bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surgical Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Authors: Schlottmann Francisco , Herbella Fernando A. , Allaix Marco E. , Rebecchi Fabrizio , Patti Marco G.
Published: March 2017

Background

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects an estimated 20% of the population in the USA, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. Lifestyle modifications and proton pump inhibitors (PPI) therapy are effective in the majority of patients and remain the mainstay of treatment of GERD. However, some patients will need surgical intervention because they have partial control of symptoms, do not want to be on long‐term medical treatment, or suffer complications related to PPI therapy.

Aims

The aim of this study was to review the available evidence that supports laparoscopic antireflux surgery, and to study the effect of surgical therapy on the natural history of GERD.

Results

The key elements for the success of antireflux surgery are proper patient selection, careful analysis of the indications for surgery, complete pre‐operative work‐up, and proper execution of the surgical technique.

Conclusions

When the key elements are respected, antireflux surgery is very effective in controlling GERD, and it is associated to minimal morbidity and mortality.
From Heartburn to Barrett’s Esophagus, and Beyond
Authors: Schlottmann Francisco , Patti Marco G. , Shaheen Nicholas J.
Published: March 2017

Background

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects an estimated 20% of the population in the USA, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. About 10–15% of patients with GERD will develop Barrett’s esophagus (BE).

Aims

The aims of this study were to review the available evidence of the pathophysiology of BE and the role of anti‐reflux surgery in the treatment of this disease.

Results

The transformation of the squamous epithelium into columnar epithelium with goblet cells is due to the chronic injury produced by repeated reflux episodes. It involves genetic mutations that in some patients may lead to high‐grade dysplasia and cancer. There is no strong evidence that anti‐reflux surgery is associated with resolution or improvement in BE, and its indications should be the same as for other GERD patients without BE.

Conclusions

Patients with BE without dysplasia require endoscopic surveillance, while those with low‐ or high‐grade dysplasia should have consideration of endoscopic eradication therapy followed by surveillance. New endoscopic treatment modalities are being developed, which hold the promise to improve the management of patients with BE.
Major Complex Abdominal Wall Repair in Contaminated Fields with Use of a Non‐cross‐linked Biologic Mesh: A Dual‐Institutional Experience
Authors: Atema J. J. , Furnée E. J. , Maeda Y. , Warusavitarne J. , Tanis P. J. , Bemelman W. A. , Vaizey C. J. , Boermeester M. A.
Published: March 2017

Background

Data on the use of biologic mesh in abdominal wall repair in complex cases remain sparse. Aim of this study was to evaluate a non‐cross‐linked porcine acellular dermal matrix for repair of complex contaminated abdominal wall defects.

Methods

Retrospective observational cohort study of consecutive patients undergoing abdominal wall repair with use of Strattice™ Reconstructive Tissue Matrix (LifeCell Corporation, Oxford, UK) between January 2011 and February 2015 at two National Intestinal Failure Units.

Results

Eighty patients were identified. Indications for abdominal wall repair included enterocutaneous fistula takedown (n = 50), infected synthetic mesh removal (n = 9), restoration of continuity or creation of a stoma with concomitant ventral hernia repair (n = 12), and others (n = 9). The median defect area was 143.0 cm2 (interquartile range or IQR 70.0–256.0 cm2). All had a grade III or IV hernia. Component separation technique (CST) was performed in 54 patients (68%). Complete fascial closure was not possible despite CST and biologic mesh‐assisted traction (bridged repair) in 20 patients (25%). In‐hospital mortality was 1%. Thirty‐six patients (45%) developed a wound infection. None required mesh removal. Of 76 patients with a median clinical follow‐up of 7 months (IQR 4–15) available for analysis, 10 patients (13%) developed a hernia recurrence, of whom 3 had undergone bridged repairs. Seven patients developed a postoperative (recurrent) fistula (9%).

Conclusion

Repair of challenging and contaminated abdominal wall defects can be done effectively with non‐cross‐linked biologic mesh and component separation technique without the need for mesh removal despite wound infections.
Extralevator Abdominal Perineal Excision Versus Standard Abdominal Perineal Excision: Impact on Quality of the Resected Specimen and Postoperative Morbidity
Authors: Habr‐Gama Angelita , São Julião Guilherme P. , Mattacheo Adrian , de Campos‐Lobato Luiz Felipe , Aleman Edgar , Vailati Bruna B. , Gama‐Rodrigues Joaquim , Perez Rodrigo Oliva
Published: March 2017

Background

Abdominal perineal excision (APE) has been associated with a high risk of positive circumferential resection margin (CRM+) and local recurrence rates in the treatment of rectal cancer. An alternative extralevator approach (ELAPE) has been suggested to improve the quality of resection by avoiding coning of the specimen decreasing the risk of tumor perforation and CRM+. The aim of this study is to compare the quality of the resected specimen and postoperative complication rates between ELAPE and “standard” APE.

Methods

All patients between 1998 and 2014 undergoing abdominal perineal excision for primary or recurrent rectal cancer at a single Institution were reviewed. Between 1998 and 2008, all patients underwent standard APE. In 2009 ELAPE was introduced at our Institution and all patients requiring APE underwent this alternative procedure (ELAPE). The groups were compared according to pathological characteristics, specimen quality (CRM status, perforation and failure to provide the rectum and anus in a single specimen—fragmentation) and postoperative morbidity.

