with less adverse effects. Conclusion. Acupuncture and moxibustion seem to be effective and safe approaches in treatment of PD; yet, the methodological quality of most of the studies and the quality of evidence were low. Thus, additional studies are required to further confirm these results.
Allosteric Inhibition of SHP2 Stimulates Antitumor Immunity by Transforming the Immunosuppressive Environment
Authors: Quintana Elsa , Schulze Christopher J. , Myers Darienne R. , Choy Tiffany J. , Mordec Kasia , Wildes David , Shifrin Nataliya Tobvis , Belwafa Amira , Koltun Elena S. , Gill Adrian L. , Singh Mallika , Kelsey Stephen , Goldsmith Mark A. , Nichols Robert , Smith Jacqueline A.M.
Published: April 2020

The protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 binds to phosphorylated signaling motifs on regulatory immunoreceptors including PD-1, but its functional role in tumor immunity is unclear. Using preclinical models, we show that RMC-4550, an allosteric inhibitor of SHP2, induces antitumor immunity, with effects equivalent to or greater than those resulting from checkpoint blockade. In the tumor microenvironment, inhibition of SHP2 modulated T-cell infiltrates similar to checkpoint blockade. In addition, RMC-4550 drove direct, selective depletion of protumorigenic M2 macrophages via attenuation of CSF1 receptor signaling and increased M1 macrophages via a mechanism independent of CD8+ T cells or IFNγ. These dramatic shifts in polarized macrophage populations in favor of antitumor immunity were not seen with checkpoint blockade. Consistent with a pleiotropic mechanism of action, RMC-4550 in combination with either checkpoint or CSF1R blockade caused additive antitumor activity with complete tumor regressions in some mice; tumors intrinsically sensitive to SHP2 inhibition or checkpoint blockade were particularly susceptible. Our preclinical findings demonstrate that SHP2 thus plays a multifaceted role in inducing immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment, through both targeted inhibition of RAS pathway–dependent tumor growth and liberation of antitumor immune responses. Furthermore, these data suggest that inhibition of SHP2 is a promising investigational therapeutic approach.

Significance:

Inhibition of SHP2 causes direct and selective depletion of protumorigenic M2 macrophages and promotes antitumor immunity, highlighting an investigational therapeutic approach for some RAS pathway–driven cancers.
Signals from the Metastatic Niche Regulate Early and Advanced Ovarian Cancer Metastasis through miR-4454 Downregulation
Authors: Dasari Subramanyam , Pandhiri Taruni , Grassi Tommaso , Visscher Daniel W. , Multinu Francesco , Agarwal Komal , Mariani Andrea , Shridhar Viji , Mitra Anirban K.
Published: April 2020

Treatment of ovarian cancer is limited by extensive metastasis and yet it remains poorly understood. We have studied the critical step of metastatic colonization in the context of the productive interactions with the metastatic microenvironment with a goal of identifying key regulators. By combining miRNA expression analysis using an organotypic 3D culture model of early ovarian cancer metastasis with that of matched primary and metastatic tumors from 42 patients with ovarian cancer, we identified miR-4454 as a key regulator of both early colonization and advanced metastasis in patients with ovarian cancer. miR-4454 was downregulated in the metastasizing ovarian cancer cells through paracrine signals from microenvironmental fibroblasts, which promoted migration, invasion, proliferation, and clonogenic growth in ovarian cancer cells as well as their ability to penetrate through the outer layers of the omentum. Stable overexpression of miR-4454 decreased metastasis in ovarian cancer xenografts. Its mechanism of action was through the upregulation of its targets, secreted protein acidic and cysteine rich (SPARC) and BCL2 associated athanogene 5 (BAG5), which activated focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling, promoted mutant p53 gain of function by its stabilization, and inhibited apoptosis. Because microenvironment-induced downregulation of miR-4454 is essential for early and advanced metastasis, targeting it could be a promising therapeutic approach.

