bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Twenty Years of Radiation Therapy of Unresectable Intrahepatic Cholangiocarinoma: Internal or External? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yu Qian , Liu Chenyu , Pillai Anjana , Ahmed Osman
Published: July 2021

Purpose: Both external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and selective-internal radiation therapy (SIRT) are implemented to treat unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of EBRT and SIRT in managing iCCA through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: PubMed and Cochrane database were queried to search for studies published from January 2000 toJune 2020 without language restrictions. Median survival time, overall survival, and radiological response were extracted. Secondary outcomes such as complication rates, predictors of survival, and downstage to surgery were pooled. Patient-level survival data were obtained to generate Kaplan-Meier survival graph. Pooled outcomes were analyzed with a random-effect model. Results: Twenty-nine and 20 studies including 732 and 443 patients from the SIRT and EBRT groups were included in the present study. From initial radiation treatment, the median survival time for patients who underwent SIRT and EBRT were 12.0 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.8–14.6) and 13.6 (95% CI: 11.1–16.0) months, respectively. As first-line therapy, the median survival time was 36.1 (95% CI: 20.6–39.5) months for SIRT and 11.0 (95% CI: 9.3–13.6) months for EBRT. Both radiation modalities were effective in downstaging initially unresectable iCCA to surgery (SIRT: 30.5%; EBRT: 18.3%). Patients in the SIRT group encountered more post-embolization abdominal pain (6.9 vs. 2.2%), ulcer (1.0 vs. 0.5%), nausea (1.6 vs. 0.7%), anorexia (5.9 vs. 0%), thrombocytopenia (7.3 vs. 6.0%), hyperbilirubinemia (5.2 vs. 2.1%), and hypoalbuminemia (13.2 vs. 3.3%), whereas EBRT was associated with higher rates of anemia (0.6 vs. 7.5%) and neutropenia (6.5 vs. 11.0%). Conclusions: Both EBRT and SIRT were safe and effective in treating unresectable iCCA. However, available evidence was highly heterogeneous regarding patient population, limiting fair comparison between 2 radiation modalities. Future high-quality comparative studies are warranted.
Plasmalemmal Vesicle-Associated Protein Is Associated with Endothelial Cells Sprouting from the Peribiliary Capillary Plexus in Human Cirrhotic Liver
Authors: Yokomori Hiroaki , Ando Wataru , Oda Masaya
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Plasmalemmal vesicle-associated protein (PLVAP) is an endothelial-specific integral membrane glycoprotein that localizes to caveolae and fenestrae in animal models; however, little is known about PLVAP in endothelial cells (ECs) in hepatic sinusoids during liver cirrhosis (LC). Here, we aimed to elucidate PLVAP localization and expression in the human liver during LC progression. Methods: PLVAP protein expression was detected in specimens from normal control livers and hepatitis C-related cirrhotic livers using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and immunoelectron microscopy. Results: PLVAP mainly localized to the peribiliary capillary plexus (PCP) and was rarely observed in hepatic artery branches and portal venules in control tissue, but was aberrantly expressed in capillarized sinusoids and proliferated capillaries in fibrotic septa within cirrhotic liver tissue. Ultrastructural analysis indicated that PLVAP localized to thin ECs in some caveolae, whereas PLVAP localized primarily to caveolae-like structures and proliferative sinusoid capillary EC vesicles in cirrhotic liver tissue. Western blot analysis confirmed that PLVAP was overexpressed at the protein level in advanced cirrhotic liver tissue. Conclusion: PLVAP was strongly expressed in the caveolae of proliferated capillaries directly connected with sinusoids linked with the PCP, suggesting that it plays a role in angiogenesis and sinusoidal remodeling in LC.
The IgE Blocking Activity Induced by Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus Subcutaneous Immunotherapy Does Not Correlate with Specific IgA but with IgG4 in both Serum and Saliva
Authors: He Yong , Liu Jinling , Zhao Deyu , Zhang Suqin , Hao Guodong , Sun Yuemei , Zhong Haifeng , Chen Huandong , Würtzen Peter Adler , Larsen Jørgen Nedergaard , Lai Xuxin
Published: July 2021

Background: The role of salivary-specific IgG4 and IgA in subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is not well defined. We aimed to investigate the change of IgG4 and IgA in both serum and saliva and their correlations with IgE-blocking-factor (IgE-BF) during SCIT. Method: 307 Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (DP) allergic rhinitis and/or asthma patients were recruited for this study. 286 patients received DP-SCIT for 1 year. Twenty-one patients received only symptomatic treatment. DP-, Der p 1-, and Der p 2-specific IgE in serum, specific-IgG4 and Der p 2-specific IgA1 and IgA2 in both serum and saliva were measured at timepoints 0, 4, and 12 months during DP-SCIT. Correlation between salivary and serological IgG4, IgA, and their correlation with DP-specific IgE-BF measured in serum was evaluated. Results: During DP-SCIT, the allergen-specific IgG4 in both saliva and serum increased and correlated significantly, the correlation becomes stronger over the treatment time. DP-specific IgE-BF significantly correlated with DP-specific IgG4 in serum (p < 0.0001) at different timepoints and in saliva at 12 months of SCIT (p < 0.01). No change in Der p 2-specific IgA during DP-SCIT was observed, and the IgA in serum did not correlate with IgA in saliva. There was no correlation between DP IgE-BF and Der p 2-specific IgA in serum or saliva. The control group did not exhibit significant changes in any antibody level measured. Conclusion: The IgE blocking activity induced by DP-SCIT treatment correlated with specific IgG4 and not IgA. The IgG4 in saliva correlates with serum IgG4 and can be an alternative immunological marker beyond 1 year of SCIT treatment.
Clonal Megakaryocyte Dysplasia with Normal Blood Values Is a Distinct Myeloproliferative Neoplasm
Authors: Barosi Giovanni , Rosti Vittorio , Massa Margherita , Campanelli Rita , Villani Laura , Catarsi Paolo , Carolei Adriana , Abbà Carlotta , Lodigiani Corrado , Primignani Massimo , Gregato Giuliana , Bertolini Francesco , Magrini Umberto , Gale Robert Peter
Published: July 2021