Results

Fifty patients underwent standard APEs, while 22 underwent ELAPE. There were no differences in CRM+ (10.6 vs. 13.6%; p = 0.70) or tumor perforation rates (8 vs. 0%; p = 0.30) between APE and ELAPE. However, ELAPE were less likely to result in a fragmented specimen (42 vs. 4%; p = 0.002). Advanced pT‐stage was also a risk factor for specimen fragmentation (p = 0.03). There were no differences in severe (Grade 3/4) postoperative morbidity (13 vs. 10%; p = 0.5). Perineal wound dehiscences were less frequent among ELAPE (52 vs 13%; p < 0.01). Despite short follow‐up (median 21 mo.), 2‐year local recurrence‐free survival was better for patients undergoing ELAPE when compared to APE (87 vs. 49%; p = 0.04).

Conclusions

ELAPE may be safely implemented into routine clinical practice with no increase in postoperative morbidity and considerable improvements in the quality of the resected specimen of patients with low rectal cancers.
Biodegradation of insensitive munition formulations IMX101 and IMX104 in surface soils
Authors: Indest Karl J , Hancock Dawn E , Crocker Fiona H , Eberly Jed O , Jung Carina M , Blakeney Gary A , Brame Jon , Chappell Mark A
Published: March 2017

The biodegradation potential of insensitive munition melt cast formulations IMX101 and IMX104 was investigated in two unamended training range soils under aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions. Changes in community profiles in soil microcosms were monitored via high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing over the course of the experiments to infer key microbial phylotypes that may be linked to IMX degradation. Complete anaerobic biotransformation occurred for IMX101 and IMX104 constituents 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) and 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one during the 30-day incubation period with Camp Shelby (CS) soil. By comparison, soil from Umatilla chemical depot demonstrated incomplete DNAN degradation with reduced transformation rates for both IMX101 and IMX104. Aerobic soil microcosms for both soils demonstrated reduced transformation rates compared to anaerobic degradation for all IMX constituents with DNAN the most susceptible to biotransformation by CS soil. Overall, IMX constituents hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine and 1-nitroguanidine did not undergo significant transformation. In CS soil, organisms that have been associated with explosives degradation, namely members of the Burkholderiaceae, Bacillaceae, and Paenibacillaceae phylotypes increased significantly in anaerobic treatments whereas Sphingomonadaceae increased significantly in aerobic treatments. Collectively, these data may be used to populate fate and transport models to provide more accurate estimates for assessing environmental costs associated with release of IMX101 and IMX104.
Performing and Declining PGD: Accounts of Jewish Israeli Women Who Carry a BRCA1/2 Mutation or Partners of Male Mutation Carriers
Authors: Dagan Efrat , Birenbaum‐Carmeli Daphna , Friedman Eitan , Feldman Baruch
Published: March 2017

To describe factors associated with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) decisions among Jewish Israeli BRCA1/2 carriers or spouses of a male carrier, we contacted all women who initiated PGD consultation for embryonic BRCA1/2 mutation detection at Sheba Medical Center, prior to March 2014. Applying a qualitative approach, we asked women to elaborate on the factors they considered in either opting for PGD or discontinuing the screening procedure. Participants were 18 Jewish Israeli women; 14 were carriers of one of the Ashkenazi founder mutations in BRCA1/2, and four were spouses of male mutation carriers, who underwent at least one cycle of PGD. Prior to seeking PGD, ten of the women had no children. At the time of the interview, all but three had at least one child. Three factors emerged as key motivators for PGD: having witnessed the disease in a close relative (n = 12); prior IVF treatment for infertility (n = 12); and having pre‐existing frozen embryos (n = 6). Ten women withdrew from the PGD process due to clinical, logistical, and financial reasons. In conclusion, most women decided to withdraw from PGD instead of continuing until a successful conception was achieved. Those who opted for PGD attributed their discontinuation of further screening to the emotional burden that is greatly intensified by practical difficulties.
Clinical and genetic analyses of familial and sporadic frontotemporal dementia patients in Southern Italy
Authors: Capozzo Rosa , Sassi Celeste , Hammer Monia B. , Arcuti Simona , Zecca Chiara , Barulli Maria R. , Tortelli Rosanna , Gibbs J. Raphael , Crews Cynthia , Seripa Davide , Carnicella Francesco , Dell'Aquila Claudia , Rossi Marco , Tamma Filippo , Valluzzi Francesco , Brancasi Bruno , Panza Francesco , Singleton Andrew B. , Logroscino Giancarlo
Published: March 2017

Introduction

We investigated the clinical differences between familial and sporadic frontotemporal dementia (FTD), screening for mutations in known FTD genes.

Methods

We diagnosed 22 affected individuals belonging to eight families and 43 sporadic cases with FTD in Apulia, Southern Italy, in 2 years. Mutations in common causative FTD genes (GRN, MAPT, VCP, and TARDBP) and C9ORF72 expansions were screened.

Results

Behavioral variant of FTD was the most common clinical subtype (50% and 69% in familial and sporadic cases, respectively). Social conduct impairment/disinhibition, loss of insight, and inflexibility were the most frequent clinical features observed at onset. One new mutation was identified in GRN in family A.