Implications:

This study identifies a miRNA, miR-4454, which is downregulated by signals from the microenvironment and promotes early and advanced ovarian cancer metastasis through its effects on FAK activation, mutant p53 stabilization, and apoptosis inhibition.
White Matter Alterations in Fmr1 Knockout Mice during Early Postnatal Brain Development
Authors: Shi Da , Xu Su , Zhuo Jiachen , McKenna Mary C. , Gullapalli Rao P.
Published: April 2020

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most commonly inherited form of intellectual disability ascribed to the autism spectrum disorder. Studies with FXS patients have reported altered white matter volume compared to controls. The Fmr1 knockout (KO) mouse, a model for FXS, showed evidence of delayed myelination during postnatal brain development. In this study, we examined several white matter regions in the male Fmr1 KO mouse brain compared to male wild-type (WT) mice at postnatal days (PND) 18, 21, 30, and 60, which coincide with critical stages of myelination and postnatal brain development. White matter volume, T2 relaxation time, and magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) were measured using magnetic resonance imaging and myelin content was determined with histological staining of myelin. Differences in the developmental accumulation of white matter and myelin between Fmr1 KO and WT mice were observed in the corpus callosum, external and internal capsules, cerebral peduncle, and fimbria. Alterations were more predominant in the external and internal capsules and fimbria of Fmr1 KO mice, where the MTR was lower at PND 18, then elevated at PND 30, and again lower at PND 60 compared to the corresponding regions in WT mice. The pattern of changes in MTR were similar to those observed in myelin staining and could be related to the altered protein synthesis that is a hallmark of FXS. While no significant changes in white matter volumes and T2 relaxation time between the Fmr1 KO and WT mice were observed, the altered pattern of myelin staining and MTR, particularly in the external capsule, reflecting the abnormalities associated with myelin content is suggestive of a developmental delay in the white matter of Fmr1 KO mouse brain. These early differences in white matter during critical developmental stages may contribute to altered brain networks in the Fmr1 KO mice.
Patients with Lately Diagnosed Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis
Authors: Yunisova Gulshan , Tufekcioglu Zeynep , Dogu Okan , Bilgic Başar , Kaleagasi Hakan , Akca Kalem Sukriye , Lohmann Ebba , Gurvit Hakan I. , Emre Murat , Hanagasi Hasmet A.
Published: April 2020

Objectives: Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is a rare autosomal recessive inborn lipid storage disorder due to various pathogenic mutations in the CYP27A1 gene. Although the symptoms begin commonly in infancy, CTX diagnosis is often delayed. In this study, we report 7 Turkish CTX patients who had a delayed diagnosis despite early clinical signs and belonged to 6 unrelated families. Methods: We have retrospectively evaluated clinical, laboratory, imaging, and genetic findings of CTX patients, which were collected from 2 centers specialized in movement disorders: the Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, and the Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Mersin University. Results: All patients were diagnosed with CTX after neurological symptom development, and their mean age at diagnosis was 38.7 ± 9.6 years, despite a mean onset age of 12.4 ± 10.6 years. The mean follow-up period was 28 months (range: 3–60 months). The most common initial clinical abnormalities in our cohort were unexplained chronic diarrhea (42%), febrile convulsion (42%), juvenile cataract (85%), childhood depression and autism (14%), parkinsonism (14%), and intellectual disability (100%). The most prominent neurological findings were the pyramidal-cerebellar syndrome (85%) and extrapyramidal signs (42%). All patients were genetically confirmed. Serum cholestanol levels were elevated in all patients and decreased after chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) treatment in 6 patients. Conclusion: This cohort is the largest CTX case series in Turkey. All cases showed improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms as a response to CDCA treatment and stabilization on neurological symptoms, i.e., no further progression of neurological abnormalities were noted during this treatment. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment is crucial in preventing clinical deterioration.
Persistence Rate with Tadalafil for Treatment of Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
Authors: Wada Naoki , Kikuchi Daiki , Tateoka Jo , Abe Noriyuki , Watanabe Masaki , Tamaki Gaku , Kita Masafumi , Kakizaki Hidehiro
Published: April 2020

