bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Furosemide reverses medullary tissue hypoxia in ovine septic acute kidney injury
Authors: Iguchi Naoya , Lankadeva Yugeesh R. , Mori Trevor A. , Osawa Eduardo A. , Cutuli Salvatore L. , Evans Roger G. , Bellomo Rinaldo , May Clive N.
Published: May 2019

In experimental sepsis, the rapid development of renal medullary hypoxia precedes the development of acute kidney injury (AKI) and may contribute to its pathogenesis. We investigated whether inhibiting active sodium transport and oxygen consumption in the medullary thick ascending limb with furosemide attenuates the medullary hypoxia in experimental septic AKI. Sheep were instrumented with flow probes on the pulmonary and renal arteries and fiber optic probes to measure renal cortical and medullary perfusion and oxygen tension (Po2). Sepsis and AKI were induced by infusion of live Escherichia coli. At 24 h of sepsis there were significant decreases in renal medullary tissue perfusion (1,332 ± 233 to 698 ± 159 blood perfusion units) and Po2 (44 ± 6 to 19 ± 6 mmHg) (both P < 0.05). By 5 min after intravenous administration of furosemide (20 mg), renal medullary Po2 increased to 43 ± 6 mmHg and remained at this normal level for 8 h. Furosemide caused transient increases in fractional excretion of sodium and creatinine clearance, but medullary perfusion, renal blood flow, and renal oxygen delivery were unchanged. Urinary F2-isoprostanes, an index of oxidative stress, were not significantly changed at 24 h of sepsis but tended to transiently decrease after furosemide treatment. In septic AKI, furosemide rapidly restored medullary Po2 to preseptic levels. This effect was not accompanied by changes in medullary perfusion or renal oxygen delivery but was accompanied by a transient increase in fractional sodium excretion, implying decreased oxygen consumption as a mechanism.
Detrusor contractility to parasympathetic mediators is differentially altered in the compensated and decompensated states of diabetic bladder dysfunction
Authors: Klee Nicole S. , Moreland Robert S. , Kendig Derek M.
Published: May 2019

Diabetic bladder dysfunction (DBD) affects up to 50% of all patients with diabetes, characterized by symptoms of both overactive and underactive bladder. Although most diabetic bladder dysfunction studies have been performed using models with type 1 diabetes, few have been performed in models of type 2 diabetes, which accounts for ~90% of all diabetic cases. In a type 2 rat model using a high-fat diet (HFD) and two low doses of streptozotocin (STZ), we examined voiding measurements and functional experiments in urothelium-denuded bladder strips to establish a timeline of disease progression. We hypothesized that overactive bladder symptoms (compensated state) would develop and progress into symptoms characterized by underactive bladder (decompensated state). Our results indicated that this model developed the compensated state at 1 wk after STZ and the decompensated state at 4 mo after STZ administration. Diabetic bladders were hypertrophied compared with control bladders. Increased volume per void and detrusor muscle contractility to exogenous addition of carbachol and ATP confirmed the development of the compensated state. This enhanced contractility to carbachol was not due to increased levels of M3 receptor expression. Decompensation was characterized by increased volume per void, number of voids, and contractility to ATP but not carbachol. Thus, progression from the compensated to decompensated state may involve decreased contractility to muscarinic stimulation. These data suggest that the compensated state of DBD progresses temporally into the decompensated state in the male HFD/STZ model of diabetes; therefore, this male HFD/STZ model can be used to study the progression of DBD.
Involvement of PDZ-SAP97 interactions in regulating AQP2 translocation in response to vasopressin in LLC-PK1cells
Authors: Nooh Mohammed M. , Kale Ajay , Bahouth Suleiman W.
Published: May 2019

