bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond screen and voice
Authors: Gross Mikaylah , Bolchini Davide
Published: August 2018

The current interaction paradigm to access the mobile web forces people who are blind to hold out their phone at all times, thus increasing the risk for the device to fall or be robbed. Moreover, such continuous, two-handed interaction on a small screen hampers the ability of people who are blind to keep their hands free to control aiding devices (e.g., cane) or touch objects nearby, especially on-the-go. To investigate alternative paradigms, we are exploring and reifying strategies for "screenless access": a browsing approach that enables users to interact touch-free with aural navigation architectures using one-handed, in-air gestures recognized by an off-the-shelf armband. In this article, we summarize key highlights from an exploratory study with ten participants who are blind or visually impaired who experienced our screenless access prototype. We observed proficient navigation performance after basic training, users conceptual fit with a screen-free paradigm, and low levels of cognitive load, notwithstanding the errors and limits of the design and system proposed. The full paper appeared in W4A2018 [1].
Ethics of Primate Fieldwork: Toward an Ethically Engaged Primatology
Authors: Riley Erin P. , Bezanson Michelle
Published: August 2018

Field primatologists have ethical responsibilities that extend beyond study subjects to the local human communities living near primate populations and their surrounding ecosystems. In this review, we explore the history of ethical discussions within anthropological primatology and examine the best practices for an ethically engaged primatology that should be followed and role-modeled by primatologists. An increasing number of primates are showing reduced population sizes and are in imminent danger of extinction; thus, we need to carefully consider the ethics of intervening to ensure the survival of remaining populations, the impact of anthropogenic factors (e.g., climate change), and whether long-term field research results in conservation outcomes that consider local human communities. Because best practices change over time as theoretical frameworks and methodological tools advance and scientific goals change, field primatologists must continually reflect on what constitutes ethical practice and consider how research influences the overlapping dimensions of fieldwork: primates, people, and ecosystems.
Emerging and Enduring Issues in Primate Conservation Genetics
Authors: Lawler Richard R.
Published: August 2018

Conservation genetics is a branch of conservation biology that uses molecular data to assist in the conservation and management of imperiled populations, subspecies, and species. In this review, I examine conservation action plans (CAPs)—instrumental documents designed to influence conservation policy—for selected primate species. I use the information contained in CAPs as a means to guide this review. The primary genetics-based topics that are mentioned in CAPs are genetic connectivity, inbreeding, and subspecies/species delimitation. I discuss these topics as well as historical demographic inference and hybridization using examples from wild primate species to illustrate the myriad ways in which genetics can assist in conservation efforts. I also discuss some recent technological advances such as genomic capture techniques and the potential to do molecular work in remote locations.
Benefits of exercise training on cardiovascular dysfunction: molecular and integrative
Authors: Zucker Irving H. , Musch Timothy I.
Published: August 2018

Exercise training has been shown to ameliorate a wide variety of cardiovascular disorders. The mechanisms by which long-term benefits of exercise training are mediated remains incomplete, despite intense research in this area. Exactly how the act of chronic exercise improves function in every tissue is unknown, but many of the cellular, molecular, and genetic mechanisms are becoming progressively clearer. This “Perspectives” article reviews the contributions of 15 articles published in the American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology in response to a Call for Papers in this area. Here, we summarize the contributions of these studies at the cardiac, vascular, immune, and molecular levels. We discuss the translational benefit of these studies and conclude that the beneficial effects of exercise training in cardiovascular disease is due to a large interplay of cellular and molecular mediators in the heart and peripheral vasculature as well as changes in neural elements that regulate blood pressure and blood flow. Readers are encouraged to evaluate and learn from this collection of novel studies.
Cardiovascular aging and the microcirculation of skeletal muscle: using contrast-enhanced ultrasound
Authors: Dunford Emily C. , Au Jason S. , Devries Michaela C. , Phillips Stuart M. , MacDonald Maureen J.
Published: August 2018

Skeletal muscle is the largest and most important site of capillary-tissue exchange, especially during high-energy demand tasks such as exercise; however, information regarding the role of the microcirculation in maintaining skeletal muscle health is limited. Changes in microcirculatory function, as observed with aging, chronic and cardiovascular diseases, and exercise, likely precede any alterations that arise in larger vessels, although further investigation into these changes is required. One of the main barriers to addressing this knowledge gap is the lack of methodologies for quantifying microvascular function in vivo; the utilization of valid and noninvasive quantification methods would allow the dynamic evaluation of microvascular flow during periods of clinical relevance such as during increased demand for flow (exercise) or decreased demand for flow (disuse). Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a promising noninvasive technique that has been used for diagnostic medicine and more recently as a complementary research modality to investigate the response of the microcirculation in insulin resistance, diabetes, and aging. To improve the reproducibility of these measurements, our laboratory has optimized the quantification protocol associated with a bolus injection of the contrast agent for research purposes. This brief report outlines the assessment of microvascular flow using the raw time-intensity curve incorporated into gamma variate response modeling. CEUS could be used to compliment any macrovascular assessments to capture a more complete picture of the aging vasculature, and the modified methods presented here provide a template for the general analysis of CEUS within a research setting.
CAR T-cell Integration of Multiple Input Signals Allows for Precise Targeting of Cancer
Authors: Achkova Daniela , Pule Martin
Published: August 2018