Objectives: We examined the persistence rate with tadalafil for treatment of male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and explored the factors relevant to withdrawal. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively collected the data of male patients who received tadalafil treatment for LUTS. The persistence rate and the reason for withdrawal were investigated. Results: A total of 155 patients were examined. Mean age and mean observation period were 71.9 (48–93) years and 15.1 (1–52) months, respectively. During the observation period, 74 patients (48%) withdrew tadalafil. The Kaplan-Meier curve indicated a 58% persistence rate at 1 year. The reasons for withdrawal included insufficient efficacy (31 patients, 42%), adverse events (21 patients, 28%), or symptom improvement (8 patients, 11%). Patients who continued tadalafil were significantly younger than those who withdrew it due to insufficient efficiency (71.4 ± 9.6 vs. 74.9 ± 9.1 years). Conclusions: Most patients withdrew tadalafil due to insufficient efficacy. Older patients are likely to withdraw the treatment because of insufficient efficacy, thus, tadalafil for male LUTS could be more effective for younger patients.
Various Motor and Non-Motor Symptoms in Early Multiple System Atrophy
Authors: Jung Yu Jin , Kim Han-Joon , Yoo Dallah , Choi Ji-Hyun , Im Jin Hee , Yang Hui-Jun , Jeon Beomseok
Published: April 2020

Background: Multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients pre­sent a variety of symptoms other than autonomic dysfunctions, parkinsonism, and cerebellar ataxia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of various motor and non-motor symptoms including so-called “red flags” in patients with early MSA and to determine whether the frequency of these symptoms was different between the parkinsonian (MSA-P) and cerebellar (MSA-C) subtypes. Methods: Sixty-one probable or possible MSA patients with disease duration of 3 years or less were included. Patients were classified into MSA-P, MSA-C, and MSA-PC. The frequency of 13 features including various motor and non-motor symptoms that commonly occur in MSA was assessed. Results: Dysarthria was the most prevalent feature (98.4%) followed by sexual dysfunction (95.1%). Probable REM sleep behavior disorder was present in 90.2%. The frequency of constipation (82.0%), dysphagia (68.9%), and snoring (70.5%) was also high. Stridor was present in 42.6% and more common in MSA-C than in MSA-P. Conclusions: Increasing awareness of various motor and non-motor symptoms may assist clinicians to make an early, accurate diagnosis and to improve management of patients with MSA. We suggest that the diagnostic accuracy can be improved if these features are appropriately reflected in the new diagnostic criteria for MSA.
Cavernous Malformation Hemorrhagic Presentation at Diagnosis Associated with Low 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D Level
Authors: Flemming Kelly D. , Kumar Shivram , Brown Jr Robert D. , Singh Ravinder J. , Whitehead Kevin , McCreath Lauren , Lanzino Giuseppe
Published: April 2020

Background: Cavernous malformations (CM) are angiographically occult vascular malformations that may be incidental or present with intracerebral or spinal hemorrhage, seizures, or nonhemorrhagic focal neurologic deficit (FND). Recently in vitro data have suggested vitamin D may play a role in stabilizing CCM2 endothelial cells. Little is known about the effect of vitamin D in human CM disease. Methods: Beginning in 2015, consecutive patients at our institution with radiologically confirmed CM were recruited to participate in a prospective clinical registry as well as 25-hydroxy-vitamin D study. A structured interview, survey, and examination were performed at baseline. Medical records and magnetic resonance imaging studies were reviewed and data collected included comorbid conditions, medication use, and location of CM. Standard definition of clinical hemorrhage, FND, and seizures was used. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used, and OR, 95% CIs, and likelihood-ratio p values were calculated to determine the influence of the 25-hydroxy-vitamin D level on clinical presentation with hemorrhage. Results: Of 213 patients enrolled in the clinical registry between January 2015 and October 2018, 70 participated in the vitamin D study (median age: 38.3 years; 51.4% female). Of the 70 participants, 30 (42.9%) presented with hemorrhage. 25-Hydroxy-vitamin D levels were performed within 1 year of symptoms in 64.1% of patients. Patients presenting with hemorrhage had a lower 25-hydroxy-vitamin D level compared to those presenting with seizure without hemorrhage, FND, or as an incidental finding (median 25.5 ng/mL; range 11–59 hemorrhage vs. median 31.0; range 14–60, no hemorrhage; p = 0.04). After adjusting for age, month of blood draw, and body mass index, 25-hydroxy-vitamin D remained a significant predictor of hemorrhagic presentation. Brainstem location also predicted hemorrhage at presentation. Conclusion: Low 25-hydroxy-vitamin D level was more common in patients with CM presenting with hemorrhage. This study supports the potential role of modifiable factor in the initial clinical presentation of CM. Further study is needed to determine the role of vitamin D on prospective hemorrhage risk and whether supplementation may be beneficial.
De Rosa aos rolês
Authors: Paixão Fernando , Bagolin Luiz Armando , Dantas Monica Duarte
Published: April 2020