Discussion

Disease onset in sporadic FTD was more frequently characterized by a clustering of behavioral symptoms with apathy and loss of personal hygiene. Mutations in common causative FTD genes are not a major cause of familial and sporadic FTD in the Southern Italian population.
Perturbation quasi différentielle d’un semi‐groupe régularisant dans une échelle d’espaces de Banach
Authors: Duchon Jean , Robert Raoul
Published: March 2017

We give a global existence and uniqueness result for the evolution equation

u_t + A u = F(u)

,

u(0) = u_0

, where

−A

is the infinitesimal generator of a linear semigroup

S(t)

smoothing in a scale of Banach spaces

B_ρ

and

F

is a nonlinear quasi differential operator consistent with

S(t)

. We show that for

u_0

small enough in

B_0

there is a unique solution of the equation such that

u(t)

remains bounded in

B_{αt}

, for some

α > 0

. We apply this result to the motion of the interface of two liquids in a porous medium.

Nous établissons un résultat d’existence global en temps pour l’équation d’évolution

u_t + A u = F(u)

,

u(0) = u_0

, où

−A

est le générateur infinitésimal d’un semi-groupe linéaire

S(t)

régularisant dans une échelle d’espaces de Banach

B_ρ

,

F

un opérateur non linéaire quasi différentiel « assez petit » compatible avec

S(t)

. Nous montrons que pour

u_0

assez petit dans

B_0

, il existe une solution unique de l’équation telle

u(t)

reste borné dans

B_{αt}

, pour un certain

α > 0

. Nous donnons une application au mouvement de l’interface de deux liquides en milieu poreux.
Linearization and normal form of the Navier-Stokes equations with potential forces
Authors: Foias C. , Saut J.C.
Published: March 2017

We derive a normalization theory for the Navier–Stokes equations with potential (gradient) body forces by means of a global asymptotic expansion of a solution as time goes to infinity. The normal form is the linear Navier–Stokes system if the spectrum of the Stokes operator has no resonances. In the general case, the normal form is an equation in a suitable Fréchet space, whose nonlinear terms correspond to resonances. However, it can be solved by integrating successively an infinite sequence of linear nonhomogeneous differential equations. The normalization mapping is globally defined, analytic, one to one. We illustrate our theory by two simple examples. In particular we relate our normalization for the Burgers equation to the Hopf–Cole transform.

On construit une forme normale pour les équations de Navier–Stokes soumises à des forces dérivant d’un potentiel, à l’aide d’un développement asymptotique global de la solution quand

t → ∞

. La forme normale correspond au système linéaire de Navier-Stokes si le spectre de l’opérateur de Stokes n’a pas de résonance. Dans le cas général la forme normale est une équation dans un espace de Fréchet convenable dont les termes non linéaires correspondent aux résonances. Cependant, on peut le résoudre en intégrant successivement une suite infinie d’équations différentielles linéaires non homogènes. L’opérateur de normalisation est défini globalement, de façon analytique et injective. Nous illustrons notre théorie par deux exemples, en particulier dans le cas de l’équation de Burgers, en reliant notre théorie à la transformée de Hopf–Cole.
Integration at What Price? The Erosion of National Democracy in the Euro Periphery
Authors: Matthijs Matthias
Published: March 2017

The euro crisis brought back a widening gap in prosperity between the eurozone’s core and periphery members, but also revealed a divergence in the strength of its national democracies. This article examines the amplified tension between progressively uprooted national markets governed by a supranational technocracy and nationally organized democratic politics in the eurozone’s periphery. Building on Dani Rodrik’s globalization ‘trilemma’, this article explains the weakening of national democratic institutions in Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy since 2008. While the periphery states were forced to choose monetary integration at the expense of both democracy and sovereignty, this trade-off was mostly absent in the core. The eurozone’s policy solutions to the crisis did not allow for any democratic input, were implemented through opaque and often-undemocratic throughput processes, and resulted in deteriorating output. The article concludes that the EU crisis response made euro membership in the periphery less compatible with national democratic principles.
Buoyancy-driven bubbly flows: ordered and free rise at small and intermediate volume fraction
Authors: Loisy Aurore , Naso Aurore , Spelt Peter D. M.
Published: March 2017

Various expressions have been proposed previously for the rise velocity of gas bubbles in homogeneous steady bubbly flows, generally a monotonically decreasing function of the bubble volume fraction. For suspensions of freely moving bubbles, some of these are of the form expected for ordered arrays of bubbles, and vice versa, as they do not reduce to the behaviour expected theoretically in the dilute limit. The microstructure of weakly inhomogeneous bubbly flows not being known generally, the effect of microstructure is an important consideration. We revisit this problem here for bubbly flows at small to moderate Reynolds number values for deformable bubbles, using direct numerical simulation and analysis. For ordered suspensions, the rise velocity is demonstrated not to be monotonically decreasing with volume fraction due to cooperative wake interactions. The fore-and-aft asymmetry of an isolated ellipsoidal bubble is reversed upon increasing the volume fraction, and the bubble aspect ratio approaches unity. Recent work on rising bubble pairs is used to explain most of these results; the present work therefore forms a platform of extending the former to suspensions of many bubbles. We adopt this new strategy also to support the existence of the oblique rise of ordered suspensions, the possibility of which is also demonstrated analytically. Finally, we demonstrate that most of the trends observed in ordered systems also appear in freely evolving suspensions. These similarities are supported by prior experimental measurements and attributed to the fact that free bubbles keep the same neighbours for extended periods of time.
Executive Education and the Managerial Revolution: The Birth of Executive Education at Harvard Business School
Authors: Amdam Rolv Petter
Published: March 2017