Introduction: In 1991, we reported 18 persons with a clinical-pathologic entity and termed atypical myeloproliferative disorder because they did not meet the contemporary diagnostic criteria for a myeloproliferative neoplasm. We sought to gain further knowledge on this disease entity. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included consecutive subjects registered in the database of the Center for the Study of Myelofibrosis in Pavia, Italy, from 1998 to 2020 (June), and diagnosed with atypical myeloproliferative disorder according to our adjudicated criteria. We studied clinical, histological, cytogenetic, and molecular covariates and risks of thrombosis, disease progression, and death. Data were compared with those of concurrent subjects with prefibrotic myelofibrosis. Results: Fifteen new subjects with atypical myeloproliferative disorder were identified. Seven were male. Median age was 50 years (IQR, 41–54 years). Thirteen were diagnosed with a synchronous symptomatic or incidentally detected thrombotic event. The bone marrow showed megakaryocyte hyperplasia with dysplasia. JAK2V617F was present in 10 subjects and CALR mutation in one. No other somatic mutations were identified in next generation sequencing. After a median follow-up of 101 months (IQR, 40–160 months), no subject had disease progression or blast transformation. Incidence of post-diagnosis or recurrent thrombosis was 3.9 events (95% confidence interval, 3.5–4.0) and 5.0 events (4.6–5.6) per 100 person-years. Features of subjects with atypical myeloproliferative disorder differed markedly from those of 546 subjects with prefibrotic myelofibrosis. Conclusion: Our data indicate that these 15 persons have a distinct myeloproliferative neoplasm. We propose naming this new disorder clonal megakaryocyte dysplasia with normal blood values.
The Lifelong Mysterious Relapsing “Kidney” Disease of the Founder of Turkey; Atatürk (1881–1938) in Connection with European Medical and Political History
Authors: Verit Ayhan , Akan Serkan , Kadioğlu Ateş
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Although Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881–1938) was a national hero with his intrepid and enlightened attempts to establish modern Turkey from the remnants of Ottoman heritage, he had been suffering from lifelong “kidney disease” that appeared with intermittent flank pain and fever without an identified source. However, we think that this physical pain that he endured only increased his motivation to focus on his military and political aims. Methods & Results: In this historical review article, we have focused on his personal medical life and specifically his “kidneys” from the beginning of the complaint till his death through European medical and political history with geographic locations and speculated upon it via past, near past, and recent medical literature. Conclusion: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the great military and political leader for his country, had always suffered from uro/nephrological problems throughout his life. We think that this was one of the reasons that urology has been privileged and thus to be the oldest separated medical surgical branch in Turkey and to some significant extent with European urological history.
Listening to Music during Outpatient Cystoscopy Reduces Pain and Anxiety and Increases Satisfaction: Results from a Prospective Randomized Study
Authors: Mumm Jan-Niclas , Eismann Lennert , Rodler Severin , Vilsmaier Theresa , Zehni Alaleh Zati , Apfelbeck Maria , Pfitzinger Paulo L. , Volz Yannic , Chaloupka Michael , Bauer Ricarda M. , Stief Christian G. , Staehler Michael
Published: July 2021

