bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Manchester Arena bombing: lessons learnt from a mass casualty incident
Authors: Craigie Ross J , Farrelly P J , Santos R , Smith S R , Pollard J S , Jones D J
Published: April 2018

On 22 May 2017 Salman Abedi detonated an improvised explosive device in the Manchester Arena resulting in 23 deaths (including the attacker). This was the deadliest terrorist attack on UK soil since the 2005 London bombings, but was only one of five mass casualty terrorist attacks in the UK in 2017. Preparation for mass casualty incidents (MCI) is obligatory, involving such methods as multiagency tabletop exercises, mock hospital exercises, as well as simulation and training for clinicians in managing the injuries that would be anticipated in such an event. Even in the best prepared units, such an incident will pose significant challenges due to the unpredictable nature of these events with respect to timing and number of casualties. Following an MCI, local and national reviews are undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the response, but also to identify areas where lessons can be learnt and to disseminate these to allow inclusion in future planning. We present the experience following a mass casualty terrorist incident along with a number of lessons learnt from this event.
Contour-Point Signature Shape Descriptor for Point Correspondence
Authors: Giangreco-Maidana Alejandro J. , Legal-Ayala Horacio , Schaerer Christian E. , Villamayor-Venialbo Waldemar
Published: April 2018

This paper introduces a novel descriptor technique denoted as Contour-Point Signature (CPS) useful to find correspondences of points selected from the outer contours of two arbitrary shapes, and to establish a relationship to map an ordered sequence of contour points from one shape to another. The proposal has proved to be invariant, to translation, scaling and rotation, it also induces a measure which is proved to be non-negative, unique, symmetric and identity-preserving. Experimental tests were performed in shape detection under noise, with image retrieval from a MPEG-7 database and letter recognition. Numerical results show that the proposal is robust for noise perturbation, as well as, having adequate accuracy and hit rate, even with coarse tuning for its parameters. This makes the method attractive to a wide range of applications.
Stochastic volatility for utility maximizers — A martingale approach
Authors: Ellersgaard Simon , Tegnér Martin
Published: April 2018

Using Martingale methods, we study the problem of optimal consumption-investment strategies in a complete financial market characterized by stochastic volatility. With Heston’s model as the working example, we derive optimal strategies for a constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) investor with particular attention to the cases where (i) she solely seeks to optimize her utility for consumption, and (ii) she solely seeks to optimize her bequest from investing in the market. Furthermore, we test the practical utility of our work by conducting an empirical study based on real market-data from the S&P500 index. Here, we concentrate on wealth maximization and investigate the degree to which the inclusion of derivatives facilitates higher welfare gains. Our experiments show that this is indeed the case, although we do not observe realized wealth-equivalents as high as expected. Indeed, if we factor in the increased transaction costs associated with including options, the results are somewhat less convincing.
Long noncoding RNA MALAT1 contributes to inflammatory response of microglia following spinal cord injury via the modulation of a miR-199b/IKKβ/NF-κB signaling pathway
Authors: Zhou Heng-Jun , Wang Li-Qing , Wang Duan-Bu , Yu Jian-Bo , Zhu Yu , Xu Qing-Sheng , Zheng Xiu-Jue , Zhan Ren-Ya
Published: April 2018

Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) was widely recognized to be implicated in human cancer, vascular diseases, and neurological disorders. This study was to explore the role and underlying mechanism of MALAT1 in acute spinal cord injury (ASCI). ASCI models in adult rats were established and demonstrated by a numerical decrease in BBB scores. Expression profile of MALAT1 and miR-199b following ASCI in rats and in vitro was determined using quantitative real-time PCR. RNA pull-down assays combined with RIP assays were performed to explore the interaction between MALAT1 and miR-199b. In the present study, MALAT1 expression was significantly increased (2.4-fold that of control) in the spinal cord of the rat contusion epicenter accompanied by activation of IKKβ/NF-κB signaling pathway and an increase in the level of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β. Upon treatment with LPS, MALAT1 expression dramatically increased in the microglia in vitro, but knockdown of MALAT1 attenuated LPS-induced activation of MGs and TNF-α and IL-1β production. Next, we confirmed that LPS-induced MALAT1 activated IKKβ/NF-κB signaling pathway and promoted the production of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β through downregulating miR-199b. More importantly, MALAT1 knockdown gradually improved the hindlimb locomotor activity of ASCI rats as well as inhibited TNF-α, IL-1β levels, and Iba-1 protein, the marker of activated microglia in injured spinal cords. Our study demonstrated that MALAT1 was dysregulated in ASCI rats and in LPS-activated MGs, and MALAT1 knockdown was expected to attenuate ASCI through repressing inflammatory response of MGs.
Epimorphin regulates the intestinal stem cell niche via effects on the stromal microenvironment
Authors: Vishy Courtney E. , Swietlicki Elzbieta A. , Gazit Vered , Amara Suneetha , Heslop Gabriela , Lu Jianyun , Levin Marc S. , Rubin Deborah C.
Published: April 2018