The managerial revolution drove the rise of business schools in the United States and business schools contributed by graduating professional managers. Before World War II, however, the effect of an MBA degree was modest, causing great concern to leading business schools. Harvard Business School—in order to increase this impact—began in the mid-1920s to develop nondegree programs for potential top executives. In 1945, by drawing on the experiences of certain short-lived programs and the extraordinary situation during the war, Harvard Business School launched its Advanced Management Program, which became a global role model for executive education.
Beth Miqdash Me’at: The Synagogues of Medieval England
Authors: Hillaby Joe
Published: March 2017

Since the destruction of the Temple the synagogue has been at the heart of every Jewish community. Here the individual could affirm his obedience to the laws (kalakkot) through prayer and ceremony. In this way he sought the salvation of the soul and the resurrection of the body in the messianic age. In addition the community, through the offices of the synagogue, was able to exercise close control over the social lives of all its members, by excommunication if necessary but this was rarely required for ‘the social consequences of nonconformity brought irresistible pressure to bear upon the transgressor’.
Birthing the Children of God: Echoes of Theogony in Romans 8.19–23
Authors: Friesen Courtney J. P.
Published: March 2017

In depicting an apocalyptic expectation of the revelation of God's children (Rom 8.19–23), Paul personifies ‘creation’: awaiting the revelation of these children, she ‘groans and suffers pains of childbirth’. While Paul's vision is framed with scriptural allusions, Greek and Roman images of Earth Mother also provide a relevant juxtaposition. This study recovers such a context by surveying sources ranging from Hesiod's Gaia to the Roman Terra Mater. Philo provides an especially relevant comparative model, as he relates biblical cosmology to Greek mythological sources and asserts that earth's role as mother is also attested in Genesis. In light of these comparisons, fresh insights emerge: maternal creation gives birth to a new divine era, yet for Paul this remains a future hope rather than a past (mythological) or present (political) occurrence.
Le docétisme des christologies gnostiques revisité
Authors: Dubois Jean-Daniel
Published: March 2017

Gnostic studies mainly depended on the Church Fathers' approach to heresies until the discovery of the Coptic Nag Hammadi codices in 1945. As we are slowly moving away from this patristic approach to Gnosticism, docetism is still defined as a tendency to regard Jesus' body as an appearance, and not as a real incarnate body. Irenaeus' refutation of all heresies presents the Valentinian and Basilidian Christologies as clearly docetist. A comparison of direct Valentinian sources such as theExtractsof Theodotus with Valentinian tractates from Nag Hammadi shows on the contrary that Valentinians had a clear notion of the incarnation. As for the Basilidians, theElenchosof Ps.-Hippolytus, theSecond Logos of the Great Sethand the CopticApocalypse of Petercan be used to demonstrate that docetism is not the proper category to interpret Basilidian Christology and Soteriology because the purification of the real body of the Saviour lies at the heart of that system.
MICHAEL FINNISSY AND WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART: THE COMPOSER AS ANTHROPOLOGIST
Authors: Goves Larry
Published: March 2017

Features of Michael Finnissy's music are considered through some of the ideas and writings of anthropologist Tim Ingold. Finnissy and Ingold share a preoccupation with line and, more specifically, exploring Finnissy's compositional approach as applied anthropology provides productive insights into his music and performance practice. The starting point for this investigation is a consideration of three of Finnissy's pieces connected to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:Completion of the Requiem KV 626 by W.A. Mozart and F.X. Süssmayr(2011);Cibavit eos(1991); andWAM(1990–91). These pieces provide a convenient set of examples with relevant features: music that connects to the past; music with elaborate line(s); music written for amateur performers; transcription; and instrumentalists that move as part of the performance. These recurring features of Finnissy's composition could be considered indicative of this anthropological approach; they are informed by an investment in people that aspires to musical and personal transformation.
Georg Friedrich Haas and Rebecca Saunders premieres, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 2016
Authors: Jones Stephanie
Published: March 2017

The first weekend of the 2016 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival saw an eclectic and vibrant mix of musical events. Artistic director Graham McKenzie promised a festival that was going to be ‘undoubtedly characterised by the bringing together of often quite disparate forces, to create new sounds, new experiences, and new approaches to music making’, and the opening days also manifested a strong sense of artistic difference and distance as well. The presence of Georg Friedrich Haas, this year's Composer in Residence, and Rebecca Saunders seemed to fire up such underlying dynamic energies. Throughout the weekend both composers took part in public interviews and both had UK and world premieres, yet they only presented in parallel: the programming kept them apart. In turn, the weekend amplified various levels of similarity and divergence between the two composers, exposing some fascinating creative tensions.
Pathways to grandparents’ provision of care in skipped-generation households in Thailand
Authors: INGERSOLL-DAYTON BERIT , PUNPUING SUREEPORN , TANGCHONLATIP KANCHANA , YAKAS LAURA
Published: March 2017