Summary: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)–mediated adoptive T-cell therapy has achieved unprecedented success in the treatment of relapsed and refractory hematologic malignancies. However, this success may be more difficult to recapitulate in the treatment of metastatic solid tumors, where the lack of costimulatory signals and cytokine support as well as the strongly inhibitory microenvironment pose a substantial challenge to unleashing the antitumor potential of CAR T cells. Furthermore, nearly all described target antigens are expressed on normal tissue. In this issue of Cancer Discovery, Sukumaran and colleagues address these challenges by engineering T cells to recognize a specific expression pattern unique to the tumor site using independent chimeric molecules that cooperatively deliver a fully functional T-cell response selectively in the tumor microenvironment. Cancer Discov; 8(8); 918–20. ©2018 AACR.

See related article by Sukumaran et al., p. 972.
MACROD2, an Original Cause of CIN?
Authors: Jin Ning , Burkard Mark E.
Published: August 2018

Summary: The fundamental cause of chromosomal instability in colorectal cancer remains elusive. Genetic deletions of the MACROD2 tumor suppressor could play a major role. Cancer Discov; 8(8); 921–3. ©2018 AACR.

See related article by Sakthianandeswaren et al., p. 988.
NR4A1 Promotes Diabetic Nephropathy by Activating Mff-Mediated Mitochondrial Fission and Suppressing Parkin-Mediated Mitophagy
Authors: Sheng Junqin , Li Hongyan , Dai Qin , Lu Chang , Xu Min , Zhang Jisheng , Feng Jianxun
Published: August 2018

Background/Aims: Disrupted mitochondrial dynamics, including excessive mitochondrial fission and mitophagy arrest, has been identified as a pathogenic factor in diabetic nephropathy (DN), although the upstream regulatory signal for mitochondrial fission activation and mitophagy arrest in the setting of DN remains unknown. Methods: Wild-type (WT) mice and NR4A1 knockout (NR4A1-KO) mice were used to establish a DN model. Mitochondrial fission and mitophagy were evaluated by western blotting and immunofluorescence. Mitochondrial function was assessed by JC-1 staining, the mPTP opening assay, immunofluorescence and western blotting. Renal histopathology and morphometric analyses were conducted via H&E, Masson and PASM staining. Kidney function was evaluated via ELISA, western blotting and qPCR. Results: In the present study, we found that nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 1 (NR4A1) was actually activated by a chronic hyperglycemic stimulus. Higher NR4A1 expression was associated with glucose metabolism disorder, renal dysfunction, kidney hypertrophy, renal fibrosis, and glomerular apoptosis. At the molecular level, increased NR4A1 expression activated p53, and the latter selectively stimulated mitochondrial fission and inhibited mitophagy by modulating Mff and Parkin transcription. Excessive Mff-related mitochondrial fission caused mitochondrial oxidative stress, promoted mPTP opening, exacerbated proapoptotic protein leakage into the cytoplasm, and finally initiated mitochondria-dependent cellular apoptosis in the setting of diabetes. In addition, defective Parkin-mediated mitophagy repressed cellular ATP production and failed to correct the uncontrolled mitochondrial fission. However, NR4A1 knockdown interrupted the Mff-related mitochondrial fission and recused Parkin-mediated mitophagy, reducing the hyperglycemia-mediated mitochondrial damage and thus improving renal function. Conclusion: Overall, we have shown that NR4A1 functions as a novel malefactor in diabetic renal damage and operates by synchronously enhancing Mff-related mitochondrial fission and repressing Parkin-mediated mitophagy. Thus, finding strategies to regulate the balance of the NR4A1-p53 signaling pathway and mitochondrial homeostasis may be a therapeutic option for treating diabetic nephropathy in clinical practice.
Therapeutic Potential of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Exosomes in Stress Urinary Incontinence – An in Vitro and in Vivo Study
Authors: Ni Jianshu , Li Hongchao , Zhou Yiwen , Gu Baojun , Xu Yuemin , Fu Qiang , Peng Xufeng , Cao Nailong , Fu Qingchun , Jin Meng , Sun Guangxi , Wang Jihong , Jin Yinpeng , Liu Feng
Published: August 2018