Stem cell therapy is a potential therapeutic approach for disorders characterized by intestinal injury or loss of functional surface area. Stem cell function and proliferation are mediated by the stem cell niche. Stromal cells such as intestinal subepithelial myofibroblasts (ISEMFs) are important but poorly studied components of the stem cell niche. To examine the role of ISEMFs, we have previously generated mice with deletion of epimorphin ( Epim), an ISEMF protein and member of the syntaxin family of intracellular vesicle docking proteins that regulate cell secretion. Herein we explore the mechanisms for previous observations that Epim deletion increases gut crypt cell proliferation, crypt fission, and small bowel length in vivo. Stem cell-derived crypt culture techniques were used to explore the interaction between enteroids and myofibroblasts from Epim−/− and WT mice. Enteroids cocultured with ISEMFS had increased growth and crypt-like budding compared with enteroids cultured without stromal support. Epim deletion in ISEMFs resulted in increased enteroid budding and surface area compared with cocultures with wild-type (WT) ISEMFs. In primary crypt cultures, Epim−/− enteroids had significantly increased surface area and budding compared with WTs. However, stem cell assays comparing the number of Epim−/− vs. WT colony-forming units after first passage showed no differences in the absence of ISEMF support. Epim−/− vs. WT ISEMFs had increased Wnt4 expression, and addition of Wnt4 to WT cocultures enhanced budding. We conclude that ISEMFs play an important role in the stem cell niche. Epim regulates stem cell proliferation and differentiation via stromal contributions to the niche microenvironment.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The role of subepithelial intestinal myofibroblasts (ISEMFs) in the gut stem cell niche is controversial. We provide novel evidence supporting ISEMFs as important niche contributors. We show that the in vivo intestinal effects of deletion of myofibroblast Epim can be recapitulated in crypt stem cell cultures in vitro. ISEMFs support cocultured stem cell proliferation and enteroid growth, and these effects are augmented by deletion of Epim, a syntaxin that regulates myofibroblast cell secretion.
KLF2-mediated disruption of PPAR-γ signaling in lymphatic endothelial cells exposed to chronically increased pulmonary lymph flow
Authors: Morris Catherine J. , Kameny Rebecca J. , Boehme Jason , Gong Wenhui , He Youping , Zhu Terry , Maltepe Emin , Raff Gary W. , Fineman Jeffrey R. , Datar Sanjeev A.
Published: April 2018

Lymphatic abnormalities associated with congenital heart disease are well described, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Using a clinically relevant ovine model of congenital heart disease with increased pulmonary blood flow, we have previously demonstrated that lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) exposed in vivo to chronically increased pulmonary lymph flow accumulate ROS and have decreased bioavailable nitric oxide (NO). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), which abrogates production of cellular ROS by NADPH oxidase, is inhibited by Krüppel-like factor 2 (KLF2), a flow-induced transcription factor. We hypothesized that chronically increased pulmonary lymph flow induces a KLF2-mediated decrease in PPAR-γ and an accumulation of cellular ROS, contributing to decreased bioavailable NO in LECs. To better understand the mechanisms that transduce the abnormal mechanical forces associated with chronically increased pulmonary lymph flow, LECs were isolated from the efferent vessel of the caudal mediastinal lymph node of control ( n = 5) and shunt ( n = 5) lambs. KLF2 mRNA and protein were significantly increased in shunt compared with control LECs, and PPAR-γ mRNA and protein were significantly decreased. In control LECs exposed to shear forces in vitro, we found similar alterations to KLF2 and PPAR-γ expression. In shunt LECs, NADPH oxidase subunit expression was increased, and bioavailable NO was significantly lower. Transfection of shunt LECs with KLF2 siRNA normalized PPAR-γ, ROS, and bioavailable NO. Conversely, pharmacological inhibition of PPAR-γ in control LECs increased ROS equivalent to levels in shunt LECs at baseline. Taken together, these data suggest that one mechanism by which NO-mediated lymphatic function is disrupted after chronic exposure to increased pulmonary lymph flow is through altered KLF2-dependent PPAR-γ signaling, resulting in increased NADPH oxidase activity, accumulation of ROS, and decreased bioavailable NO.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Lymphatic endothelial cells, when exposed in vivo to chronically elevated pulmonary lymph flow in a model of congenital heart disease with increased pulmonary blood flow, demonstrate Krüppel-like factor 2-dependent disrupted peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ signaling that results in the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and decreased bioavailable nitric oxide.
Effect of Shaft Pillar Extraction on Stability of Main Shaft: A Case Study at Xincheng Gold Mine, China
Authors: Liu Xige , Zhu Wancheng , Guan Kai , Zhang Hongxun
Published: April 2018

Mining of ore body in the vicinity of a shaft has a significant influence on its stability. The in situ monitoring and numerical simulation are employed to analyze the effect of shaft pillar extraction at Xincheng Gold Mine. The XI# ore body is recently found around and beneath the shaft, and mining in this area may be detrimental to the shaft. Firstly, on the base of geological survey and in situ displacement monitoring, mechanical parameters of rock mass are obtained and the displacement around the shaft is measured. Secondly, the sensitivities of five main factors that may affect the shaft displacement are analyzed by means of orthogonal experiment according to the numerical simulation with FLAC3D. Finally, a numerical model is established according to the in situ condition; in order to forecast the shaft displacement induced by mining activities of XI# orebody, the Mining Priority Index (MPI) is put forward and used to select the optimal mining sequence. Based on the comparison between the numerical results with the monitoring data, it is determined that the ore within 100 m from the shaft is not suggested to be extracted until the last period of the shaft life.
HotSpot Thermal Floorplan Solver Using Conjugate Gradient to Speed Up
Authors: Jiang Zhonghua , Xu Ning
Published: April 2018