In many parts of the world, grandparents live with their grandchildren in ‘skipped-generation households’ in which no parent resides. In Thailand, this living arrangement is more common in rural areas where parents often migrate to find employment. The focus of this article is on how grandparents make the decision to live in skipped-generation households. Our study is based upon open-ended interviews with 48 grandparents who lived in three rural areas of Thailand. Using an interpretative phenomenological approach, the analysis uncovers several factors that contribute to grandparents’ decisions about their living arrangements. These factors include: norms about care-giving and family obligation, inadequate child-care options, the need for financial support, problematic relationships within the family and a desire for companionship. We also identify three different decision-making patterns: grandparents initiating the decision to provide grandchild care, adult children asking grandparents to assume this role and adult children abandoning grandchildren to the grandparents. Based upon these findings, we provide implications for practice that address the conditions of grandparents and their family members.
Tube Feeding in Stroke Patients: A Medical and Ethical Perspective
Authors: Blackmer Jeff
Published: March 2017

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a relatively common consequence following stroke, with most sources quoting rates of around 40%. The percentage of stroke patients who require tube feeding for nutritional support varies quite widely, with studies quoting rates in the acute phase from 8.5% to 29%. Since stroke patients are likely to constitute a high percentage of patients on a neurology or rehabilitation ward, neurologists and physiatrists are likely to be confronted with the sometimes challenging decision of whether and when to commence tube feeding and whether and when to discontinue it after it has begun. This decision-making process is likely to involve medical, ethical and legal considerations and the main purpose of this paper is to review these considerations and provide some practical recommendations.
Deep Cerebral Venous Thrombosis: An Illustrative Case with Reversible Diencephalic Dysfunction
Authors: Gladstone David J. , Silver Frank L. , Willinsky Robert A. , Tyndel Felix J. , Wennberg Richard
Published: March 2017

Objectives:

Meige syndrome is a movement disorder that includes blepharospasm and oromandibular dystonias. Its etiology may be idiopathic (primary) or it may arise secondary to focal brain injury. Acute respiratory distress as a feature of such dystonias occurs infrequently. A review of the literature on Meige syndrome and the relationship between dystonias and respiratory compromise is presented.

Methods:

A 60-year-old woman suffered a cerebral anoxic event secondary to manual strangulation. She developed progressive blepharospasm combined with oromandibular and cervical dystonias. Neuroimaging demonstrated bilateral damage localized to the globus pallidus. Years later, she presented to the emergency department in intermittent respiratory distress associated with facial and cervical muscle spasms.

Results and conclusions:

Increasing frequency and severity of the disorder was noted over years. The acute onset of respiratory involvement required intubation and eventual tracheotomy. A partial therapeutic benefit of tetrabenazine was demonstrated.
Absent p53 Immunohistochemical Staining in a Pituitary Carcinoma
Authors: Kumar Krishna , Macaulay Robert J.B. , Kelly Michael , Pirlot Tyler
Published: March 2017

Background:

Carcinomatous transformation of pituitary adenomas is uncommon, and is generally accompanied by nuclear accumulation of p53 protein. Pituitary carcinoma lacking accumulation of p53 protein is very rare, only two such cases being previously reported.

Methods:

A patient presented with visual disturbance and cranial nerve palsies and was found to have a suprasellar mass. He underwent both transphenoidal and transfrontal excision of a nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma which recurred several times. The third recurrence was accompanied by multiple dural-based metastases. Despite aggressive surgical management, he continued to develop additional intracranial lesions and died two years after the discovery of metastatic disease. Specimens from 1984, 1995, 1997 and 1998 were available for histological and immunocytochemical analysis. Antibodies recognizing the pituitary hormones (ACTH, PRL, GH, FSH, LH and TSH), as well as cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and chromogranin A were applied to investigate the lineage of the neoplasm. Antisera specific for Ki-67 (MIB-1) and p53 protein were also applied to further delineate the biology of the tumour.

Results:

Although cytokeratin and chromogranin A were detected in neoplastic cells, no expression of pituitary hormones was demonstrable, indicative of a nonfunctioning, null-cell pituitary adenoma. Nuclear pleomorphism and mitotic activity increased with subsequent resections. Abnormal accumulation of p53 protein was not observed, neither in early resections nor in the metastatic deposits.

Conclusions:

Failure to demonstrate p53 protein accumulation does not ensure a favourable outcome for pituitary adenoma. Accordingly, pituitary carcinoma may occur in the absence of p53 accumulation. The factors which underlie aggressive behaviour of pituitary neoplasms are uncertain but are under investigation.
Identifying, assessing and treating complicated post-traumatic stress disorder in adolescence: a single-case quasi-experimental design with clinical case report
Authors: Cowles Megan , Davis Jennifer
Published: March 2017

The far-reaching impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on a person's life is well documented, yet PTSD often goes undetected and untreated. Previous literature suggests that there may be particular challenges in assessing PTSD in children and adolescents. There is evidence that once PTSD has been identified, a trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) approach is effective at treating PTSD in young people. Where PTSD in adolescents presents in response to multiple traumas it may be necessary to make some modifications to treatment protocols. This might include offering more sessions, extending the stabilization period, addressing common trauma themes, and tackling additional issues that may arise beyond a simple PTSD presentation. This single-case quasi-experimental design (n = 1) details the assessment (phase A) and treatment with individualized TF-CBT (phase B) of previously undiagnosed PTSD in response to multiple events in an adolescent girl who had been seen by several mental health professionals previously. The paper is also a clinical case report, paying particular attention to how PTSD was assessed and what other factors, for example emotion regulation, self-esteem and relationships, were found to be important. Trauma, anxiety and depression were measured with the Child PTSD Symptom Scale and the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale. Scores reduced from clinically significant to non-clinical levels by the end of treatment, with these gains being maintained at 3-month follow-up. Suggestions are made around assessing and treating trauma responses in young people, especially where PTSD exists in response to multiple traumas.
A systems biology approach to studying the molecular mechanisms of osteoblastic differentiation under cytokine combination treatment
Authors: Tan Hua , Chen Ruoying , Li Wenyang , Zhao Weiling , Zhang Yuanyuan , Yang Yunzhi , Su Jing , Zhou Xiaobo
Published: March 2017