Background/Aims: To evaluate whether local injection of exosomes derived from human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) facilitates recovery of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in a rat model. Methods: For the in vitro study, a Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) array and proteomic analysis were performed. For the in vivo study, female rats were divided into four groups: sham, SUI, adipose-derived stem cell (ADSC), and exosomes (n = 12 each). The SUI model was generated by pudendal nerve transection and vaginal dilation. Vehicle, hADSCs, or exosomes were injected into the peripheral urethra. After 2, 4, and 8 weeks, the rats underwent cystometrography and leak point pressure (LPP) testing, and tissues were harvested for histochemical analyses. Results: The CCK-8 experiment demonstrated that ADSC-derived exosomes could enhance the growth of skeletal muscle and Schwann cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. Proteomic analysis revealed that ADSC-derived exosomes contained various proteins of different signaling pathways. Some of these proteins are associated with the PI3K-Akt, Jak-STAT, and Wnt pathways, which are related to skeletal muscle and nerve regeneration and proliferation. In vivo experiments illustrated that rats of the exosome group had higher bladder capacity and LPP, and had more striated muscle fibers and peripheral nerve fibers in the urethra than rats of the SUI group. Both urethral function and histology of rats in the exosome group were slightly better than those in the ADSC group. Conclusions: Local injection of hADSC-derived exosomes improved functional and histological recovery after SUI.
“Western” Histories of World Literature
Authors: Buschmeier Matthias
Published: August 2018

This article reviews attempts to define histories of world literature during the late 19th and first half of the 20th century. It submits that “World Literature” and national philology are two sides of the same coin, in that they serve to produce specific national identities and legitimize colonial hegemonic practices. Astonishingly, some patterns of these early histories of world literature can still be observed in contemporary theoretical debates on the subject. Thus, it is argued that, rather than dismissing this heritage of Western historiography (with or without condemnation), we should strive seriously to come up with alternative histories, wherein “West” is no longer treated as synonymous with “world,” and vice versa. The West should be seen as just one form of society and culture among the many others, all of which are due consideration when invoking the term “world.”
“Old Fellows”
Authors: Doddington David
Published: August 2018

The last few decades have seen scholars successfully challenge the idea that enslaved men in the US South were emasculated by slavery, proving that despite their oppression, enslaved men could craft a gendered sense of self. Much work on the topic has focused on public demonstrations of strength and virility, on resistance, or on men’s activities as husbands and fathers, providers and protectors. However, at times, this work has treated manhood and male identity as static, and has not considered change over the course of a lifespan. As enslaved men grew older, the performances expected of them and the possibilities afforded them could shift, and this shift was not inevitably perceived as positive or accepted without strife. While much existing work on conditions of life for elderly enslaved people has stressed the solidarity and assistance other members of the community extended to them, support was not always offered, nor was it always desired. In this article, I explore perceptions of change contemporaries associated with age and consider how this impacted on the lives of enslaved men in slave communities of the antebellum US South.
Revision of the Hoplodrina implacata group (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae: Caradrinini) of Taiwan, with descriptions of four new species
Authors: WU SHIPHER , OWADA MAMORU
Published: August 2018

The noctuid taxon Hoplodrina implacata species complex comprises so far five species ranging in China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Previously only H. implacata (Wileman & West, 1929) was recorded in Taiwan. The present study reviews this group in Taiwan, totally four new species, i.e., H. cienensis sp. nov., H. obscura sp. nov., H. bunun sp. nov., H. kononenkoi sp. nov, are described and a key to all Taiwanese species is given.
Two new species of Megalota from the Bahamas (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethruetinae)
Authors: BROWN JOHN W. , MATTHEWS DEBORAH L. , MILLER JACQUELINE Y.
Published: August 2018

Two new species of Megalota Diakonoff, 1966 are described and illustrated from the Bahamas: M. bahamana Brown & Matthews, new species, and M. insularis Brown and Matthews, new species. The two are among the 65 or so species of Tortricidae recorded from the Bahamas during an inventory of the Lepidoptera of the archipelago initiated in 2010.
Dendrochirotid holothurians (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Dendrochirotida) including four new species, from off Misaki, Japan
Authors: YAMANA YUSUKE , KOHTSUKA HISANORI
Published: August 2018

Four new dendrochirotid sea cucumbers, Neocucumis misakiensis sp. nov., Pseudocolochirus misakiensis sp. nov., Lipotrapeza purpurata sp. nov., and Pentamera misakiensis sp. nov., and three other known species, Amphicyclus japonicus Bell, 1884, Cucumaria tegulata Augustin, 1908, and Placothuria ohshimai Liao, 1997, are described from off Jyogashima Island, Misaki peninsula, south coast of Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. In this study, Cucumaria tegulata Augustin, 1908, is referred to the genus Hemiocnus Mjobo & Thandar, 2016. Furthermore, a new phyllophorid genus Pseudoplacothuria is here erected to accommodate Placothuria ohshimai Liao, 1997. Although its external and internal body morphology and most of the ossicle morphology resemble those of Pentamera spp., it differs in possessing thick lens-shaped ossicles in the body wall, and also in possessing needle-shaped ossicles in the gonadal tubules.
New records of benthic hydroids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) from the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico
Authors: HUMARA-GIL KARLA J. , CRUZ-GÓMEZ CHRISTOPHER
Published: August 2018