We proposed to use the conjugate gradient method to effectively solve the thermal resistance model in HotSpot thermal floorplan tool. The iterative conjugate gradient solver is suitable for traditional sparse matrix linear systems. We also defined the relative sparse matrix in the iterative thermal floorplan of Simulated Annealing framework algorithm, and the iterative method of relative sparse matrix could be applied to other iterative framework algorithms. The experimental results show that the running time of our incremental iterative conjugate gradient solver is speeded up approximately 11x compared with the LU decomposition method for case ami49, and the experiment ratio curve shows that our iterative conjugate gradient solver accelerated more with increasing number of modules.
Autophagy Is a Promoter for Aerobic Exercise Performance during High Altitude Training
Authors: Zhang Ying , Chen Ning
Published: April 2018

High altitude training is one of the effective strategies for improving aerobic exercise performance at sea level via altitude acclimatization, thereby improving oxygen transport and/or utilization. But its underlying molecular mechanisms on physiological functions and exercise performance of athletes are still vague. More recent evidence suggests that the recycling of cellular components by autophagy is an important process of the body involved in the adaptive responses to exercise. Whether high altitude training can activate autophagy or whether high altitude training can improve exercise performance through exercise‐induced autophagy is still unclear. In this narrative review article, we will summarize current research advances in the improvement of exercise performance through high altitude training and its reasonable molecular mechanisms associated with autophagy, which will provide a new field to explore the molecular mechanisms of adaptive response to high altitude training.
Memory Effect on Adaptive Decision Making with a Chaotic Semiconductor Laser
Authors: Mihana Takatomo , Terashima Yuta , Naruse Makoto , Kim Song-Ju , Uchida Atsushi
Published: April 2018

We investigate the effect of a memory parameter on the performance of adaptive decision making using a tug‐of‐war method with the chaotic oscillatory dynamics of a semiconductor laser. We experimentally generate chaotic temporal waveforms of the semiconductor laser with optical feedback and apply them for adaptive decision making in solving a multiarmed bandit problem that aims at maximizing the total reward from slot machines whose hit probabilities are dynamically switched. We examine the dependence of making correct decisions on different values of the memory parameter. The degree of adaptivity is found to be enhanced with a smaller memory parameter, whereas the degree of convergence to the correct decision is higher for a larger memory parameter. The relations among the adaptivity, environmental changes, and the difficulties of the problem are also discussed considering the requirement of past decisions. This examination of ultrafast adaptive decision making highlights the importance of memorizing past events and paves the way for future photonic intelligence.
Side-Channel Attacks and Countermeasures for Identity-Based Cryptographic Algorithm SM9
Authors: Zhang Qi , Wang An , Niu Yongchuan , Shang Ning , Xu Rixin , Zhang Guoshuang , Zhu Liehuang
Published: April 2018

Identity-based cryptographic algorithm SM9, which has become the main part of the ISO/IEC 14888-3/AMD1 standard in November 2017, employs the identities of users to generate public-private key pairs. Without the support of digital certificate, it has been applied for cloud computing, cyber-physical system, Internet of Things, and so on. In this paper, the implementation of SM9 algorithm and its Simple Power Attack (SPA) are discussed. Then, we present template attack and fault attack on SPA-resistant SM9. Our experiments have proved that if attackers try the template attack on an 8-bit microcontrol unit, the secret key can be revealed by enabling the device to execute one time. Fault attack even allows the attackers to obtain the 256-bit key of SM9 by performing the algorithm twice and analyzing the two different results. Accordingly, some countermeasures to resist the three kinds of attacks above are given.
Spontaneous Ventriculostomy into the Subdural Space in a Neonate with Congenital Hydrocephalus
Authors: Krishna Pillai Mahesh , Kariyattil Rajeev , Rubene Linda , Kumar Rajinder , Govindaraju Venkatesh , Kochummen Koshy
Published: April 2018

We report a case of spontaneous temporary resolution of congenital hydrocephalus due to drainage into the subdural space, which is not a physiological space for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This is the first report of spontaneous drainage of CSF into the subdural space, and we term it “ventriculosubdurostomy.” We highlight the fact that spontaneous resolution of hydrocephalus due to drainage into a nonphysiological CSF space is temporary.
Small Hyperintensities in the Area of the Perforating Arteries in Patients with Seizure
Authors: Izutsu Nobuyuki , Fujimoto Yasunori , Yamada Naoaki , Kajikawa Ryuichiro , Yoshimura Kazuhiro , Nagashima Munenori , Wakayama Akatsuki , Yoshimine Toshiki
Published: April 2018