Recent studies revealed that sequential release of bone morphogenetic protein 2 and insulin-like growth factor 1 plays an important role in osteogenic process, suggesting that cytokines bone morphogenetic protein 2 and insulin-like growth factor 1 function in a time-dependent manner. However, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying these observations remained elusive, impeding the elaborate manipulation of cytokine sequential delivery in tissue repair. The aim of this study was to identify the key relevant pathways and processes regulating bone morphogenetic protein 2/insulin-like growth factor 1-mediated osteoblastic differentiation. Based on the microarray and proteomics data, and differentiation/growth status of mouse bone marrow stromal cells, we constructed a multiscale systems model to simulate the bone marrow stromal cells lineage commitment and bone morphogenetic protein 2 and insulin-like growth factor 1-regulated signaling dynamics. The accuracy of our model was validated using a set of independent experimental data. Our study reveals that, treatment of bone marrow stromal cells with bone morphogenetic protein 2 prior to insulin-like growth factor 1 led to the activation of transcription factor Runx2 through TAK1-p38 MAPK and SMAD1/5 signaling pathways and initiated the lineage commitment of bone marrow stromal cells. Delivery of insulin-like growth factor 1 four days after bone morphogenetic protein 2 treatment optimally activated transcription factors osterix and β-catenin through ERK and AKT pathways, which are critical to preosteoblast maturity. Our systems biology approach is expected to provide technical and scientific support in optimizing therapeutic scheme to improve osteogenesis/bone regeneration and other essential biological processes.
Increased NRG1-ErbB4 signaling in human symptomatic epilepsy
Authors: Zhu Jun-Ming , Li Ke-Xin , Cao Shu-Xia , Chen Xiao-Juan , Shen Chen-Jie , Zhang Ying , Geng Hong-Yan , Chen Bi-Qing , Lian Hong , Zhang Jian-Min , Li Xiao-Ming
Published: March 2017

Previous studies have shown that the neuregulin 1 (NRG1)-ErbB4 signaling pathway may regulate the excitability of fast-spiking neurons in the frontal cortex and participate in primary epilepsy pathogenesis. However, the exact roles and mechanism for NRG1/ErbB4 in human symptomatic epilepsy are still unclear. Using fresh human symptomatic epilepsy tissues, we found that the protein levels of NRG1 and ErbB4 were significantly increased in the temporal cortex. In addition, NRG1-ErbB4 signaling suppressed phosphorylation of GluN2B at position 1472 by Src kinase, and decreased levels of phosphorylation level of GluN2B and Src were detected in human symptomatic epilepsy tissues. Our study revealed a critical role of the NRG1-ErbB4 signaling pathway in symptomatic epilepsy, which is different from that in primary epilepsy, and we propose that the NRG1-ErbB4 signaling may act as a homeostasis modulator that protects the brain from aggravation of epileptiform activity.
Plasticity, elasticity, and adhesion energy of plant cell walls: nanometrology of lignin loss using atomic force microscopy
Authors: Farahi R. H. , Charrier A. M. , Tolbert A. , Lereu A. L. , Ragauskas A. , Davison B. H. , Passian A.
Published: March 2017

The complex organic polymer, lignin, abundant in plants, prevents the efficient extraction of sugars from the cell walls that is required for large scale biofuel production. Because lignin removal is crucial in overcoming this challenge, the question of how the nanoscale properties of the plant cell ultrastructure correlate with delignification processes is important. Here, we report how distinct molecular domains can be identified and how physical quantities of adhesion energy, elasticity, and plasticity undergo changes, and whether such quantitative observations can be used to characterize delignification. By chemically processing biomass, and employing nanometrology, the various stages of lignin removal are shown to be distinguished through the observed morphochemical and nanomechanical variations. Such spatially resolved correlations between chemistry and nanomechanics during deconstruction not only provide a better understanding of the cell wall architecture but also is vital for devising optimum chemical treatments.
Arterial graft with elastic layer structure grown from cells
Authors: Yokoyama Utako , Tonooka Yuta , Koretake Ryoma , Akimoto Taisuke , Gonda Yuki , Saito Junichi , Umemura Masanari , Fujita Takayuki , Sakuma Shinya , Arai Fumihito , Kaneko Makoto , Ishikawa Yoshihiro
Published: March 2017