Editorial da RIEB 75
Tradição e revolução
Authors: Fragelli Pedro
Published: April 2020

Este artigo tem como foco as ideias de Mário de Andrade sobre a importância do patrimônio histórico e artístico nacional. Defende-se que a posição do escritor é informada por uma perspectiva vanguardista e revolucionária. Nesse quadro, a tradição não vale por si mesma, mas na medida em que comporta um aproveitamento contemporâneo e transformador, tanto na esfera artística quanto na esfera política.
Coisas do Brasil
Authors: Maraninchi Marcelo
Published: April 2020

Aspectos do folclore brasileiro reafirma o interesse fecundo de Mário de Andrade (1893-1945) pelas manifestações do povo. No livro inédito, conteúdo e expressão se afinam para reconhecer o folclore como um “processo de conhecimento” e postular uma ética do trabalho intelectual.
Valentes Flecheiros
Authors: Silva Wesley De Oliveira
Published: April 2020

O final do século XVII foi marcante para a história das capitanias do norte da América portuguesa. Isso porque nesse período foi vivenciada a expansão das fronteiras oeste adentro, região mais ou menos desconhecida onde habitavam vários grupos ameríndios de diferentes culturas. Para tal, a administração portuguesa aproveitou bastante a mão de obra bélica indígena aldeada para alcançar seus objetivos, que dentre muitos se destacam a conquista da terra, da gente que nela vivia e também a instalação dos currais de gado. Desta maneira, o presente artigo tem como intensão analisar a atuação de tropas indígenas que saíam dos aldeamentos da capitania de Pernambuco entre 1660-1700, utilizando como fonte alguns relatos de cronistas e documentações encontradas na Coleção Documentos Históricos da Biblioteca Nacional e no Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino.
Prognostic Value of Resting Distal-to-Aortic Coronary Pressure in Clinical Practice
Authors: Ahn Jung-Min , Park Duk-Woo , Kim Seon-Ok , Kang Do-Yoon , Lee Cheol-Hyun , Lee Pil Hyung , Lee Seung-Whan , Park Seong-Wook , Park Seung-Jung
Published: April 2020

Background:

The resting distal-to-aortic coronary pressure ratio (Pd/Pa) is a universally available, hyperemia-free physiological index of coronary stenosis. We investigated clinical outcomes according to resting Pd/Pa versus hyperemic fractional flow reserve (FFR).

Methods:

From the IRIS-FFR (Interventional Cardiology Research Incooperation Society Fractional Flow Reserve) registry, 7014 lesions in 4707 patients with valid resting Pd/Pa and FFR were included in this study. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac events (MACE; a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and repeat intervention). The MACE rate was compared among resting Pd/Pa ≤0.92 and FFR ≤0.80. A marginal Cox model accounted for correlated data in patients with multiple lesions.