Background/Aim: We previously observed spotty hyperintense lesions in the region of the perforating arteries on peri-ictal diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI); however, no report has formally described these findings. The aim of this study was to investigate focal intensities on peri-ictal DWI, and to evaluate the clinical significance of these lesions. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 677 consecutive patients with seizure who completed peri-ictal DWI within 24 h after seizure onset. Patients were grouped according to the presence or absence of diffusion hyperintense lesions (DHLs) in the region of the perforating arteries. We compared clinical and imaging characteristics between these 2 groups. Results: Among 677 patients, 23 patients (3.4%) had DHLs. Analyses of apparent diffusion coefficient values and fluid attenuated inversion recovery images suggested that DHLs were acute or subacute ischemic lesions that had appeared prior to seizure onset. Patients with DHLs were more likely to be older in age, have atrial fibrillation, and coronary artery disease, and have more severe deep white matter hyperintensity or leukoaraiosis compared to patients without DHLs. Conclusion: DHLs detected on peri-ictal DWI may represent incidental acute cerebral microinfarcts in the aging brain, especially in patients with small vessel disease.
Effect of CB1 Ligands on Neurogenic and Myogenic Contractile Responses in the Guinea-Pig Ileum
Authors: Donnerer Josef , Liebmann Ingrid
Published: April 2018

This study aimed at investigating whether the synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist (+)-WIN 55212-2 has neurogenic and myogenic relaxant effects on the longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus (LMMP) strip of the guinea-pig ileum. (+)-WIN 55212-2, 1–1,000 nmol/L, concentration-dependently inhibited both the electrical stimulation-induced cholinergic twitch responses as well as the myogenic smooth muscle contractions in the LMMP preparation. SR-141716A (rimonabant) 1–1,000 nmol/L, the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, being without effect on its own, antagonized the (+)-WIN 55212-2-induced effects. The allyl isothiocyanate (mustard oil, 100 µmol/L) induced a relaxant effect in the guinea-pig ileum, which can be regarded as neurogenic and myogenic, was augmented by (+)-WIN 55212-2, and inhibited by SR-141716A. (+)-WIN 55212-2 only moderately modified the 60 mmol/L KCl-evoked contractions. These results provide functional evidence that the CB1 agonist (+)-WIN 55212-2-induced inhibitory effects in the guinea-pig ileum are exerted both at the neuronal as well as at the intestinal smooth muscle cell level.
High Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio is a Significant Predictor of Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality in Patients Undergoing Peritoneal Dialysis
Authors: Lu Xiangxue , Wang Shixiang , Zhang Guizhi , Xiong Ruifang , Li Han
Published: April 2018

Background/Aims: Chronic inflammation is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Although elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a novel inflammatory marker, has been shown to predict cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in the general population, limited evidence is available for its role in ESRD. Methods: We enrolled 86 patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) for a 36-month follow-up to investigate the association between the NLR and arterial stiffness markers, namely, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and carotid augmentation index (AIx), and mortality in PD patients. The primary endpoints were cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to show the cumulative incidence of cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality. Results: High NLR was found to be a predictor of increased cfPWV (β = 1.150; P < 0.001) and AIx (β = 3.945; P < 0.001) in patients on PD. Patients with higher NLR had lower survival during follow-up. Kaplan–Meier curves showed that the cumulative incidences of both cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality were significantly higher in patients with NLR ≥ 4.5 (both P < 0.01). Conclusion: Our results suggest that high NLR is independently associated with arterial stiffness and predicts cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in PD patients.
Effect of Lanthanum Carbonate on All-Cause Mortality in Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis: a Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Wang Fang , Lu Xiangxue  , Zhang Jingli , Xiong Ruifang , Li Han , Wang Shixiang
Published: April 2018

Background/Aims: Hyperphosphatemia is common in patients on hemodialysis. The efficacy of lanthanum carbonate (LC) in the treatment of hyperphosphatemia in these patients remains controversial. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of LC on all-cause mortality in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Methods: We electronically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing LC with other phosphate binders used in adult hemodialysis patients, including calcium carbonate, calcium acetate, and sevelamer. Results: Nine RCTs involving 2813 patients were suitable for inclusion. Our results showed that all-cause mortality was significantly lower in patients who received LC than in those who received standard therapy (odds ratio [OR]: 0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.32–0.63, P<0.00001). Compared with the controls, patients who received LC had significantly lower serum calcium and higher serum intact parathyroid hormone levels. However, there was no significant difference between the groups in the cardiovascular event rate (OR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.31–1.06, P=0.07) or in serum phosphorus levels. Conclusion: Compared with standard therapy, LC reduced all-cause mortality in patients on hemodialysis but did not decrease the risk of cardiovascular events. The decrease in serum phosphorus level was similar between LC and the other phosphate binders, but the risk of hypercalcemia was lower in patients who received LC.
Gambogic Acid Efficiently Kills Stem-Like Colorectal Cancer Cells by Upregulating ZFP36 Expression
Authors: Wei Fang , Zhang Tong , Yang Zhi , Wei Jian-Chang , Shen Hong-Fen , Xiao Dong , Wang Qiang , Yang Ping , Chen Hua-Cui , Hu He , Chen Zhuan-Peng , Huang Qing , Li Wang-Lin , Cao Jie
Published: April 2018