Hydroids of the Pacific coast of Mexico have been little studied. For the coast of Oaxaca, only five papers provide information on species of the region, with some records included in those publications being questionable. Seven species, Pennaria disticha, Clytia linearis, Clytia cf. gracilis, Obelia dichotoma, Ventromma halecioides, Dynamena crisioides and Tridentata turbinata, were discovered during the study and are reported herein. Of these species, Pennaria disticha and Tridentata turbinata are new records for the Mexican Pacific coast, and Clytia linearis and Ventromma halecioides are new records for Oaxaca. Geographic ranges of other hydroids, recorded in earlier studies, are expanded.
A revision of the Neotropical eumenine wasp genus Stenosigma Giordani Soika, 1978 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)
Authors: FERREIRA WELLINGTON D. , OLIVEIRA LETÍCIA A. DE , HERMES MARCEL G.
Published: August 2018

The Neotropical eumenine wasp genus Stenosigma Giordani Soika, 1978 is revised. Stenosigma mariae Ferreira & Hermes sp. nov. and S. panamensis Ferreira & Hermes sp. nov. are proposed as new. An updated identification key for species, new distributional records, and additional information on the species currently recognized within the genus are presented.
Pseudanthias emma new species, with notes on a collection of anthiadine serranid fishes from off Myanmar (eastern Indian Ocean)
Authors: GILL ANTHONY C. , PSOMADAKIS PETER N.
Published: August 2018

Recent exploratory trawling off the coast of Myanmar by the R/V Dr Fridtjof Nansen has resulted in the collection of six species of anthiadine serranid fishes. Four of the species are represented by specimen vouchers: Pseudanthias emma sp. nov., P. gibbosus (Klunzinger), Odontanthias rhodopeplus (Günther) and Plectranthias sp. 1. The remaining two species are represented only by photographs: Plectranthias sp. 2 and Sacura sanguinea Motomura, Yoshida & Vilasri. Pseudanthias emma is described from the 107 mm SL holotype. It is distinguished from congeners in having the following combination of characters: dorsal rays X,16; pectoral rays 18; lateral-line scales 42; third dorsal-fin spine longest, prolonged; no papillae on posterior margin of orbit; soft part of dorsal with low scaly sheath; subopercle and interopercle indistinctly serrated; caudal fin weakly concave centrally, with elongate filaments extending from second to uppermost and second to lowermost branched rays. Plectranthias sp. 1 is a probable new species closely allied to P. sagamiensis (Katayama), from which it appears to differ in having fewer segmented dorsal rays and fewer rows of cheek scales. Plectranthias sp. 2 is a probable new species closely allied to P. alcocki Bineesh, Akhilesh, Gopalakrishnan & Jena, from which it appears to differ in lacking a large black spot on the operculum and dusky ventral spot on the abdomen. New character, habitat and distribution information is provided for all six species. Pseudanthias vizagensis Krishna, Rao & Venu is suggested as a probable junior synonym of P. pillai Heemstra & Akhilesh.
Reconsideration of the apterous carventine genus Crassocoris and description of Paracrassocoris gen. nov. from China (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae)
Authors: BAI XIAOSHUAN , HEISS ERNST , CAI WANZHI
Published: August 2018

Based on new topotypical material, the apterous carventine genus Crassocoris Bai, Heiss & Cai, 2007 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Aradidae) with the type species C. hsiaoi Bai, Heiss & Cai, 2007, is redescribed. A new, closely related apterous genus and species, Paracrassocoris hekouensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is described from Hainan, China. The diagnostic morphological features of both taxa are described and illustrated.
Social Innovation: Integrating Micro, Meso, and Macro Level Insights From Institutional Theory
Authors: van Wijk Jakomijn , Zietsma Charlene , Dorado Silvia , de Bakker Frank G. A. , Martí Ignasi
Published: August 2018

Social innovations are urgently needed as we confront complex social problems. As these social problems feature substantial interdependencies among multiple systems and actors, developing and implementing innovative solutions involve the re-negotiating of settled institutions or the building of new ones. In this introductory article, we introduce a stylized three-cycle model highlighting the institutional nature of social innovation efforts. The model conceptualizes social innovation processes as the product of agentic, relational, and situated dynamics in three interrelated cycles that operate at the micro, meso, and macro levels of analysis. The five papers included in this special issue address one or more of these cycles. We draw on these papers and the model to stimulate and offer guidance to future conversations on social innovations from an institutional theory perspective.
The Practice of the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 as a Socio-Religious Ritual Failure
Authors: Fuad Chelcent
Published: August 2018

This paper attempts to understand the abuses of the Lord’s Supper in the Corinthian church (1 Cor 11:17–34) from the perspective of ritual theory. Analyzing the abuses of the Lord’s Supper by using the types of ritual infelicity as described by Ronald L. Grimes, I argue that the practice of the Lord’s Supper by the Corinthians was a socio-religious ritual failure caused by its participants’ inappropriate manners. These inappropriate manners in the ritual performance were both social and religious, namely the stratification of social status and the defilement of the sacred meal, both of which are the results of the imitation of pagan meal practices.
Caregiver depression: The contributing role of depression in patients, stigma, social support and religiosity
Authors: Chai Yee Chin , Mahadevan Raynuha , Ng Chong Guan , Chan Lai Fong , Md Dai Farahidah
Published: August 2018