Results:

During a median follow-up of 2.0 years, 223 MACEs occurred. Resting Pd/Pa was an independent predictor for the occurrence of MACE (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.89 [95% CI, 1.32–2.71];
P
=0.001) over clinical and angiographic variables. When resting Pd/Pa and FFR were added into a multivariable model, MACE was no longer significantly associated with resting Pd/Pa (aHR, 1.35 [95% CI, 0.93–1.97];
P
=0.12) but remained to be associated with FFR (aHR, 2.34 [95% CI, 1.56–3.54];
P
<0.001). Compared with lesions with normal value of resting Pa/Pa and FFR, lesions with abnormal values of either resting Pd/Pa (aHR, 2.12 [95% CI, 1.17–3.84];
P
=0.014) or FFR (aHR, 2.32 [95% CI, 1.52–3.55];
P
<0.001) or both (aHR, 2.37 [95% CI, 1.57–3.57];
P
<0.001) showed a significantly increased risk of the occurrence of MACE.

Conclusions:

Resting Pd/Pa appeared to be a less-robust prognostic index than FFR. Resting Pd/Pa could be used as a prognostic index when hyperemic agents are contraindicated or not easily available.

Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT01366404.
Effects of Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers and ACE (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme) Inhibitors on Virus Infection, Inflammatory Status, and Clinical Outcomes in Patients With COVID-19 and Hypertension
Authors: Yang Guang , Tan Zihu , Zhou Ling , Yang Min , Peng Lang , Liu Jinjin , Cai Jingling , Yang Ru , Han Junyan , Huang Yafei , He Shaobin
Published: April 2020

With the capability of inducing elevated expression of ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2), the cellular receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) or ACE inhibitors treatment may have a controversial role in both facilitating virus infection and reducing pathogenic inflammation. We aimed to evaluate the effects of ARBs/ACE inhibitors on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a retrospective, single-center study. One hundred twenty-six patients with COVID-19 and preexisting hypertension at Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Wuhan from January 5 to February 22, 2020, were retrospectively allocated to ARBs/ACE inhibitors group (n=43) and non-ARBs/ACE inhibitors group (n=83) according to their antihypertensive medication. One hundred twenty-five age- and sex-matched patients with COVID-19 without hypertension were randomly selected as nonhypertension controls. In addition, the medication history of 1942 patients with hypertension that were admitted to Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from November 1 to December 31, 2019, before the COVID-19 outbreak were also reviewed for external comparison. Epidemiological, demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected, analyzed, and compared between these groups. The frequency of ARBs/ACE inhibitors usage in patients with hypertension with or without COVID-19 were comparable. Among patients with COVID-19 and hypertension, those received either ARBs/ACE inhibitors or non-ARBs/ACE inhibitors had comparable blood pressure. However, ARBs/ACE inhibitors group had significantly lower concentrations of hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein;
P
=0.049) and PCT (procalcitonin,
P
=0.008). Furthermore, a lower proportion of critical patients (9.3% versus 22.9%;
P
=0.061) and a lower death rate (4.7% versus 13.3%;
P
=0.216) were observed in ARBs/ACE inhibitors group than non-ARBs/ACE inhibitors group, although these differences failed to reach statistical significance. Our findings thus support the use of ARBs/ACE inhibitors in patients with COVID-19 and preexisting hypertension.
Causes and Effects of Illegal Gold Mining (Galamsey) Activities on School Dropout and Residents at the Tutuka Central Circuit in Obuasi Municipality in Ashanti Region, Ghana
Authors: Azumah Francess Dufie , Baah Enock , Nachinaab John Onzaberigu
Published: April 2020

Illegal gold mining activities contribute tremendously to the local economy of the communities within which the practice is conducted. Despite such developments, its activities come with several environmental, economic, developmental and societal and educational challenges that governments, environmentalists, and educationalists have fought several decades to overcome. The study sought to examine the effect of illegal gold mining operations on school dropout. A sample size of 102 participants was selected for quantitative analysis together with purposive sampling of 20 key informants for qualitative analysis. The study found that children engage in Illegal gold mining and subsequent dropout from school.
Reconsidering Capstones in Business Education
Authors: Lim Weng Marc
Published: April 2020