Background/Aims: Gambogic acid (GA), the main active compound of Gamboge hanburyi, has been reported to be a potential novel antitumor drug. Whether GA inhibits putative cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are considered to be the major cause of cancer treatment failure, remains largely unknown. This study investigated whether GA inhibits the CSCs of colorectal cancer (CRC) and its possible mechanisms. Methods: We performed CCK8 and tumor sphere formation assays, percentage analysis of both side population and CD133+CD44+ cells, and the detection of stem cells markers, in order to assess the role of GA in inhibiting the stem celllike features of CRC. An mRNA microarray was performed to identify the downstream gene affected by GA and rescue assays were performed to further clarify whether the downstream gene is involved in the GA induced decrease of the stem cell-like CRC population. CRC cells were engineered with a CSC detector vector encoding GFP and luciferase (Luc) under the control of the Nanog promoter, which were utilized to investigate the effect of GA on putative CSC in human tumor xenograft-bearing mice using in vivo bioluminescence imaging. Results: Our results showed that GA significantly reduced tumor sphere formation and the percentages of side population and CD133+CD44+ cells, while also decreasing the expression of stemness and EMT-associated markers in CRC cells in vitro. GA killed stem-like CRC cells by upregulating the expression of ZFP36, which is dependent on the inactivation of the EGFR/ ERK signaling pathway. GFP+ cells harboring the PNanog-GFP-T2A-Luc transgene exhibited CSC characteristics. The in vivo results showed that GA significantly inhibited tumor growth in nude mice, accompanied by a remarkable reduction in the putative CSC number, based on whole-body bioluminescence imaging. Conclusion: These findings suggest that GA significantly inhibits putative CSCs of CRC both in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting the activation of the EGFR/ ERK/ZFP36 signaling pathway and may be an effective drug candidate for anticancer therapies.
Lgr5+CD44+EpCAM+ Strictly Defines Cancer Stem Cells in Human Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Leng Zhengwei , Xia Qinghua , Chen Jinhuang , Li Yong , Xu Jiqian , Zhao Ende , Zheng Hai , Ai Walden , Dong Jiangchuan
Published: April 2018

Background/Aims: Although EpCAM+CD44+ cells exhibit more stem-like properties than did EpCAM-CD44- cells, the specificity of EpCAM combined with CD44 in defining CSCs needs further improvement. Lgr5 is used as a biomarker to isolate cancer stem cells (CSCs) in colorectal cancer. However, it remains unclear whether Lgr5, along with EpCAM and CD44, can further identify and define CSCs in colorectal cancer. Methods: Lgr5+CD44+EpCAM+, Lgr5+CD44+EpCAM-, Lgr5+CD44-EpCAM+, Lgr5-CD44+EpCAM+, and Lgr5-CD44-EpCAM-cells were separately isolated using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Colony formation, self-renewal, differentiation, and tumorigenic properties of these cells were investigated through in vitro experiments and in vivo tumor xenograft models. The expression of stemness genes and CSC- and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes, such as KLF4, Oct4, Sox2, Nanog, CD133, CD44, CD166, ALDH1, Lgr5, E-cadherin, ZO-1, Vimentin, Snail, Slug, and Twist, was examined using real-time PCR. Results: Lgr5-positive subpopulations exhibited higher capacities for colony formation, self-renewal, differentiation, and tumorigenicity as well as higher expression of stemness genes and mesenchymal genes and lower expression of epithelial genes than did Lgr5-negative subpopulations. Conclusion: Our data revealed that tumorigenic cells were highly restricted to Lgr5-positive subpopulations. Most importantly, Lgr5+CD44+EpCAM+ cells exhibited more pronounced CSC-like traits than did any other subpopulation, indicating that Lgr5 combined with CD44 and EpCAM can further improve the stem-like traits of CSCs in colorectal cancer.
Clinical Course and Quality of Life in High-Risk Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators
Authors: Maron Barry J. , Casey Susan A. , Olivotto Iacopo , Sherrid Mark V. , Semsarian Christopher , Autore Camillo , Ahmed Aisha , Boriani Giuseppe , Francia Pietro , Winters Stephen L. , Giudici Michael , Koulova Anna , Garberich Ross , Rowin Ethan J. , Sears Samuel F. , Maron Martin S. , Spirito Paolo
Published: April 2018

Background:

High-risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are identified by contemporary risk stratification and effectively treated with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). However, long-term HCM clinical course after ICD therapy for ventricular tachyarrhythmias is incompletely understood.

Methods and Results:

Cohort of 486 high-risk HCM patients with ICDs was assembled from 8 international centers. Clinical course and device interventions were addressed, and survey questionnaires assessed patient anxiety level and psychological well-being related to ICD therapy. Of 486 patients, 94 (19%) experienced appropriate ICD interventions terminating ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation, 3.7% per year for primary prevention, over 6.4±4.7 years. Of 94 patients, 87 were asymptomatic or only mildly symptomatic at the time of appropriate ICD interventions; 74 of these 87 (85%) remained in classes I/II without significant change in clinical status over the subsequent 5.9±4.9 years (up to 22). Among the 94 patients, there was one sudden death (caused by device failure; 1.1%); 3 patients died from other HCM-related processes unrelated to arrhythmic risk (eg, end-stage heart failure). Post-ICD intervention, freedom from HCM mortality was 100%, 97%, and 92% at 1, 5, and 10 years, distinctly lower than in ischemic or nonischemic cardiomyopathy ICD trials. HCM patients with ICD interventions reported heightened anxiety in expectation of future shocks, but with intact general psychological well-being and quality of life.