Arginine-vasopressin (AVP)-mediated translocation of aquaporin-2 (AQP2) protein-forming water channels from storage vesicles to the membrane of renal collecting ducts is critical for the renal conservation of water. The type-1 PDZ-binding motif (PBM) in AQP2, “GTKA,” is a critical barcode for its translocation, but its precise role and that of its interacting protein partners in this process remain obscure. We determined that synapse-associated protein-97 (SAP97), a membrane-associated guanylate kinase protein involved in establishing epithelial cell polarity, was an avid binding partner to the PBM of AQP2. The role of PBM and SAP97 on AQP2 redistribution in response to AVP was assessed in LLC-PK1renal collecting cells by confocal microscopy and cell surface biotinylation techniques. These experiments indicated that distribution of AQP2 and SAP97 overlapped in the kidneys and LLC-PK1cells and that knockdown of SAP97 inhibited the translocation of AQP2 in response to AVP. Binding between AQP2 and SAP97 was mediated by specific interactions between the second PDZ of SAP97 and PBM of AQP2. Mechanistically, inactivation of the PBM of AQP2, global delocalization of PKA, or knockdown of SAP97 inhibited AQP2 translocation as well as AVP- and forskolin-mediated phosphorylation of Ser256in AQP2, which serves as the major translocation barcode of AQP2. These results suggest that the targeting of PKA to the microdomain of AQP2 via SAP97-AQP2 interactions in association with cross-talk between two barcodes in AQP2, namely, the PBM and phospho-Ser256, plays an important role in the translocation of AQP2 in the kidney.
The PDEs and Numerical Scheme for Derivatives under Uncertainty Volatility
Authors: Fan Yulian
Published: May 2019

We use the stochastic differential equations (SDE) driven by G‐Brownian motion to describe the basic assets (such as stocks) price processes with volatility uncertainty. We give the estimation method of the SDE’s parameters. Then, by the nonlinear Feynman‐Kac formula, we get the partial differential equations satisfied by the derivatives. At last, we give a numerical scheme to solve the nonlinear partial differential equations.
Priority Schemes for Life Extension and Data Delivery in Body Area Wireless Sensor Networks with Cognitive Radio Capabilities
Authors: Martínez Chávez Sergio M. , Rivero-Angeles Mario E. , Garay-Jiménez Laura I. , Romero Ibarra Issis C.
Published: May 2019

Wireless sensor networks have recently been used to monitor bioelectric signals generated by the human body. However, since the dimensions and capabilities of the network nodes are small and limited, a problem is generated inherently by the energy consumption and radioelectric interference. In view of this, we propose two priority schemes to improve the performance of the network. In the first one, we aim at increasing the system lifetime by reducing the number of transmissions of nodes with low energy levels. In the second scheme, we aim at conveying priority data to the sink node as fast and efficient as possible. In the former scheme, users can be monitored for long time periods considering a low data generation. On the other hand, the latter scheme allows expediting transmission of important data when energy efficiency is not relevant. In this article, we mathematically model, analyze, and study the performance of the system for both priority schemes considering cognitive radio capabilities to make efficient use of resources and limit the radioelectric interference when the network transmits both continuous monitoring and event detection information. Numerical results provided in this work allow a careful parameter selection for practical implementation of BANETs.
Effect on Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Random Copolymer Polypropylene/Microcrystalline Cellulose Composites Using T-ZnOw as an Additive
Authors: Cheng Dan , Zhang Xiucheng , Wang Siyu , Liu Lihua
Published: May 2019

Four-needle zinc oxide whisker (T-ZnOw) incorporated into microcrystalline cellulose/maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene/random copolymer polypropylene (MCC/PP-g-MA/rPP) composite was prepared by melt blending. 5 wt% PP-g-MA was used as a coupling agent to improve the interfacial compatibility between fillers and rPP. The effect of T-ZnOw on MCC/PP-g-MA/rPP composite was investigated by mechanical testing, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Addition of T-ZnOw enhanced the mechanical properties of composites with tensile and flexural strengths increasing by 10% and 6%, respectively. SEM studies showed an improvement in the compatibility of fracture surfaces, which was evident from the absence of gaps between fillers and rPP. Additionally, initial thermal decomposition temperature and maximum weight loss temperature of T-ZnOw/MCC/PP-g-MA/rPP composite were both higher than those of MCC/PP-g-MA/rPP composite. Thermal degradation kinetics suggested that T-ZnOw has a weak catalytic effect on MCC, resulting in the early degradation of MCC and adhesion to the surface of rPP. Because of the presence of inorganic whiskers, the remaining weight percent was more than that of other composites at the end of the reaction. Crystallization temperature of the T-ZnOw/MCC/PP-g-MA/rPP composite was almost 3~5°C higher than that of MCC/PP-g-MA/rPP composite and close to the crystallization temperature of pure rPP.
Adaptive Aperiodically Intermittent Synchronization for Complex Dynamical Network with Unknown Time‐Varying Outer Coupling Strengths
Authors: Yan Lihong , Li Junmin
Published: May 2019