Background: This study investigates the effect of classical music, music of patients’ own choice, or no music on pain reduction during elective cystoscopy. Objectives: The aim of the study was to describe the effect of listening to classical music, music of patients’ own choice, or no music on patient’s pain and satisfaction rates when carrying out an elective cystoscopy and the effect on the assessment capability of the performing urologist. Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized trial included 127 patients undergoing elective cystoscopy at the Urological Department of the University Clinic of Munich between June 2019 and March 2020. Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Patients were assigned randomly to 3 groups: group I: listening to standardized classical music (n = 35), group II: listening to music according to the patients’ choice (n = 34), and control group III: no music (n = 44). Prior to cystoscopy, anxiety levels were assessed by the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The Visual Analog Scale (VAS, range 1–100) was used for a self-assessment of pain, discomfort, and satisfaction. Statistical analysis was done with Spearman’s rank correlation and t-tests. Results and Limitations: The median age was 63 (range 27–91) years. The duration of cystoscopy was 5.7 (1–30) min. Patients had undergone a median of 2.3 cystoscopies in the past. Between giving informed consent and cystoscopy, patients had to wait for a median of 64 (0–260) min. The median VAS pain score was significantly lower in group I at 1.7 and group II at 2.3 versus 5.2 in the control group III (p < 0.001). The control group III had significantly worse pain and patient satisfaction rates compared with groups I and II. Group I had a significant lower VAS pain score than groups II and III (p < 0.001). Classical music also increased the assessment capability of the preforming urologist. Conclusions: Listening to music during elective cystoscopy significantly reduces pain and distress and leads to higher patient and surgeon satisfaction. We recommend listening to classical music or music chosen by the patients during outpatient flexible/rigid cystoscopy in daily clinical routine. Patient Summary: In this study, we found that patients who listened to classical music or music of their own choice while undergoing a cystoscopy showed significant reduction of pain and distress.
Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio Is a Predictive Biomarker of Response to Treatment with Nivolumab for Gastric Cancer
Authors: Tokumaru Shigeo , Koizumi Tomonobu , Sekino Yasushi , Takeuchi Nobumichi , Nakata Shinji , Miyagawa Yusuke , Kitazawa Masato , Muranaka Futoshi , Nakamura Satoshi , Koyama Makoto , Yamamoto Yuta , Ehara Takehito , Hondo Nao , Soejima Yuji
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Patients with unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer who have an objective response (OR) to nivolumab monotherapy are expected to have a good long-term prognosis. However, the OR rate for nivolumab treatment is low at 11%, and there is a need for biomarkers to predict the treatment response. This study aimed to analyze the significance of systemic inflammation-related variables and clinicopathologic characteristics as predictive markers of response to nivolumab monotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we enrolled 71 consecutive patients who received nivolumab monotherapy for unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the cutoff values of systemic inflammation-related variables, predictors of treatment response, and other prognostic factors related to nivolumab therapy. We focused on systemic inflammation-related variables measured before nivolumab induction and 2 weeks after its first administration and performed multivariate analysis to assess whether they could be used as prognostic factors. Results: Multivariate analysis revealed that a lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) of ≤3.28 after 2 weeks of initial nivolumab treatment (2wLMR) is a statistically significant predictor of treatment response (p = 0.012). The progression-free survival (PFS) rate of patients with liver metastasis was significantly worse than that of the other patients (1-year PFS: 0.0 vs. 24.4%, respectively; p = 0.005). The overall survival (OS) of patients with a low 2wLMR was significantly longer than that in patients with a high 2wLMR (1-year OS: 37.4 vs. 18.9%, respectively; p = 0.022). Conclusions: Thus, the 2wLMR could be a useful biomarker to predict response to nivolumab treatment and the prognosis of unresectable and recurrent gastric cancer.
Sellar Gangliocytoma: Case Report and Review of an Extremely Rare Tumour
Authors: Quiroga-Padilla Pedro José , González-Devia Deyanira , Andrade Rafael , Escalante Paola , Jiménez-Hakim Enrique
Published: July 2021

Sellar gangliocytomas (SGs) are rare, well-differentiated, low-grade neoplasias that commonly present along with a pituitary adenoma (PA). We describe a case of a 52-year-old woman with a 2-year history of headache, body weight increase, and recent onset of arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Work-up tests revealed a normal hypophyseal profile, except for mild ACTH elevation, and a sellar mass on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A diagnosis of an enlarging pituitary macroadenoma was established, and to prevent symptom progression, the tumour was resected. Pathology showed 2 cell populations: ganglion and corticotrope cells. Three years after surgery, the patient no longer had a headache but persisted with arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. A literature review produced 207 cases of SGs. They typically present in women at 40 years of age and the most common clinical presentation are symptoms of acromegaly. Of the documented cases, 74 and 93% were treated with surgery alone or combined treatments (radiotherapy, radiosurgery, or pharmacotherapy), respectively. The majority of deaths associated with a SG came from the first half of the 20th century. In conclusion, this patient presented with a silent SG with likely pituitary hyperplasia. SGs are a challenging diagnosis, have a benign course, and may provide insights into PA tumourigenesis.
Psoriasis of the Lips: A Case Report with Review of the Literature
Authors: Chakiri Radia
Published: July 2021

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis, which progresses by relapses-remissions, of a multifactorial etiology which involves genetic, immunological, and environmental factors. Skin lesions are mainly localized in areas of friction: elbows, knees, pre-tibial, lumbosacral regions, scalp, and nails. Although the appearance of the skin lesions is sufficient for a diagnosis, diagnostic difficulties may be found in case of unusual topography. We report a case of a 45-year-old female patient with psoriatic cheilitis with a review of the literature.
Administration of Tranexamic Acid as Treatment for Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor-Induced Angioedema: A Case Report
Authors: Awsare Sohun , Chirikian David , Rogers Joseph
Published: July 2021

Background Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor-induced angioedema is a major cause of angioedema-related hospitalizations each year. Common swelling predilection sites include the face, periorbital skin, lips, pharynx, larynx, and tongue. Involvement of airway structures could lead to airway obstruction and ultimately death if not treated promptly. A 62-year-old man presented to a rural clinic with a massively swollen tongue that obscured visualization of the retropharynx and mildly swollen lips. The patient stated that he had been taking lisinopril for many years and never had a swelling episode similar to this. The patient was initially administered epinephrine, antihistamine, steroids, and Tranexamic acid. A second dose of Tranexamic acid was administered 30 min later followed by close monitoring. Seven hours after the first administration, the patient had near-complete resolution of tongue swelling and was later discharged. Angioedema treatment is still variable and hospitals in different settings may be able to take advantage of available resources for treatment. Tranexamic acid is a cheap and widely available antifibrinolytic that may be used to treat angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor-induced angioedema, especially if more specific therapeutics are unavailable.
Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Severe Heatstroke with Refractory Hemodynamic Failure
Authors: Fujita Masahide , Miyazaki Keita , Horiguchi Momoko , Yamamoto Kouji , Ito Shingo , Fukushima Hidetada
Published: July 2021