Conclusions:

In HCM, unlike ischemic heart disease, prevention of sudden death with ICD therapy is unassociated with significant increase in cardiovascular morbidity or mortality, or transformation to heart failure deterioration. ICD therapy does not substantially impair overall psychological and physical well-being.
“Summer Shift”: A Potential Effect of Sunshine on the Time Onset of ST‐Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Cannistraci Carlo Vittorio , Nieminen Tuomo , Nishi Masahiro , Khachigian Levon M. , Viikilä Juho , Laine Mika , Cianflone Domenico , Maseri Attilio , Yeo Khung Keong , Bhindi Ravinay , Ammirati Enrico
Published: April 2018

Background

ST
‐elevation acute myocardial infarction (
STEMI
) represents one of the leading causes of death. The time of
STEMI
onset has a circadian rhythm with a peak during diurnal hours, and the occurrence of
STEMI
follows a seasonal pattern with a salient peak of cases in the winter months and a marked reduction of cases in the summer months. Scholars investigated the reason behind the winter peak, suggesting that environmental and climatic factors concur in
STEMI
pathogenesis, but no studies have investigated whether the circadian rhythm is modified with the seasonal pattern, in particular during the summer reduction in
STEMI
occurrence.

Methods and Results

Here, we provide a multiethnic and multination epidemiological study (from both hemispheres at different latitudes, n=2270 cases) that investigates whether the circadian variation of
STEMI
onset is altered in the summer season. The main finding is that the difference between numbers of diurnal (6:00 to 18:00) and nocturnal (18:00 to 6:00)
STEMI
is markedly decreased in the summer season, and this is a prodrome of a complex mechanism according to which the circadian rhythm of
STEMI
time onset seems season dependent.

Conclusions

The “summer shift” of
STEMI
to the nocturnal interval is consistent across different populations, and the sunshine duration (a measure related to cloudiness and solar irradiance) underpins this season‐dependent circadian perturbation. Vitamin D, which in our results seems correlated with this summer shift, is also primarily regulated by the sunshine duration, and future studies should investigate their joint role in the mechanisms of
STEMI
etiogenesis.
Evolution of a US County System for Acute Comprehensive Stroke Care
Authors: Raychev Radoslav I. , Stradling Dana , Patel Nirav , Gee Joey R. , Lombardi David A. , Moon Johnson L. , Brown David M. , Pathak Mayank , Yu Wengui , Stratton Samuel J. , Cramer Steven C.
Published: April 2018

Background and Purpose—

In Orange County, California, patients with suspected acute stroke are taken to stroke neurology receiving centers that are designated by County Emergency Medical Services authorities as either hubs or spokes based on endovascular treatment capability. We examined relationships between stroke details, reperfusion therapies, hospital transfers, and their change over time.

Methods—

All patients from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2015, for whom 911 was called within 7 hours of onset in whom Emergency Medical Services personnel suspected acute stroke were evaluated.

Results—

Among 6132 patients, 3924 (64%) had confirmed diagnosis of stroke (74% ischemic/26% hemorrhagic), yielding diagnostic precision of 64% in the field. Of the 2892 patients with acute ischemic stroke, acute reperfusion therapy was given to 29.2% (21.7% intravenous tPA [tissue-type plasminogen activator] only and 7.5% endovascular treatment). Rates of endovascular treatment of patients with ischemic stroke increased over time, more than doubling from 5.6% in 2013 to 12.5% (odds ratio per 3-month quarter=1.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.14;
P
<0.0001). Only 3.4% of patients with acute ischemic stroke were transferred from a spoke to a hub hospital; transfer rates were inversely related to age (
P
<0.0001), and reperfusion therapy rates did not vary according to transfer status.

Conclusions—

Favorable features of this acute stroke care system include reperfusion therapy in 29.2% of patients with ischemic stroke and substantial increases in endovascular treatment rates over time. Continued efforts to optimize acute stroke systems of care can be directed toward improving access to best acute stroke therapies.
Aseneth between Judaism and Christianity: Reframing the Debate
Authors: Hicks-Keeton Jill
Published: April 2018

The question of whether Joseph and Aseneth is “Jewish or Christian?” is the central frame in which the provenance of this tale has traditionally been sought. Yet, such a formulation assumes that “Judaism” and “Christianity” were distinct entities without overlap, when it is now widely acknowledged that they were not easily separable in antiquity for quite some time. I suggest that the question of whether Joseph and Aseneth is Jewish or gentile is more profitable for contextualizing Aseneth’s tale. This article offers fresh evidence for historicizing its origins in Judaism of Greco-Roman Egypt. Placing the narrative’s concerns for boundary-regulation alongside the discursive projects of other ancient writers (both Jewish and gentile Christian) who engaged the story of Joseph suggests that the author of Joseph and Aseneth was likely a participant in a Hellenistic Jewish interpretive tradition in Egypt that used Joseph’s tale as a platform for marking and maintaining boundaries.
Asymmetrical Recognition. Group Vulnerability and Group Rights, beyond Cultural Identities
Authors: Macioce Fabio
Published: April 2018