Background:

Depression has been well studied as part of caregiver burden among patients with severe mental illnesses. Curiously, though, there has been little data in terms of caregiver burden with specific focus on depression among caregivers of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Aim:

This study aims to determine the rate of depression among caregivers of person with depression and its psychosocial correlates, which include stigma, perceived social support, religious commitment and the severity of the patient’s symptoms.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 165 patients diagnosed with MDD using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) together with their caregivers. Apart from gathering social demographic data, patients were administered the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology–Self-Rated Version (QIDS-SR 16), whereas the caregivers were required to answer Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Duke University Religion Index (DUREL) and Depression Stigma Scale (DSS). Those who scored ⩾5 on PHQ-9 were further assessed with interviewer-rated M.I.N.I. to diagnose the presence of depression.

Results:

A total of 47 (28.5%) caregivers were found to have depressive symptoms. Out of that total, 13 (7.9%) were diagnosed to have MDD using M.I.N.I. From univariate analysis, factors associated with depression in caregivers were the severity of symptoms in patients ( p < .001), personal stigma in caregivers ( p = .037), the patients’ current depressive episode ( p = .026) and lower perceived social support from friends ( p = .048). From multivariate analysis, only the patients’ severity of depressive symptoms ( p < .001) and personal stigma in caregivers ( p = .048) were significantly associated with the caregivers’ depressive symptoms.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggested that the severity of patient depression and personal stigma of the caregivers were significant factors correlated with caregiver depression. Therefore, beyond optimizing the treatment of depression in patients, the issue of stigma among caregivers also needs to be addressed as a potential target of intervention.
Trends in Dental Implant Use in the U.S., 1999–2016, and Projections to 2026
Authors: Elani H.W. , Starr J.R. , Da Silva J.D. , Gallucci G.O.
Published: August 2018

Dental implants have become an increasingly popular treatment choice for replacing missing teeth. Yet, little is known about the prevalence and sociodemographic distribution of dental implant use in the United States. To address this knowledge gap, we analyzed data from 7 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1999 to 2016. We estimated dental implant prevalence among adults missing any teeth for each survey period overall as stratified by sociodemographic characteristics. We calculated absolute and relative differences from 1999–2000 to 2015–2016 and fit logistic regression models to estimate changes over time. We also used multivariable logistic regression to estimate independent associations of sociodemographic covariates with the presence of any implant. We projected the proportion of patients treated with dental implants into the year 2026 under varying assumptions of how the temporal trend would continue. There has been a large increase in the prevalence of dental implants, from 0.7% in 1999 to 2000 to 5.7% in 2015 to 2016. The largest absolute increase in prevalence (12.9%) was among individuals 65 to 74 y old, whereas the largest relative increase was ~1,000% among those 55 to 64 y old. There was an average covariate-adjusted increase in dental implant prevalence of 14% per year (95% CI, 11% to 18%). Having private insurance (vs. none or public insurance) or more than a high school education (vs. high school or less) was each associated with a 2-fold increase in prevalence, with an almost 13-fold (95% CI, 8 to21) increase for older adults. Dental implant prevalence projected to 2026 ranged from 5.7% in the most conservative scenario to 23% in the least. This study demonstrates that dental implant prevalence among US adults with missing teeth has substantially increased since 1999. Yet access overall is still very low, and prevalence was consistently higher among more advantaged groups.
Parent–Adolescent Communication Via Mobile Devices: Influences on Relational Closeness
Authors: Warren Ron , Aloia Lindsey
Published: August 2018

Previous studies have shown mixed results regarding families’ cell phone use and family outcomes. Some research has shown that mobile devices might isolate family members, but families in other studies report higher levels of closeness because they can reach one another more often. This study looks at parents’ and adolescents’ motivations for mobile communication as mediators of the link between cell phone use and relational closeness. We analyzed data from 504 parent–child dyads regarding the frequency of and reasons for their mobile communication, as well as their perceptions of closeness to one another. Our results indicate that relation-centric uses of mobile devices (e.g., expressing support, handling conflict) are predictive of feelings of closeness. On the other hand, more functional uses (e.g., coordinating schedules, sharing content) do not predict closeness. These findings are discussed within the context of family life cycle positions and adolescent development.
Deleterious role of endothelial lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 in ischaemia/reperfusion cerebral injury
Authors: Akhmedov Alexander , Bonetti Nicole R , Reiner Martin F , Spescha Remo D , Amstalden Heidi , Merlini Mario , Gaul Daniel S , Diaz-Cañestro Candela , Briand-Schumacher Sylvie , Spescha Rebecca S , Semerano Aurora , Giacalone Giacomo , Savarese Gianluigi , Montecucco Fabrizio , Kulic Luka , Nitsch Roger M , Matter Christian M , Kullak-Ublick Gerd A , Sessa Maria , Lüscher Thomas F , Beer Jürg H , Liberale Luca , Camici Giovanni G
Published: August 2018

Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) is implicated in cardiovascular disease by modulating apoptosis and oxidative stress. We hypothesized that LOX-1 may be involved in pathophysiology of stroke by mediating ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R)-dependent cell death. Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) was performed in wild-type (WT) mice, endothelial-specific LOX-1 transgenic mice (eLOX-1TG) and WT animals treated with LOX-1 silencing RNA (siRNA). In WT mice exposed to tMCAO, LOX-1 expression and function were increased in the MCA. Compared to WT animals, eLOX-1TG mice displayed increased stroke volumes and worsened outcome after I/R. Conversely, LOX-1-silencing decreased both stroke volume and neurological impairment. Similarly, in HBMVECs, hypoxia/reoxygenation increased LOX-1 expression, while LOX-1 overexpressing cells showed increased death following hypoxia reoxygenation. Increased caspase-3 activation was observed following LOX-1 overexpression both in vivo and in vitro, thus representing a likely mediator. Finally, monocytes from ischaemic stroke patients exhibited increased LOX-1 expression which also correlated with disease severity. Our data unequivocally demonstrate a key role for LOX-1 in determining outcome following I/R brain damage. Our findings could be corroborated in human brain endothelial cells and monocytes from patients, underscoring their translational relevance and suggesting siRNA-mediated LOX-1 knockdown as a novel therapeutic strategy for stroke patients.
Observational Study Design in Veterinary Pathology, Part 1: Study Design
Authors: Caswell Jeff L. , Bassel Laura L. , Rothenburger Jamie L. , Gröne Andrea , Sargeant Jan M. , Beck Amanda P. , Ekman Stina , Gibson-Corley Katherine N. , Kuiken Thijs , LaDouceur Elise E. B. , Meyerholz David K. , Origgi Francesco C. , Posthaus Horst , Priestnall Simon L. , Ressel Lorenzo , Sharkey Leslie , Teixeira Leandro B. C. , Uchida Kazuyuki , Ward Jerrold M. , Webster Joshua D. , Yamate Jyoji
Published: August 2018

Observational studies are the basis for much of our knowledge of veterinary pathology and are highly relevant to the daily practice of pathology. However, recommendations for conducting pathology-based observational studies are not readily available. In part 1 of this series, we offer advice on planning and conducting an observational study with examples from the veterinary pathology literature. Investigators should recognize the importance of creativity, insight, and innovation in devising studies that solve problems and fill important gaps in knowledge. Studies should focus on specific and testable hypotheses, questions, or objectives. The methodology is developed to support these goals. We consider the merits and limitations of different types of analytic and descriptive studies, as well as of prospective vs retrospective enrollment. Investigators should define clear inclusion and exclusion criteria and select adequate numbers of study subjects, including careful selection of the most appropriate controls. Studies of causality must consider the temporal relationships between variables and the advantages of measuring incident cases rather than prevalent cases. Investigators must consider unique aspects of studies based on archived laboratory case material and take particular care to consider and mitigate the potential for selection bias and information bias. We close by discussing approaches to adding value and impact to observational studies. Part 2 of the series focuses on methodology and validation of methods.
Coccidioidomycosis in Nonhuman Primates: Pathologic and Clinical Findings
Authors: Koistinen Keith , Mullaney Lisa , Bell Todd , Zaki Sherif , Nalca Aysegul , Frick Ondraya , Livingston Virginia , Robinson Camenzind G. , Estep J. Scot , Batey K. Lance , Dick Edward J. , Owston Michael A.
Published: August 2018

Coccidioidomycosis in nonhuman primates has been sporadically reported in the literature. This study describes 22 cases of coccidioidomycosis in nonhuman primates within an endemic region, and 79 cases of coccidioidomycosis from the veterinary literature are also reviewed. The 22 cases included baboons ( n = 10), macaques ( n = 9), and chimpanzees ( n = 3). The majority died or were euthanized following episodes of dyspnea, lethargy, or neurologic and locomotion abnormalities. The lungs were most frequently involved followed by the vertebral column and abdominal organs. Microscopic examination revealed granulomatous inflammation accompanied by fungal spherules variably undergoing endosporulation. Baboons represented a large number of cases presented here and had a unique presentation with lesions in bone or thoracic organs, but none had both intrathoracic and extrathoracic lesions. Although noted in 3 cases in the literature, cutaneous infections were not observed among the 22 contemporaneous cases. Similarly, subclinical infections were only rarely observed (2 cases). This case series and review of the literature illustrates that coccidioidomycosis in nonhuman primates reflects human disease with a varied spectrum of presentations from localized lesions to disseminated disease.
Susceptibility of density-fractionated erythrocytes to subhaemolytic mechanical shear stress
Authors: McNamee Antony P , Richardson Kieran , Horobin Jarod , Kuck Lennart , Simmonds Michael J
Published: August 2018

Introduction:

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that subhaemolytic mechanical stresses, typical of circulatory support, induce physical and biochemical changes to red blood cells. It remains unclear, however, whether cell age affects susceptibility to these mechanical forces. This study thus examined the sensitivity of density-fractionated red blood cells to sublethal mechanical stresses.