A 68-year-old male was found unconscious in a hot bathtub on a cold winter’s day and was brought to our hospital. On arrival, the patient’s systolic blood pressure was 65 mm hg, heart rate was 134 beats per min, and rectal temperature was 40.5°C. A large volume infusion of acetated Ringer’s solution and vasopressors were administered as an immediate treatment for circulatory failure due to heatstroke. Although the circulatory failure temporarily improved, the blood pressure dropped almost to the point of cardiac arrest. Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) was implemented and the hemodynamics were soon stabilized. Subsequently, VA-ECMO was withdrawn on the third hospital day. The patient recovered enough to feed normally on the 40th hospital day and was transferred to another hospital on the 116th hospital day. Based on this case study, we consider that VA-ECMO implementation before cardiac arrest might be a suitable strategy.
Migraine-Like Positive Visual Phenomena Related to Focal Cortical Lesions with Undetectable Visual Field Defects
Authors: Vosoughi Amir , Micieli Andrew , Micieli Jonathan A.
Published: July 2021

Migraines are commonly associated with a visual aura that has a characteristic clinical presentation. Cortical lesions within or in close proximity to the retrochiasmal visual pathways may also present in a manner that mimics migrainous visual phenomena and, in some cases, may be too small to manifest with a visual field defect on formal testing. We present 4 patients (3 females and 1 male) with an average age of 48.5 (range 28–67) years who had migraine-like visual disturbances related to a right temporal meningioma, occipital cavernoma, occipital lobe infarction, and demyelination in the optic radiations, which was the presenting sign of multiple sclerosis. No patient underwent neurosurgical intervention, and 1 patient (occipital lobe infarct) had complete resolution of the symptom after initial presentation. All patients had normal visual fields at follow-up and no thinning evident on optical coherence tomography. Our cases emphasize the importance of a history in assessing patients with transient positive visual phenomena and identify pathology that may present without visual field defects. Clinical features that should raise a doubt about a diagnosis of migraine visual aura include the absence of headache, brief visual disturbance lasting <5 min or those lasting >60 min, and age >40, especially with no past medical history of migraine.
Dermatomyositis following Biosimilar Trastuzumab in a Breast Cancer Patient: A Case Report
Authors: Moghimi Minoosh , Khodadadi Kasra
Published: July 2021

Trastuzumab, as a recombinant IgG1 kappa, is a humanized monoclonal antibody against human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Accordingly, it is widely used in breast cancers at early and advanced stages. Dermatomyositis is a rare adverse event of trastuzumab therapy, which is not well documented yet. In this study, a patient was treated for invasive ductal carcinoma with some symptoms of rash and generalized fatigue. These symptoms started after the fifth cycle of trastuzumab, which were gradually deteriorating. This patient’s medical and family histories were unremarkable. The progression of the disease was ruled out as a possible cause of dermatomyositis, and the laboratory evaluation revealed a moderate increase in serum muscle protein (CPK). So, trastuzumab treatment was discontinued, and by passing 1 month from the start of prednisolone and hydroxychloroquine, the patient had no symptoms.
Prenatal Exposure to Tobacco and Alcohol Alters Development of the Neonatal Auditory System
Authors: Sininger Yvonne S. , Condon Carmen G. , Gimenez Lissete A. , Shuffrey Lauren C. , Myers Michael M. , Elliott Amy J. , Thai Tracy , Nugent James D. , Pini Nicolò , Sania Ayesha , Odendaal Hein J. , Angal Jyoti , Tobacco Deborah , Hoffman Howard J. , Simmons Dwayne D. , Fifer William P.
Published: July 2021

Prenatal exposures to alcohol (PAE) and tobacco (PTE) are known to produce adverse neonatal and childhood outcomes including damage to the developing auditory system. Knowledge of the timing, extent, and combinations of these exposures on effects on the developing system is limited. As part of the physiological measurements from the Safe Passage Study, Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABRs) and Transient Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAEs) were acquired on infants at birth and one-month of age. Research sites were in South Africa and the Northern Plains of the U.S. Prenatal information on alcohol and tobacco exposure was gathered prospectively on mother/infant dyads. Cluster analysis was used to characterize three levels of PAE and three levels of PTE. Repeated-measures ANOVAs were conducted for newborn and one-month-old infants for ABR peak latencies and amplitudes and TEOAE levels and signal-to-noise ratios. Analyses controlled for hours of life at test, gestational age at birth, sex, site, and other exposure. Significant main effects of PTE included reduced newborn ABR latencies from both ears. PTE also resulted in a significant reduction of ABR peak amplitudes elicited in infants at 1-month of age. PAE led to a reduction of TEOAE amplitude for 1-month-old infants but only in the left ear. Results indicate that PAE and PTE lead to early disruption of peripheral, brainstem, and cortical development and neuronal pathways of the auditory system, including the olivocochlear pathway.
A Lipid Mixture Enriched by Ceramide NP with Fatty Acids of Diverse Chain Lengths Contributes to Restore the Skin Barrier Function Impaired by Topical Corticosteroid
Authors: Lim Sung Ha , Kim Eun Jung , Lee Chung Hyuk , Park Gi Hyun , Yoo Kang Min , Nam Sung Ju , Shin Kyong-Oh , Park Kyungho , Choi Eung Ho
Published: July 2021