In this article, I argue for a strategy of accommodation of minorities that lowers the opposition between majority and minorities, and takes the concept of group vulnerability into consideration. I argue for a demystification of cultural identities regarding legal disputes. Even if culture remains personally and socially crucial, it is considered only one factor among others. Then I analyse the concept of group vulnerability, and the role it can play in accommodating diversities. Finally, I discuss to what extent such a strategy may be interpreted as a form of asymmetrical reciprocity. This can profitably work for the accommodation of minorities in diverse societies by asking public institutions to provide proof that the specific conditions and needs of vulnerable people have been considered, in order to appreciate the proportionality and reasonability of their choices.
The Culture of Catechesis and Lay Theology
Authors: Touber Jetze
Published: April 2018

In the seventeenth-century Dutch Republic, non-professional theologians articulated well-informed biblical interpretation, producing a lay theology that was unwelcome to representatives of the churches. Historians have long considered this lay theology as a manifestation of Early Enlightenment. It did not, however, necessarily result from the activities of rationalist philosophers usually associated with the Dutch Early Enlightenment, such as Benedictus de Spinoza (1632–1677). Equally important were the clergy’s efforts to educate laity in reading the Bible and contemplating divinity autonomously. This paper reconstructs the Dutch “culture of catechesis,” a collective effort to involve laity in reflection on religion and the Bible, dating back to at least the 1640s. Based on catechetical materials and their authors, this paper argues that the “culture of catechesis” had its roots in the Public Church itself, and that it contributed to lay theology, as much so as the outspoken programs of eccentric philosophers.
Elitist in Façade
Authors: Shan Hongxia
Published: April 2018

Drawing on a qualitative study of a group of professional Chinese women navigating their career lives between China and Canada, this paper addresses how Chinese transnationalism is constituted within global capitalism. It starts by mapping the career lives of the Chinese immigrant women. Their experiences point to the emergence of a transnational field between Canada and China where skill/labor and capital conjoin in distinct ways. The study further shows that this transnational social field is comprised of a complex of social relations reticulated through multiple institutions, organizations, and actors. Although the interest of economic accumulation and Western-centric social and cultural orders are predominant in shaping the women’s career spaces, this transnational field also provides conduits for alternative flows of power, privileging the entrepreneurial quest for social, cultural, and economic capitals. Despite its elitist façade, the transnational field is itself also vulnerable, fractured, and prone to crisis.
First Sounding Results from VAS-D
Authors: Smith W. L. , Suomi V. E. , Menzel W. P. , Woolf H. M. , Sromovsky L. A. , Revercomb H. E. , Hayden C. M. , Erickson D. N. , Mosher F. R.
Published: April 2018

First results are presented from an experiment to sound the atmosphere's temperature and moisture distribution from a geostationary satellite. Sounding inferences in clear and partially cloudy conditions have the anticipated accuracy and horizontal and vertical resolutions. Most important is the preliminary indication that small but significant temporal variations of atmospheric temperature and moisture can be observed by the geostationary satellite sounder. Quantitative assessment of the accuracy and meteorological utility of this new sounding capability must await the accumulation of results over the coming months.
First International Workshop on Light Absorption by Aerosol Particles: Background, Activities, and Preliminary Results, 28 July–8 August 1980 Ft. Collins, Colo.
Authors: Gerber Hermann E. , Hindman Edward E.
Published: April 2018

The amount of light absorbed by aerosol particles has not been determined with certainty because errors in measurement techniques have been difficult to quantify. To improve this situation, a workshop was conducted to establish experimentally the errors for the various techniques. The workshop was held between 28 July and 8 August 1980 at the Cloud Simulation and Aerosol Laboratory at Colorado State University. Preliminary results show that, for the same well-characterized aerosol particles, substantial differences exist between results from the various techniques. These differences can explain a fraction of the variations reported for the light absorption properties of similar types of atmospheric aerosol particles.
An Assessment of the FGGE Satellite Observing System during SOP-1
Authors: Halem M. , Kalnay E. , Baker W. E. , Atlas R.
Published: April 2018

This study investigates the degree to which data from the space-borne FGGE observing systems are able to determine the complete state of the atmosphere when incorporated into a global objective analysis cycle. Three data assimilation experiments are performed with the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheric Sciences (GLAS) analysis/forecast system, using different combinations of the FGGE level II–b data collected during the first Special Observing Period (SOP-1), 5 January through 5 March 1979. The control experiment is an assimilation cycle with the complete FGGE II–b data. The other two assimilation/forecast experiments consist of i) the conventional system without the satellite data and special FGGE data sets; and ii) the FGGE II–b surface and satellite temperature soundings and cloud-track winds, aircraft data, and special FGGE data sets, but without the conventional rawinsonde/pilot balloon network.