In this paper, exponential synchronization problem of complex dynamical networks with unknown periodically coupling strengths was investigated. An aperiodically intermittent control synchronization strategy is proposed. Based on Lyapunov exponential stability theory, inequality techniques, and adaptive learning laws design, some sufficient exponential synchronization criteria for complex dynamical network with unknown periodical coupling weights are obtained. The numerical simulation example is presented to illustrate the feasibility of theoretical results.
Shift Work, Chronotype, and Melatonin Rhythm in Nurses
Authors: Razavi Pedram , Devore Elizabeth E. , Bajaj Archna , Lockley Steven W. , Figueiro Mariana G. , Ricchiuti Vincent , Gauderman W. James , Hankinson Susan E. , Willett Walter C. , Schernhammer Eva S.
Published: May 2019

Background:

Previous studies associated night-shift work with melatonin disruption, with mixed evidence regarding the modulating effects of chronotype (i.e., diurnal preference).

Methods:

One hundred and thirty active nurses (84 rotating-shift and 46 day-shift workers) in the Nurses' Health Study II wore a head-mounted light meter and collected spontaneous urine voids over 3 days. 6-Sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s), the major urinary metabolite of melatonin, was assessed.

Results:

Rotating-shift workers on night shifts had more light exposure and lower urinary melatonin levels during the night, and urinary melatonin rhythms with smaller peaks [11.81 ng/mg-creatinine/h, 95% confidence interval (CI), 9.49–14.71 vs. 14.83 ng/mg-creatinine/h, 95% CI, 11.72–18.75] and later peak onset (5.71 hours, 95% CI, 4.76–6.85 vs. 4.10 hours, 95% CI, 3.37–4.99), compared with day-shift workers. Furthermore, evening chronotypes' melatonin rhythms had later peak onset compared with morning types (4.90 hours, 95% CI, 3.94–6.09 vs. 3.64 hours, 95% CI, 2.99–4.43). However, among day-shift workers, morning chronotypes had melatonin rhythms with greater mean levels, larger peaks, and earlier peak onset compared with evening chronotypes; patterns were similar comparing evening versus morning chronotypes among rotating-shift workers on night shifts. The interaction of rotating-shift work and chronotype was significant across all parameters (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

As expected, rotating-shift workers on night shifts had greater light exposure and lower urinary melatonin levels during the night compared with day-shift workers. Intriguingly, melatonin rhythms were dependent on both chronotype and rotating-shift work type, and better alignment of rotating-shift work and chronotype appeared to produce less disrupted melatonin rhythms.

Impact:

The joint effects of shift-work type and chronotype require attention in future studies.
Molecular Classification of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Based on Methylation Profiling: Evidence for Survival Heterogeneity
Authors: Bodelon Clara , Killian J. Keith , Sampson Joshua N. , Anderson William F. , Matsuno Rayna , Brinton Louise A. , Lissowska Jolanta , Anglesio Michael S. , Bowtell David D.L. , Doherty Jennifer A. , Ramus Susan J. , Talhouk Aline , Sherman Mark E. , Wentzensen Nicolas
Published: May 2019

Purpose:

Ovarian cancer is a heterogeneous disease that can be divided into multiple subtypes with variable etiology, pathogenesis, and prognosis. We analyzed DNA methylation profiling data to identify biologic subgroups of ovarian cancer and study their relationship with histologic subtypes, copy number variation, RNA expression data, and outcomes.

Experimental Design:

A total of 162 paraffin-embedded ovarian epithelial tumor tissues, including the five major epithelial ovarian tumor subtypes (high- and low-grade serous, endometrioid, mucinous, and clear cell) and tumors of low malignant potential were selected from two different sources: The Polish Ovarian Cancer study, and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Residual Tissue Repository (SEER RTR). Analyses were restricted to Caucasian women. Methylation profiling was conducted using the Illumina 450K methylation array. For 45 tumors array copy number data were available. NanoString gene expression data for 39 genes were available for 61 high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSC).

Results:

Consensus nonnegative matrix factorization clustering of the 1,000 most variable CpG sites showed four major clusters among all epithelial ovarian cancers. We observed statistically significant differences in survival (log-rank test, P = 9.1 × 10−7) and genomic instability across these clusters. Within HGSC, clustering showed three subgroups with survival differences (log-rank test, P = 0.002). Comparing models with and without methylation subgroups in addition to previously identified gene expression subtypes suggested that the methylation subgroups added significant survival information (P = 0.007).