Introduction: The stratum corneum (SC) is a skin barrier that consists of corneocytes, intercellular lipids, and corneodesmosomes. Ceramides are composed of sphingoid bases linked with various types of fatty acids (FAs), and they are an essential constituent of SC intercellular lipids. Among their subtypes, ceramide NP with a phytosphingosine base is especially important. Most of the previous studies on barrier recovery have focused on a specific ceramide with a single chain FA, not with diverse chain lengths. Skin barrier function is impaired by various factors, including topical corticosteroid. Objective: We evaluated whether a lipid mixture enriched by ceramide NP with FAs of diverse chain lengths (CER [NP]*) can restore the skin barrier function impaired by topical corticosteroid. Methods: Twenty-seven healthy adult male volunteers were recruited. Topical corticosteroid was applied on both volar forearms of volunteers. Then, the test cream containing a lipid mixture with CER (NP)* was applied on the left forearm, and a vehicle cream without a lipid mixture was applied on the right forearm of each subject. The functional parameters of the skin barrier were compared before and after the treatment. Epidermal differentiation markers, hyaluronic acid synthase 3 (HAS3), cytokine levels, and the lipid profiles in the SC were analyzed. Results: The functional parameters of the skin barrier, such as barrier recovery rate, SC integrity, and SC hydration were significantly improved in the test cream-applied site compared to the vehicle cream-applied sites. Filaggrin and HAS3 levels were significantly higher in the sites applied with the test cream. Interleukin (IL)-1α levels were also significantly increased in these sites. IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-13 levels were significantly decreased in the test cream-applied sites. Lipid analyses showed that C18, C20, and total ceramide NP levels significantly increased in the sites where the test cream was applied. Also, C16, C18, C20, C24, and total ceramide NP levels were significantly elevated in the test cream-applied sites after acute barrier disruption. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that a lipid mixture enriched by CER (NP)* could recover the barrier function impaired by topical corticosteroid.
Espíritos, história e colonialismo na Guiana
Authors: Mello Marcelo Moura
Published: July 2021

Em diálogo com proposições recentes em torno da antropologia da história, neste artigo abordo como espíritos de colonizadores holandeses na Guiana, antiga Guiana Britânica, atuam como agentes, atores e narradores do processo histórico. Argumento que espíritos participam da formulação, (re)criação e circulação de conhecimentos, fatos e experiências associados, pelos espíritos e pelos humanos, ao período colonial da Guiana.
Sobre as flautas sagradas xinguanas e a antropologização do mundo
Authors: Bastos Rafael José de Menezes
Published: July 2021

Este artigo apresenta um estudo sobre as flautas sagradas nas terras baixas da América do Sul, tomadas as xinguanas como objeto central de atenção. Também, é uma abordagem do que chamo antropologização do mundo, ou seja, a inversão da hegemonia dos espíritos mama´e face aos humanos. O artigo explora a ideia de Pierre Clastres de "contra" que me levou a uma visão dos xinguanos como sociedades disciplinares, de acordo com Foucault, mas ainda assim em uma perspectiva contra a modernidade, a partir das considerações de Bruno Latour.
Fronteras irreales, abuelos y territorios comunes: interdependencia e interrelación de waorani y grupos familiares en aislamiento en el Yasuní
Authors: Narvaez Roberto
Published: July 2021

Las políticas públicas de los estados inciden en las dinámicas propias de los pueblos indígenas y sus territorios en la Amazonía, muchas de las cuales dan lugar a conflictos por la reducida visión y consideraciones en torno a la diversidad cultural, que se remiten a discursos y políticas uniculturales. En la Amazonía ecuatoriana, el pueblo de reciente contacto waorani, y grupos familiares en aislamiento, mantienen y reproducen formas culturales propias de orden social y territorialidad, lo cual choca con las delimitaciones impuestas por el Estado, al no estar apegadas a esas formas propias de control y manejo territorial. La Región del Yasuní, en la Amazonía ecuatoriana, es un espacio donde confluyen formas de vida tradicional de uso y movilidad, bajo referentes de antepasados que habitaron ese territorio, y que heredaron ese lugar a sus generaciones posteriores; y donde las actividades petroleras marcan el día a día, pero sobre todo inciden en el desarrollo de conflictos que llegan a afectar las dinámicas propias y la reproducción de sus formas culturales, tanto de waorani de reciente contacto, como de aquellos que optaron por el aislamiento.
Spivak, pós-colonialismo e antropologia: pensar o pensamento e o colonialismo-em-branco dos nossos conceitos
Authors: Maciel Lucas da Costa
Published: July 2021

Partindo de uma leitura reversa do texto “Pode o subalterno falar?”, este ensaio busca recuperar e torcer os argumentos de Spivak para encontrar os fundamentos de um pensamento pós-colonial como medida de precaução e como treino imaginativo. A intenção é apresentar a necessidade de pensar o pensamento, o lugar em que, seguindo a Derrida, Spivak argumenta localizar-se o colonialismo-em-branco do pensamento europeu. Por fim, aproximaremos o problema de Spivak com as intenções do ontologismo antropológico, mostrando de que forma uma exploração ontológica na Antropologia depende de uma crítica epistemológica. Pretendemos, com isso, recolocar a vigência da teoria pós-colonial de Spivak para a antropologia, atualizando seus termos e seguindo seus argumentos.
Influence of Maternal Lifestyle and Diet on Perinatal DNA Methylation Signatures Associated With Childhood Arterial Stiffness at 8 to 9 Years
Authors: Murray Robert , Kitaba Negusse , Antoun Elie , Titcombe Philip , Barton Sheila , Cooper Cyrus , Inskip Hazel M. , Burdge Graham C. , Mahon Pamela A. , Deanfield John , Halcox Julian P. , Ellins Elizabeth A. , Bryant Jennifer , Peebles Charles , Lillycrop Karen , Godfrey Keith M. , Hanson Mark A. ,   EpiGen Consortium
Published: July 2021