From these experiments, we attempt to assess the accuracy of the inferred mass and motion fields over data-sparse regions, by examining their influence on analyses and forecasts over data-rich regions. The sensitivity of the analysis to the FGGE satellite data is shown by comparisons of the 6 h forecast error of the 300 mb geopotential height fields for these three experiments. It is found that large 6 h forecast errors downstream of data-sparse regions are reduced when the satellite observations are incorporated in the analysis. Forecast impact results from the initial states of these assimilation cycles show the geographical influence of the FGGE satellite observing system on short- to medium-range (two to five days) weather forecasting. Over North America and Europe, there is a small improvement in forecast skill from the use of the FGGE II–b data. Over Australia, as expected, the positive impact of satellite data is much larger. The number of skillful four- and five-day forecasts over North America and Europe has been increased substantially by the addition of the FGGE II–b data. Examples of useful eight-day forecasts, which occurred in periods of atmospheric blocking situations also are presented.
Possible Triggering Mechanisms for Severe Storms in SESAME-AVE IV (9–10 May 1979)
Authors: Ogura Yoshi , Juang Hann-Ming , Zhang Ke-Su , Soong Su-Tzai
Published: April 2018

The SESAME-AVE IV (9–10 May 1979) rawinsonde data were analyzed to uncover possible triggering mechanisms for severe storms that developed over western Oklahoma and Texas. The high frequency of observations (at 3 h intervals) and high vertical resolution of reported data (at 25 mb intervals) at all stations permitted investigation of the diurnal variation of the planetary boundary layer on the synoptic scale. Thunderstorms developed first just ahead of a stationary front over the Texas panhandle on the afternoon of 9 May. This area was characterized by the absence of a strong inversion (or “lid”) that represented an interface between very warm and dry air aloft, and warm moist tropical air below. Apparently, mesoscale low-level ascending motion associated with frontal lifting and/or the inland sea breeze effect led to the removal of the lid. Another noteworthy feature in this storm event was the strong vertical wind shear at low and middle levels over the storm area. When combined with the development of a deep boundary layer with weak stratification during the daytime, the Richardson number became less than one in the boundary layer in the prestorm situation. The results of our numerical linear stability analysis indicate that the observed basic states were indeed symmetrically unstable. This may suggest that the triggering processes were argumented by symmetric instability. Although a well defined dry line was present, it does not seem to have contributed directly to initiation of storms in this case. It also was observed that, as the thermal low began to weaken in the early evening, the cold air behind a stationary front started advancing eastward and helped to extend the line of thunderstorms deep into central Texas. This may be another process whereby some storms prefer to develop in the late afternoon or early evening.
Meso β-Scale Thunderstorm/Environment Interactions During AVE-SESAME V (20–21 May 1979)
Authors: Fuelberg Henry E. , Printy Matthew F.
Published: April 2018

Meso β-scale rawinsonde data from the Atmospheric Variability Experiment-Severe Environmental Storms and Mesoscale Experiment (AVE-SESAME) V period (20–21 May 1979) are used to diagnose atmospheric variability in the environment of a convective area. As the storms developed, temperatures increased in the upper stratosphere; however, cooling was observed nearer to the surface and in the lower stratosphere. Height rises above 400 mb produced a mesohigh over the convective area that was most pronounced near 200 mb. Weaker height falls occurred in the lower troposphere.

Wind patterns underwent especially interesting fluctuations. North of the convective area, upper-level winds increased significantly during storm development. Southeast of the convection, however, winds near 200 mb decreased approximately 50% during a 3 h period coinciding with the most active storms. On the other hand, winds at 400 mb almost doubled during the same 3 h period. Strong low-level convergence, upper-level divergence, and ascending motion developed after storm initiation.

Much more detailed study is required to understand this fascinating case. However, many of the current findings about the meso β-scale storm environment are consistent with those previously attributed to feedback mechanisms from severe thunderstorms.
A Diagram Depicting Forecast Skill and Predictability
Authors: Anthes Richard A. , Baumhefner David P.
Published: April 2018

In operational numerical weather prediction systems, both observations and numerical models contribute to the skill of the forecast. A simple diagram representing the relative contributions of observations and models to the current level of forecast skill and to the ultimate predictability of atmospheric phenomena is interpreted in this note. The forecast skill of 500 mb heights and an estimate of the ultimate predictability of this variable are used in a quantitative illustration of the diagram.
Report on the Third International Conference on School and Popular Meteorological and Oceanographic Education
Authors: Newman Steven B. , Smith David R.
Published: April 2018

The Third International Conference on School and Popular Meteorological and Oceanographic Education was held 14–18 July 1993 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This conference was attended by approximately 150 educators, meteorologists, oceanographers, and government officials representing 12 countries. The themes of this conference were the role of meteorology and oceanography in the formal science education of students in grades K-12 and the enhancement of scientific literacy of the public in order to permit individuals to make better use of products and services provided by the national environmental services and the media. Sixty formal presentations plus two poster sessions and six workshops provided information on educational programs as well as a variety of classroom activities on meteorological and oceanographic topics.
Investigating Perceptual Biases, Data Reliability, and Data Discovery in a Methodology for Collecting Speech Errors From Audio Recordings
Authors: Alderete John , Davies Monica
Published: April 2018

This work describes a methodology of collecting speech errors from audio recordings and investigates how some of its assumptions affect data quality and composition. Speech errors of all types (sound, lexical, syntactic, etc.) were collected by eight data collectors from audio recordings of unscripted English speech. Analysis of these errors showed that: (i) different listeners find different errors in the same audio recordings, but (ii) the frequencies of error patterns are similar across listeners; (iii) errors collected “online” using on the spot observational techniques are more likely to be affected by perceptual biases than “offline” errors collected from audio recordings; and (iv) datasets built from audio recordings can be explored and extended in a number of ways that traditional corpus studies cannot be.