Conclusions:

DNA methylation profiling of ovarian cancer identified novel molecular subgroups that had significant survival difference and provided insights into the molecular underpinnings of ovarian cancer.

See related commentary by Ishak et al., p. 5729
A Phase Ib/II Study of Ramucirumab in Combination with Emibetuzumab in Patients with Advanced Cancer
Authors: Harding James J. , Zhu Andrew X. , Bauer Todd M. , Choueiri Toni K. , Drilon Alexander , Voss Martin H. , Fuchs Charles S. , Abou-Alfa Ghassan K. , Wijayawardana Sameera R. , Wang Xuejing Aimee , Moser Brian A. , Uruñuela Arantxa , Wacheck Volker , Bendell Johanna C.
Published: May 2019

Purpose:

Inhibition of the VEGFR-2 blocks angiogenesis and attenuates tumor growth, but cancers may evade this effect through activation of the hepatocyte growth factor receptor MET. Here we report results of the phase Ib/II study of ramucirumab, a monoclonal anti-VEGFR-2 antibody, plus the anti-MET mAb emibetuzumab.

Patients and Methods:

A 3+3 dose escalation of emibetuzumab plus ramucirumab (phase Ib) was followed by tumor-specific expansion cohorts. Primary objectives were to determine the recommended phase II dose and to evaluate antitumor activity. Secondary objectives included safety, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity. Tumoral MET expression was explored by immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results:

A total of 97 patients with solid tumor [6 phase Ib, 16 gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, 45 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 15 renal cell carcinoma, and 15 non–small lung cancer] received emibetuzumab at 750 or 2,000 mg flat dosing plus ramucirumab at 8 mg/kg every 2 weeks. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed. Common adverse events were primarily mild or moderate and included fatigue (36.1%), peripheral edema (28.9%), and nausea (14.4%). Emibetuzumab exposures were similar as in previous studies with no apparent drug–drug interactions. Five partial responses (5.2%) were observed across all tumor types. The greatest antitumor activity was noted in HCC with a 6.7% overall response rate, 60% disease control rate, and 5.42 months (95% confidence interval, 1.64–8.12) progression-free survival (PFS). HCC with high MET expression showed improved PFS with approximately 3-fold increase in PFS (8.1 vs. 2.8 months) relative to low MET expression.

Conclusions:

Ramucirumab plus emibetuzumab was safe and exhibited cytostatic antitumor activity. MET expression may help to select patients benefitting most from this combination treatment in select tumor types.
The DNA Endonuclease Mus81 Regulates ZEB1 Expression and Serves as a Target of BET4 Inhibitors in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Yin Yuping , Liu Weizhen , Shen Qian , Zhang Peng , Wang Lulu , Tao Ruikang , Li Hang , Ma Xianxiong , Zeng Xiangyu , Cheong Jae-Ho , Song Shumei , Ajani Jaffer A. , Mills Gordon B. , Tao Kaixiong , Peng Guang
Published: May 2019

DNA replication and repair proteins play an important role in cancer initiation and progression by affecting genomic instability. The DNA endonuclease Mus81 is a DNA structure–specific endonuclease, which has been implicated in DNA replication and repair. In this study, we found that Mus81 promotes gastric metastasis by controlling the transcription of ZEB1, a master regulator of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Our results revealed that Mus81 is highly expressed in gastric cancer samples from patients and cell lines compared with their normal counterparts. Particularly, Mus81 expression positively correlated with ZEB1 expression and Mus81 overexpression was significantly associated with higher incidence of lymph node metastasis in patients. Furthermore, Mus81 promoted migration of gastric cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. We conducted a drug screen using a collection of preclinical and FDA-approved drugs and found that the BRD4 inhibitor AZD5153 inhibited the expression of Mus81 and ZEB1 by regulating the epigenetic factor Sirt5. As expected, AZD5153 treatment significantly reduced the migration of gastric cancer cells overexpressing Mus81 in vitro and in vivo. Collectively, we show that Mus81 is a regulator of ZEB1 and promotes metastasis in gastric cancer. Importantly, we demonstrate that the BRD4 inhibitor AZD5153 can potentially be used as an effective antimetastasis drug because of its effect on Mus81.
Nasal Coarticulation and Prosody in Kakataibo
Authors: Avelino Heriberto , Zariquiey Roberto , Pérez-Silva Jorge Iván
Published: May 2019