Methods:

Red blood cells were isolated and washed twice, with the least and most dense fractions being obtained following centrifugation (1500 g × 5 min). Red blood cell deformability was determined across an osmotic gradient and a range of shear stresses (0.3–50 Pa). Cell deformability was also quantified before and after 300 s exposure to shear stresses known to decrease (64 Pa) or increase (10 Pa) red blood cell deformability. The time course of accumulated sublethal damage that occurred during exposure to 64 Pa was also examined.

Results:

Dense red blood cells exhibited decreased capacity to deform when compared with less dense cells. Cellular response to mechanical stimuli was similar in trend for all red blood cells, independent of density; however, the magnitude of impairment in cell deformability was exacerbated in dense cells. Moreover, the rate of impairment in cellular deformability, induced by 64 Pa, was more rapid for dense cells. Relative improvement in red blood cell deformability, due to low-shear conditioning (10 Pa), was consistent for both cell populations.

Conclusion:

Red blood cell populations respond differently to mechanical stimuli: older (more dense) cells are highly susceptible to sublethal mechanical trauma, while cell age (density) does not appear to alter the magnitude of improved cell deformability following low-shear conditioning.
Treatment History of Youth At-Risk for Serious Mental Illness
Authors: Farris Megan S. , MacQueen Glenda , Goldstein Benjamin I. , Wang JianLi , Kennedy Sidney H. , Bray Signe , Lebel Catherine , Addington Jean
Published: August 2018

Objective:

The aim was to describe treatment history including medications, psychosocial therapy and hospital visits of participants in the Canadian Psychiatric Risk and Outcomes Study (PROCAN).

Methods:

PROCAN is a 2-site study of 243 youth/young adults aged 12 to 25 y, categorized into 4 groups: healthy controls ( n = 42), stage 0 (non-help seeking, asymptomatic with risk mainly family history of serious mental illness (SMI); n = 41), stage 1a (distress disorders; n = 52) and stage 1b (attenuated syndromes; n = 108). Participants were interviewed regarding lifetime and current treatments, including medications, psychosocial therapies and hospital visits.

Results:

The number receiving baseline medications differed significantly across groups ( P < 0.001): 0% healthy controls, 14.6% stage 0, 32.7% stage 1a and 34.3% stage 1b. Further, 26.9% and 49.1% of stage 1a and stage 1b participants received psychosocial therapy at baseline, indicative of statistically significant differences among the groups ( P < 0.001). Similar results were observed for lifetime treatment history; stage 1b participants had the highest frequency of lifetime treatment. Medications started in adulthood (>18 y of age) were the most common for initiation of treatment compared to childhood (0 to 12 y) and adolescence (13 to 17 y) for stage 1a and 1b participants. Lifetime mental health hospital visits differed significantly across groups ( P < 0.001) and were most common in stage 1b participants (29.6%) followed by stage 1a (13.5%), stage 0 (4.9%) and healthy controls (2.4%).

Conclusion:

We found that treatment history for participants in the PROCAN study differed among the at-risk groups. Future initiatives focused on determining the effects of treatment history on SMI are warranted.
Reverberations of The Prince: From ‘heroic fury’ to ‘living philology’
Authors: Thomas Peter D.
Published: August 2018

This article explores the ways in which Gramsci’s engagement with Machiavelli and The Prince in particular result in three significant developments in the Prison Notebooks. First, I analyse how the ‘heroic fury’ of Gramsci’s lifelong interest in Machiavelli’s thought develops, during the composition of his carceral writings, into a novel approach to the reading of The Prince, giving rise to the famous notion of the ‘modern Prince’. Second, I argue that the modern Prince should not be regarded merely as a distinctive (individual or collective) figure, but rather should be understood as a dramatic development that unfolds throughout ‘the discourse itself’ of the Prison Notebooks, particularly in the crucial phase of reorganisation in the ‘special notebooks’ composed from 1932 onwards. Third and finally, I suggest that the combination of the two preceding themes is decisive for understanding the modern Prince as a distinctive form of political organisation. Rather than equated with a generic conception of the ‘(communist) political party’, this notion was developed as a part of Gramsci’s larger argument regarding the necessity for anti-Fascist political forces in Italy in the early 1930s to grow into an antagonistic collective body guided by principles of ‘living philology’.
Social and Structural Determinants of Smoking Status and Quit Attempts Among Adults Living in 12 US States, 2015
Authors: Poghosyan Hermine , Moen Erika L. , Kim Daniel , Manjourides Justin , Cooley Mary E.
Published: August 2018

Purpose:

This study examined the relationships among intermediary determinants, structural determinants, and adult smoking status and quit attempts.

Design:

Secondary data analysis of cross-sectional data.

Setting:

Data come from the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Social Context module. A national, representative sample from 12 US states (Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Utah).

Participants:

A total of 64 053 noninstitutionalized US adults aged ≥18 years.