Shortage of autologous blood vessel sources and disadvantages of synthetic grafts have increased interest in the development of tissue-engineered vascular grafts. However, tunica media, which comprises layered elastic laminae, largely determines arterial elasticity, and is difficult to synthesize. Here, we describe a method for fabrication of arterial grafts with elastic layer structure from cultured human vascular SMCs by periodic exposure to extremely high hydrostatic pressure (HP) during repeated cell seeding. Repeated slow cycles (0.002 Hz) between 110 and 180 kPa increased stress-fiber polymerization and fibronectin fibrillogenesis on SMCs, which is required for elastic fiber formation. To fabricate arterial grafts, seeding of rat vascular SMCs and exposure to the periodic HP were repeated alternatively ten times. The obtained medial grafts were highly elastic and tensile rupture strength was 1451 ± 159 mmHg, in which elastic fibers were abundantly formed. The patch medial grafts were sutured at the rat aorta and found to be completely patent and endothelialized after 2.5 months, although tubular medial constructs implanted in rats as interpositional aortic grafts withstood arterial blood pressure only in early acute phase. This novel organized self-assembly method would enable mass production of scaffold-free arterial grafts in vitro and have potential therapeutic applications for cardiovascular diseases.
Local entrainment of oscillatory activity induced by direct brain stimulation in humans
Authors: Amengual Julià L. , Vernet Marine , Adam Claude , Valero-Cabré Antoni
Published: March 2017

In a quest for direct evidence of oscillation entrainment, we analyzed intracerebral electroencephalographic recordings obtained during intracranial electrical stimulation in a cohort of three medication-resistant epilepsy patients tested pre-surgically. Spectral analyses of non-epileptogenic cerebral sites stimulated directly with high frequency electrical bursts yielded episodic local enhancements of frequency-specific rhythmic activity, phase-locked to each individual pulse. These outcomes reveal an entrainment of physiological oscillatory activity within a frequency band dictated by the rhythm of the stimulation source. Our results support future uses of rhythmic stimulation to elucidate the causal contributions of synchrony to specific aspects of human cognition and to further develop the therapeutic manipulation of dysfunctional rhythmic activity subtending the symptoms of some neuropsychiatric conditions.
High Operating Temperature and Low Power Consumption Boron Nitride Nanosheets Based Broadband UV Photodetector
Authors: Rivera Manuel , Velázquez Rafael , Aldalbahi Ali , Zhou Andrew F. , Feng Peter
Published: March 2017

We extend our work on the use of digitally controlled pulsed laser plasma deposition (PLPD) technique to synthesize high quality, 2-dimensional single crystalline boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) at a low substrate temperature for applications in high-performance deep UV photodetectors. The obtained sample consists of a large amount of BNNSs partially overlapping one another with random orientations. Each sheet is composed of a few (from 2 to 10) stacked atomic layers exhibiting high transparency due to its highly ordered hBN crystallinity. Deep UV detectors based on the obtained BNNSs were designed, fabricated, and tested. The bias and temperature effects on the photocurrent strength and the signal-to-noise ratio have been carefully characterized and discussed. A significant shift in the cut off wavelength of the BNNSs based photodetectors was observed suggesting a band gap reduction as a result of the BNNSs’ collective structure. The newly designed photodetector presented exceptional properties: a high sensitivity to weak intensities of radiation in both UVC and UVB range while remaining visible-blind, and a high signal-to-noise ratio operation even at temperatures as high as 400 °C. In addition, the BNNSs based photodetector exhibited potential for self-powered operation.
TRIP13-deficient tubular epithelial cells are susceptible to apoptosis following acute kidney injury
Authors: Pressly Jeffrey D. , Hama Taketsugu , Brien Shannon O’ , Regner Kevin R. , Park Frank
Published: March 2017

Damage to renal tubular epithelial cells by genetic, environmental, or biological insults can initiate complex signaling mechanisms that promote kidney repair and functional recovery. In this study, we demonstrated that thyroid receptor interacting protein 13 (TRIP13) is a critical modulator of tubular epithelial cell repair following ischemia‐reperfusion injury (IRI), a common type of renal stressor. InTrip13Gt/Gthypomorph mice treated with unilateral renal IRI, persistent tubular epithelial cell damage was determined in the IRI-treated kidney throughout the 168 hours of experimental period compared to the contralateral kidneys. The damaged epithelial cells were associated with increased levels of DNA damage (ɣH2AX) and apoptotic markers (p53, cleaved caspase-7, and TUNEL-positive cells). Correspondingly, TRIP13 was found to directly interact with Tetratricopeptide Repeat Domain 5 (TTC5), a p53 co‐factor, and genetic knockdown of TRIP13 in murine inner medullary collecting duct cells in the presence of hydrogen peroxide showed increased activity of p53 at Serine 15. In all, these studies suggest that insufficient TRIP13 increased the susceptibility of damaged tubular epithelial cells to progress towards apoptotic cell death.
Arsenite oxidation regulator AioR regulates bacterial chemotaxis towards arsenite in Agrobacterium tumefaciens GW4
Authors: Shi Kaixiang , Fan Xia , Qiao Zixu , Han Yushan , McDermott Timothy R. , Wang Qian , Wang Gejiao
Published: March 2017