This article sheds light on contemporary realities in the design and delivery of final year projects in business degrees. To do so, this article employs an autoethnographic approach to explain the trajectory of conventional to contemporary evolution in the delivery of the teaching and learning in a final year project unit in an undergraduate business degree. In doing so, it presents a new integration of pedagogy—i.e., the LABS pedagogy—that allows replication of a future-ready curriculum for capstone final year project units in business degrees. It is hoped that this article will inspire greater reexamination of university teaching and learning to maintain its currency in preparing learners for their future careers.
“Prisons Were Made for People Like Us”: British Pakistani Muslim Experiences Upon Release From Prison
Authors: Qasim Mohammed , Webster Colin
Published: April 2020

British Muslim young men who offend upon reentry from prison reported that “Prisons were made for people like us.” At one level, this meant that the challenges they faced were likely to be intractable and insurmountable, regrettably returning them to prison. At another, their social integration after release from prison was hampered by something more than their individual choices and agency. Cycling between neighborhood, offending, and prison, it was their characteristic social relations and the peculiar social structural constraints placed upon them as a group that best explained their experiences upon release from prison.
Disrupting the representational limit of abductively-driven research: A problematization of the link between abduction and representational thought
Authors: Chew Adrian W.
Published: April 2020

Abduction and abductively-driven research approaches have been foregrounded by researchers as a way to introduce new concepts, ideas and insights. This paper argues that while abduction allows for the introduction of new concepts, ideas and insights, abduction as articulated by many scholars is welded to representational thought, which stifles the emergence of the new. The key representational assumption in abduction is that abduction tends to be linked to a mental process that resides within an independent humanist subject. This paper posits that this limit of abduction can be disrupted by embracing a non-representational understanding of practices. This non-representational notion of practices will then serve as a transition to a Deleauzean and Guattarian (re)articulation of thought as becoming. In brief, when thought is (re)articulated as a becoming, it disrupts the key representational assumption and points towards enhancing the potential of abductively-driven research in asking new questions and research enactments, which in turn co-constitutes new realities for certain groups.
Feline Niemann-Pick Disease With a Novel Mutation of SMPD1 Gene
Authors: Takaichi Yuta , Chambers James K. , Kok Mun Keong , Uchiyama Hiroki , Haritani Makoto , Hasegawa Daisuke , Nakayama Hiroyuki , Uchida Kazuyuki
Published: April 2020

A 4-month-old female mixed-breed cat showed gait disturbance and eventual dysstasia with intention tremor and died at 14 months of age. Postmortem histological analysis revealed degeneration of neuronal cells, alveolar epithelial cells, hepatocytes, and renal tubular epithelial cells. Infiltration of macrophages was observed in the nervous system and visceral organs. The cytoplasm of neuronal cells was filled with Luxol fast blue (LFB)-negative and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-negative granules, and the cytoplasm of macrophages was LFB-positive and PAS-negative. Ultrastructurally, concentric deposits were observed in the brain and visceral organs. Genetic and biochemical analysis revealed a nonsense mutation (c.1017G>A) in the SMPD1 gene, a decrease of SMPD1 mRNA expression, and reduced acid sphingomyelinase immunoreactivity. Therefore, this cat was diagnosed as having Niemann-Pick disease with a mutation in the SMPD1 gene, a syndrome analogous to human Niemann-Pick disease type A.
Research data management in Turkey: A survey to build an effective national data repository
Authors: Dogan Guleda , Taskin Zehra , Aydinoglu Arsev Umur
Published: April 2020

Research data management is an important topic for funding agencies, universities and researchers. In this context, the main aim of this study is to collect preliminary information for Aperta, which is being developed by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, to fulfil the following goals: determine the research data management awareness levels of researchers in Turkey; understand current research data management practices in their research environments; and find out their experiences of policy issues. For this, a questionnaire was distributed to 37,223 researchers, with 1577 researchers completing it. The results indicated that researchers who spend more time with data have more concerns about data management issues. The levels of experience of creating a data management plan were quite low. The importance of this study lies in how it is able to show the current research data management practices of Turkish scholars during the new repository’s foundational development stage.