Measures:

Smoking status and quit attempts were outcome variables. Individual-level structural determinants (age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, and employment status) and intermediary determinants (housing insecurity, food insecurity, health insurance, binge drinking, and general health mental health) from BRFSS.

Analysis:

Weighted multivariate, multinomial logistic regression.

Results:

Current smoking was greater among men, respondents aged between 35 to 64 and 55 to 64, adults who reported food insecurity, housing insecurity, frequent mental distress, binge drinking, and who were unemployed. Current smokers had higher odds of making quit attempts in the past 12 months if they were non-Hispanic Black, graduated college, and reported food and housing insecurity.

Conclusion:

Multifaceted smoking cessation interventions that address food and housing needs also incorporate screening for potential comorbidities such as mental distress and/or hazardous alcohol use and may be needed to enhance smoking cessation rates among racially diverse adults.
The Weakness of the Word and the Reality of God: Luther and Bonhoeffer on the Cross of Discipleship1
Authors: Mawson Michael
Published: August 2018

For both Luther and Bonhoeffer God enters into and dwells in the world through weakness and suffering, rather than divine authority or strength. This article explores the significance of Luther’s theologia crucis and Bonhoeffer’s treatment of ‘the weakness of the Word’ in Discipleship. Moreover, it draws out some of the implications of these themes for Christian mission today. What does it mean for Christians to witness to and engage the world in weakness? How does this free Christians from needing a fixed programme or governing ideal in their witness and evangelism?
Development of an off-design deviation angle prediction model for full blade span in axial flow compressors
Authors: Wu Dongrun , Teng Jinfang , Qiang Xiaoqing , Zheng Tan
Published: August 2018

To reveal the deviation angle changing pattern in axial flow compressors, an off-design deviation angle prediction model for full blade span was developed through statistical analyses and analytical derivations. By studying the compressor test recordings collected from NASA open technical reports, a linear correlation between incidence and an implicit function of deviation angle was found from 5% to 95% span. An analytical method was introduced to predict the linear correlation through derivations of the implicit function. The derived results show good agreement with the regression values of the experimental data. The off-design deviation angle is predicted by decomposition of the derived linear correlation at full span. An experimental database with 21 different blades is used to validate the prediction model. Span range from 5% to 95% and incidence range from −25° to 22° are covered by the 1494 test points in the database. The prediction errors are smaller than 6° for all test points, 4° for 99% points, and 2° for 90% points in the database. The current method was also applied to the off-design deviation angle estimation of a low speed four-stage research compressor at full span in the numerical design phase. It shows the deviation angle cloud maps acquired from off-design 3D Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations are consistent with the results calculated by the prediction model.
Estimating the penetrance of pathogenic gene variants in families with missing pedigree information
Authors: Jonker Marianne A , Rijken Johannes A , Hes Frederik J , Putter Hein , Hensen Erik F
Published: August 2018

Accurate assessment of the age-dependent disease risk conferred by germline variants in disease susceptibility genes is often hampered by the way the data are collected. Cohort-based data sets frequently contain an overrepresentation of patients (i.e. carriers of the gene variant of interest affected with the associated disease), and an underrepresentation of disease-free carriers. In order to overcome this problem, penetrance estimates can be based on family-based study designs, through the evaluation of index patients and their family members. This approach facilitates the identification of asymptomatic germline variant carriers. By adjusting for the way these family data are ascertained, an estimate for the penetrance of the pathogenic gene variant can be obtained. However, the family structure is often incomplete or missing. This complicates the estimation of the penetrance, because full adjustment of the likelihood is not possible. We present a conditional likelihood for the estimation of the penetrance of pathogenic gene variants, based on a cohort of multiple families comprising index patients, disease-free and affected non-index carriers, but with missing information on pedigree structure. The proposed estimator corrects for the ascertainment in a robust way and is shown to be more accurate than the frequently used Kaplan–Meier estimator of the penetrance function.
Action Between the Legal and the Illegal: A-Legality as a Political–Legal Strategy
Authors: Hughes Carys
Published: August 2018

This article develops a theory of ‘a-legal space’ and its utilization as a political–legal strategy. A-legal space refers to initiatives which adopt a quasi-legal or quasi-institutional form, yet with no official legal basis; a disputed legal basis; or exceeding their recognized legal basis. Examples include unauthorized referenda such as the Catalan independence referendum which took place in 2017 and, on a local level, across Catalonia in 2009–2011; peoples’ tribunals such as the World Tribunal on Iraq, where the US and UK governments were tried for war crimes; and the Aboriginal Tent Embassy where aboriginal activists protesting for land rights erected tents outside the Australian Parliament and declared it an embassy. The use of a-legal space is an under-studied and untheorized tactic employed with increasing regularity by social movement, civil society, and sometimes, state and substate actors. The article builds on the work of political theorist Marta Harnecker, who coined the term ‘a-legal space’, through situating it within the existing philosophical conception of a-legality developed by critical legal scholar Hans Lindahl (2013). The aim is to contribute to an understanding of why citizens undertake these initiatives and how they can have a political impact.