Increases in aortic pulse wave velocity, a measure of arterial stiffness, can lead to elevated systolic blood pressure and increased cardiac afterload in adulthood. These changes are detectable in childhood and potentially originate in utero, where an adverse early life environment can alter DNA methylation patterns detectable at birth. Here, analysis of epigenome-wide methylation patterns using umbilical cord blood DNA from 470 participants in the Southampton’s Women’s Survey identified differential methylation patterns associated with systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, arterial distensibility, and descending aorta pulse wave velocity measured by magnetic resonance imaging at 8 to 9 years. Perinatal methylation levels at 16 CpG loci were associated with descending aorta pulse wave velocity, with identified CpG sites enriched in pathways involved in DNA repair (
P
=9.03×10
−11
). The most significant association was with cg20793626 methylation (within protein phosphatase, Mg2+/Mn2+ dependent 1D; β=−0.05 m/s/1% methylation change, [95% CI, −0.09 to −0.02]). Genetic variation was also examined but had a minor influence on these observations. Eight pulse wave velocity-linked dmCpGs were associated with prenatal modifiable risk factors, with cg08509237 methylation (within palmitoyl-protein thioesterase-2) associated with maternal oily fish consumption in early and late pregnancy. Lower oily fish consumption in early pregnancy modified the relationship between methylation and pulse wave velocity, with lower consumption strengthening the association between cg08509237 methylation and increased pulse wave velocity. In conclusion, measurement of perinatal DNA methylation signatures has utility in identifying infants who might benefit from preventive interventions to reduce risk of later cardiovascular disease, and modifiable maternal factors can reduce this risk in the child.
Effects of Experimental Interventions to Improve the Biomedical Peer‐Review Process: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Gaudino Mario , Robinson N. Bryce , Di Franco Antonino , Hameed Irbaz , Naik Ajita , Demetres Michelle , Girardi Leonard N. , Frati Giacomo , Fremes Stephen E. , Biondi‐Zoccai Giuseppe
Published: July 2021

Background

Quality of the peer‐review process has been tested only in small studies. We describe and summarize the randomized trials that investigated interventions aimed at improving peer‐review process of biomedical manuscripts.

Methods and Results

All randomized trials comparing different peer‐review interventions at author‐, reviewer‐, and/or editor‐level were included. Differences between traditional and intervention‐modified peer‐review processes were pooled as standardized mean difference (SMD) in quality based on the definitions used in the individual studies. Main outcomes assessed were quality and duration of the peer‐review process. Five‐hundred and seventy‐five studies were retrieved, eventually yielding 24 randomized trials. Eight studies evaluated the effect of interventions at author‐level, 16 at reviewer‐level, and 3 at editor‐level. Three studies investigated interventions at multiple levels. The effects of the interventions were reported as mean change in review quality, duration of the peer‐review process, acceptance/rejection rate, manuscript quality, and number of errors detected in 13, 11, 5, 4, and 3 studies, respectively. At network meta‐analysis, reviewer‐level interventions were associated with a significant improvement in review quality (SMD, 0.20 [0.06 to 0.33]), at the cost of increased duration of the review process (SMD, 0.15 [0.01 to 0.29]), except for reviewer blinding. Author‐ and editor‐level interventions did not significantly impact peer‐review quality and duration (respectively, SMD, 0.17 [−0.16 to 0.51] and SMD, 0.19 [−0.40 to 0.79] for quality, and SMD, 0.17 [−0.16 to 0.51] and SMD, 0.19 [−0.40 to 0.79] for duration).

Conclusions

Modifications of the traditional peer‐review process at reviewer‐level are associated with improved quality, at the price of longer duration. Further studies are needed.

Registration

URL:
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero
; Unique identifier: CRD42020187910.
Multibranch Formal Neuron: An Internally Nonlinear Learning Unit
Authors: Güler Marifi
Published: July 2021

The transformation of synaptic input into action potential in nerve cells is strongly influenced by the morphology of the dendritic arbor as well as the synaptic efficacy map. The multiplicity of dendritic branches strikingly enables a single cell to act as a highly nonlinear processing element. Studies have also found functional synaptic clustering whereby synapses that encode a common sensory feature are spatially clustered together on the branches. Motivated by these findings, here we introduce a multibranch formal model of the neuron that can integrate synaptic inputs nonlinearly through collective action of its dendritic branches and yields synaptic clustering. An analysis in support of its use as a computational building block is offered. Also offered is an accompanying gradient descent–based learning algorithm. The model unit spans a wide spectrum of nonlinearities, including the parity problem, and can outperform the multilayer perceptron in generalizing to unseen data. The occurrence of synaptic clustering boosts the generalization efficiency of the unit, which may also be the answer for the puzzling ubiquity of synaptic clustering in the real neurons. Our theoretical analysis is backed up by simulations. The study could pave the way to new artificial neural networks.
Kollektiv und Individuum, Bild und Text
Authors: Jäger Nadine
Published: July 2021