Some arsenite [As(III)]-oxidizing bacteria exhibit positive chemotaxis towards As(III), however, the related As(III) chemoreceptor and regulatory mechanism remain unknown. The As(III)-oxidizing bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens GW4 displays positive chemotaxis towards 0.5–2 mM As(III). Genomic analyses revealed a putative chemoreceptor-encoding gene, mcp, located in the arsenic gene island and having a predicted promoter binding site for the As(III) oxidation regulator AioR. Expression of mcp and other chemotaxis related genes (cheA, cheY2 and fliG) was inducible by As(III), but not in the aioR mutant. Using capillary assays and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence spectra analysis, Mcp was confirmed to be responsible for chemotaxis towards As(III) and to bind As(III) (but not As(V) nor phosphate) as part of the sensing mechanism. A bacterial one-hybrid system technique and electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that AioR interacts with the mcp regulatory region in vivo and in vitro, and the precise AioR binding site was confirmed using DNase I foot-printing. Taken together, these results indicate that this Mcp is responsible for the chemotactic response towards As(III) and is regulated by AioR. Additionally, disrupting the mcp gene affected bacterial As(III) oxidation and growth, inferring that Mcp may exert some sort of functional connection between As(III) oxidation and As(III) chemotaxis.
Modulation of circular current and associated magnetic field in a molecular junction: A new approach
Authors: Patra Moumita , Maiti Santanu K.
Published: March 2017

A new proposal is given to control local magnetic field in a molecular junction. In presence of finite bias a net circular current is established in the molecular ring which induces a magnetic field at its centre. Allowing a direct coupling between two electrodes, due to their close proximity, and changing its strength we can regulate circular current as well as magnetic field for a wide range, without disturbing any other physical parameters. We strongly believe that our proposal is quite robust compared to existing approaches of controlling local magnetic field and can be verified experimentally.
GS-5734 and its parent nucleoside analog inhibit Filo-, Pneumo-, and Paramyxoviruses
Authors: Lo Michael K. , Jordan Robert , Arvey Aaron , Sudhamsu Jawahar , Shrivastava-Ranjan Punya , Hotard Anne L. , Flint Mike , McMullan Laura K. , Siegel Dustin , Clarke Michael O. , Mackman Richard L. , Hui Hon C. , Perron Michel , Ray Adrian S. , Cihlar Tomas , Nichol Stuart T. , Spiropoulou Christina F.
Published: March 2017

GS-5734 is a monophosphate prodrug of an adenosine nucleoside analog that showed therapeutic efficacy in a non-human primate model of Ebola virus infection. It has been administered under compassionate use to two Ebola patients, both of whom survived, and is currently in Phase 2 clinical development for treatment of Ebola virus disease. Here we report the antiviral activities of GS-5734 and the parent nucleoside analog across multiple virus families, providing evidence to support new indications for this compound against human viruses of significant public health concern.
Foreign Plastid Sequences in Plant Mitochondria are Frequently Acquired Via Mitochondrion-to-Mitochondrion Horizontal Transfer
Authors: Gandini C. L. , Sanchez-Puerta M. V.
Published: March 2017

Angiosperm mitochondrial genomes (mtDNA) exhibit variable quantities of alien sequences. Many of these sequences are acquired by intracellular gene transfer (IGT) from the plastid. In addition, frequent events of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between mitochondria of different species also contribute to their expanded genomes. In contrast, alien sequences are rarely found in plastid genomes. Most of the plant-to-plant HGT events involve mitochondrion-to-mitochondrion transfers. Occasionally, foreign sequences in mtDNAs are plastid-derived (MTPT), raising questions about their origin, frequency, and mechanism of transfer. The rising number of complete mtDNAs allowed us to address these questions. We identified 15 new foreign MTPTs, increasing significantly the number of those previously reported. One out of five of the angiosperm species analyzed contained at least one foreign MTPT, suggesting a remarkable frequency of HGT among plants. By analyzing the flanking regions of the foreign MTPTs, we found strong evidence for mt-to-mt transfers in 65% of the cases. We hypothesize that plastid sequences were initially acquired by the native mtDNA via IGT and then transferred to a distantly-related plant via mitochondrial HGT, rather than directly from a foreign plastid to the mitochondrial genome. Finally, we describe three novel putative cases of mitochondrial-derived sequences among angiosperm plastomes.
Effect of predatory bacteria on the gut bacterial microbiota in rats
Authors: Shatzkes Kenneth , Tang Chi , Singleton Eric , Shukla Sean , Zuena Michael , Gupta Shilpi , Dharani Sonal , Rinaggio Joseph , Connell Nancy D. , Kadouri Daniel E.
Published: March 2017

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus and Micavibrio aeruginosavorus are Gram-negative proteobacteria that are obligate predators of other Gram-negative bacteria and are considered potential alternatives to antibiotics. Most studies focusing on predatory bacteria have been performed in vitro, thus the effect of predatory bacteria on a live host, including the impact on the ecology of the native microbiota, has yet to be fully examined. In this study, intrarectal inoculations of Sprague-Dawley rats with predatory bacteria were performed. Additionally, feces were collected for seven days post-inoculation to determine the effect on gut bacterial diversity. Rat colonic tissue exhibited no abnormal histopathological effects due to predatory bacteria. A modest increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines was measured in the colons of rats inoculated with predatory bacteria by 24 and 48 hours, with all but IL-13 returning to baseline by seven days. V4 16S rRNA gene sequencing of fecal DNA demonstrated minimal shifts in taxonomic representation over the week due to predatory bacteria. Changes in bacterial populations due to exposure to B. bacteriovorus are predicted to contribute to health, however, an overgrowth of Prevotella was observed due to exposure to M. aeruginosavorus. This study further addresses safety concerns associated with the potential use of predatory bacteria to treat infections.