Using the example of the Dance of Death of Bern, this article points out that it is not alone the contents, but the divergent communication modes of image and text that are interwoven and cooperate, while each maintains its distinct message: the text emphasizes the individual due to its successive mode of communication, the image’s simultaneous transmission of information focusses on the collective. By these means, the Dance of Death expresses its admonition and induces the recipient to critical introspection.
Paracelsus, His Herbarius, and the Relevance of Medicinal Herbs in His Medical Thought
Authors: Leprêtre Matti
Published: July 2021

This article aims at reassessing the significance of Paracelsus’ Herbarius, a work deemed a loose collection of field notes and juvenilia by Karl Sudhoff, Paracelsus’ most famous editor and scholar. By comparing it to Von den natürlichen Dingen, another treatise that overlaps extensively with the Herbarius (four of the six Gewechse discussed in the Herbarius are also dealt with in Von den natürlichen Dingen), the article suggests that both texts, although unfinished, must be read as well-crafted treatises rather than mere drafts. It also examines two hypotheses concerning the relationship between the two treatises: the Herbarius will alternatively be read as a simplified version of Von den natürlichen Dingen, written concomitantly in order to be understandable by the “common man” (gemeine Mann); and as its preliminary version, further elaborated upon by Paracelsus several years after he wrote the Herbarius. By tracing the early reception of the Herbarius, the article attempts to understand its relationship to the several writings that were deemed by the followers of Paracelsus to be part of a supposedly larger Paracelsian herbal centered on the doctrine of signatures: to them, the Herbarius was undoubtedly a mere excerpt of Paracelsus’ Herbarius spiritualis sidereus, a concept investigated here.
Das galante Fest als Gesamtkunstwerk
Authors: Stauffer Isabelle
Published: July 2021

Aurora von Königsmarck’s letters from Medevi show the outstanding role this celebrated baroque poetess played in the gallant festival culture at the Swedish court. They tell of courtly festivals taking place at the famous health spa Medevi in August 1682. They uncover festivals which do not appear in official festival books. So these letters represent very important documents of cultural history, allowing a fresh sight on courtly festival culture. This article inquires the gallant performance of Aurora’s letters, investigates them for well-known models, motifs and journals of courtly-gallant festivals and emphazises their political and aesthetical relevance. With her various artistical contributions Aurora tries to influence her position within the Swedish nobility. The festivals follow the French festival culture of Ludwig XIV. and are to be interpreted as synthesis of the arts, including several arts. Aurora’s letters are not only descriptions, but also a part of this synthesis of the arts.
The Philippines in 2020: Exposed Deficiencies and Aggravated Backsliding in a Year of Crises
Authors: Gloria Enrico V.
Published: July 2021

While the COVID-19 pandemic presented itself as a global challenge that greatly hampered progress everywhere, its combination with other national emergencies and political developments in the country made 2020 a year of crises for the Philippines. The year of crises presented itself as a litmus test for the effectiveness of Rodrigo Duterte’s populist leadership and for the resilience of Philippine democracy. It was a year of reckoning that unmasked the government’s misplaced priorities and exposed systemic deficiencies in various areas of governance. Likewise, the year of crises also provided an effective rationale for greater executive aggrandizement, aggravating the continued trend of democratic backsliding since 2016. This year-end review outlines how the government has managed the year of crises, and how its responses led to these two thematic developments that define 2020 for the Philippines. The essay provides local contextualization in terms of how democratic backsliding is aggravated by situations of crises, and how these crises unmask systemic deficiencies in weak democracies such as the Philippines.
History as Memory: Alexander in South Asian Demotic Literature and Popular Media
Authors: Hussain Syed Ejaz
Published: July 2021

The diversity and range of existing archives on the history and romance of Alexander have projected on him a multiplicity of images. Alexander’s conquests, military achievements, romance, myths, and legends have fascinated writers, scholars, historians, poets, filmmakers, the media, and designers of websites around the world. His invasion of India in 326 BCE left an indelible influence on Indian art, history, and literature. The present essay takes up a theme on which not much work has been done in modern scholarship. It focuses on the nature and diversity of the historical memory of Alexander in modern South Asia, particularly as reflected in modern Urdu and Hindi, the two major languages of the subcontinent. It also examines how Alexander is portrayed in popular culture and India’s nationalist discourse.
The Lumpenproletariat and the Itinerary of a Concept: Some Literary Reflections
Authors: Mohan Anupama
Published: July 2021

In their theory of class formation and social revolution, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels were scathing about the lumpenproletariat, condemning it as anti-revolutionary, morally bankrupt, and a bribable tool of the bourgeoisie, a view that remained influential well into the mid-twentieth century. Not until Frantz Fanon appropriated the term lumpenproletariat in The Wretched of the Earth (1961) and applied it to what he saw as a whole class of people waiting to be brought into and redeployed as the vanguard of a new revolutionary proletarian consciousness did it shed its negative connotations. The changed trajectories of the proper place and role of the lumpenproletariat can be seen in working-class literatures of the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries, which constitute an important stage upon which to refine Marxian and Fanonian understandings of the lumpenproletariat. This essay examines three novels written in the last thirty years: Herbert, by Nabarun Bhattacharya, written originally in Bengali and published in 1993; How Late It Was, How Late, by Scottish writer James Kelman (1994); and Sacred Games, by Vikram Chandra (2006). Read contrapuntally, these works provide a literary platform for the exploration of the representational shift in the role and function of the lumpenproletariat in the twenty-first century.
Xylodon bambusinus and X. xinpingensis spp. nov. (Hymenochaetales) from southern China
Authors: MA XIANG , ZHAO CHANG-LIN
Published: July 2021

Two new species, Xylodon bambusinus and X. xinpingensis, are proposed based on morphological and molecular evidences. Both species share the annual growth habit, resupinate basidiomata and monomitic hyphal system with clamped, colorless generative hyphae, smooth, thin-walled basidiospores, but X. bambusinus is characterized by the smooth to tuberculate hymenial surface, presence of capitate and fusiform cystidia, broad ellipsoid basidiospores, while X. xinpingensis by the reticulate hymenophore with cream hymenial surface, and subglobose basidiospores (4.5–6 × 3.5–5 µm). Sequences of ITS and LSU nrRNA gene regions of the studied samples were generated, and phylogenetic analyses were performed with maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference methods. The phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data of ITS and ITS+nLSU sequences showed that X. bambusinus was sister to X. subclavatus, while X. xinpingensis grouped with X. astrocystidiatus and X. paradoxus. The nLSU dataset revealed that X. bambusinus grouped with X. asperus and X. brevisetus with lower supports, and that X. xinpingensis grouped with X. astrocystidiatus and X. paradoxus and then with X. rimosissimus without supports. Both morphological and molecular evidences confirmed the placement of two new species in Xylodon. Description and figures from the new species and a key to the known species of Xylodon from China are presented.
Chaetogastra cogniauxiana (Melastomataceae), a new Brazilian species from the Chaetogastra gracilis complex
Authors: MEYER FABRÍCIO SCHMITZ , GOLDENBERG RENATO
Published: July 2021

Eleven varieties of Tibouchina gracilis were indicated as synonyms of Chaetogastra gracilis in the most recent work on the taxonomy of the genus. However, field observations and a more detailed analysis of herbarium specimens, including the types, led us to the conclusion that two of these varieties represent a single new species. Chaetogastra cogniauxiana is endemic to Brazil, and differs from C. gracilis by the smaller size, 10–70 cm tall (versus 30–120 cm tall in C. gracilis), dendritic-setose to dendritic-strigose hypanthium and bracteoles (vs. dendritic-sericeous hypanthium and bracteoles), and smaller petals, 9.8–13.4 × 8.8–9.1 mm (vs. larger petals, 16.5–21.6 × 11.2–14.8 mm). In this article, we provide a complete description of C. cogniauxiana, and indicate the main morphological differences between C. cogniauxiana and the most closely related species. We also provide comments on taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of this species, photos, illustrations, and a distribution map. This work is part of a monograph of the genus Chaetogastra in Brazil, which showed a great species richness and also the necessity of several taxonomic adjustments.
The transfer of Tritomaria koreana to Lophozia has led to recircumscription of the genus and shown convergence in Lophoziaceae (Hepaticae)
Authors: BAKALIN VADIM , MALTSEVA YULIYA , VILNET ANNA , CHOI SEUNG SE
Published: July 2021

Tritomaria koreana is transferred to Lophozia based on molecular studies involving material from the type locality. Within Lophozia, the species belongs to the early diverging branch sister to other taxa of the genus and is so distinctly morphologically different from congeners that the morphological circumscription of the genus should be revised based on the ability to develop 1) deep, pink-colored unicellular polygonal gemmae, 2) very unequally bilobed leaves, 3) leaves shaped and inserted as in Tritomaria exsecta. There are 5 morphologically distant species of Lophozia, four of which were described within the last decade and belong to the branches sister to the main bulk of taxa of the genus. All of these early diverging taxa are distributed on the geographical fringes of the area for the genus, whereas the geographical centre of the genus is occupied by widely distributed, morphologically intergrading and genetically closely related taxa of questionable taxonomic rank belonging to the L. ventricosa complex and its closest allies.
Aspidistra latistyla (Asparagaceae), a new species from China
Authors: MO FU-YAN , ZHANG SHOU-ZHOU , LIN CHUN-RUI , LIU YAN
Published: July 2021

Aspidistra latistyla, (Asparagaceae), a new Chinese species, is described and illustrated here. This new species is similar to A. longipetala in the shape of the flowers, but can be clearly distinguished by its taller leaves, the perianth lobes shorter than tube, stamens inserted in the upper-middle of perianth tube and the stigma cylindrical, 8–10 mm long, 7–9 mm in diameter.
Phenotypic variation in Heremites vittatus (Olivier, 1804) (Sauria: Scincidae) from Iran and Turkey
Authors: RASTEGAR-POUYANI NASRULLAH , KUMLUTAŞ YUSUF , AVCI AZIZ , CANDAN KAMIL , ILGAZ CETIN , FATTAHI RAZIEH , YOUSEFKHANI SEYYED SAEED HOSSEINIAN
Published: July 2021

According to a large morphological dataset of specimens from Turkey to Iran and based on several morphological analyses, the Iranian populations of the skink Heremites vittatus are separated from other populations of this taxon in Turkey. The values of most of morphological characters were higher in the Turkish populations. Morphological variation among populations of H. vittatus (Olivier, 1804) from Turkey and the western slopes of the Zagros Mountains in Kermanshah province in Iran may be the result of different dispersal and vicariance events. Comparison the current study dataset with specimens from Egypt can definite the taxonomic status of Iranian and Turkish populations.