This paper presents the first phonetic description of the patterns of nasal coarticulation in Kakataibo. While closely related Panoan languages have been described as having anticipatory nasal coarticulation in VN sequences, there are only a few reports of other types of nasal coarticulation. Based on a detailed investigation of the aerodynamic properties of nasality, we account for the full variety of nasal coarticulation patterns in Kakataibo and discuss their interaction with prosody. This paper shows that nasal coarticulation occurs in all contexts in which there is vowel-nasal contiguity, although the amount and patterns of nasal coarticulation are dependent on the directionality of the process, the presence or absence of a syllable boundary and stress.
Ancillary Tests in Breast Cytology: A Practical Guide
Authors: Beca Francisco , Schmitt Fernando C.
Published: May 2019

Utilization of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) cytology for the diagnosis of diseases of the breast has been met with both excitement and uncertainty during the last couple of decades. Presently, FNAB for the diagnosis of primary and metastatic breast lesions is on the rise again. This is probably due to its fast turnaround time, cost efficiency, and minimal invasiveness, characteristics of this sampling modality which are particularly crucial for patients requiring frequent repeat biopsy in the setting of metastatic lesions. In this article, we will briefly review the main modern applications of FNAB of the breast when coupled with contemporary ancillary techniques. Such contemporary ancillary techniques range from classic immunocytochemistry (ICC) to the most modern molecular techniques, particularly next-generation sequencing. Coupled with contemporary ICC and molecular methods, FNAB of the breast can be used for several applications. The applications reviewed in this article include the primary diagnosis of a breast lesion, the identification of the breast as a primary source of a metastatic lesion, the evaluation of breast prognostic/predictive markers, and the tracking of tumor evolution. In our opinion, FNAB of the breast is an ideal sampling method, sharing many of the advantages of truly liquid and of tissue biopsies. Ultimately, we aim at demystifying the complexity of many of the challenges traditionally associated with the application of ancillary techniques to FNAB of the breast and provide insights into some of the most cutting-edge and clinically useful application scenarios.
Systemic Treatment Options in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Rimassa Lorenza , Pressiani Tiziana , Merle Philippe
Published: May 2019

Background: Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) typically have poor survival outcomes. Until recently, sorafenib was the only systemic therapy option available and no agents were approved after sorafenib failure. However, rapid changes are beginning to emerge in the treatment landscape of advanced HCC, with approvals of regorafenib, nivolu­mab, lenvatinib, pembrolizumab, and cabozantinib and positive phase II/III clinical trial results with other agents. Summary: Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the clinical trial data of systemic agents that are currently approved for advanced HCC (sorafenib, regorafenib, and nivolumab), including agents recently approved in 2018 (lenvatinib, pembrolizumab, and cabozantinib) and those with recent positive phase II/III results (ramucirumab). Key features of the clinical trial design, including patient selection criteria, the use of biomarkers in HCC, and criteria for efficacy assessment, and their implications in real-world practice are discussed. Important ongoing and planned trials in advanced HCC are summarized to provide a glimpse into the future of advanced HCC treatment. From a physician’s viewpoint, the treatment algorithms for advanced HCC are undergoing significant changes, as additional and imminent approvals impact the choices of first- and second-line treatment and decisions regarding the timing of therapy initiation. With these additional choices at hand, treatment sequencing remains a complex task and should take patient selection and tolerance profiles into account. Key Messages: The treatment of advanced HCC remains challenging and complex. The rapid developments in systemic therapy for advanced HCC should be considered when determining the best choice and sequence of treatment for patients with advanced HCC.
Involvement of Plasma Endocannabinoids and the Hypothalamic Endocannabinoid System in Increasing Feed Intake after Parturition of Dairy Cows
Authors: Kuhla Björn , Kaever Volkhard , Tuchscherer Armin , Kuhla Angela
Published: May 2019

The endocannabinoids (ECs) N-arachidonylethanolamide (anandamide; AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) participate in the control of feed intake and energy metabolism. Most mammals increase their feed intake after parturition to cope with the increased energy and nutrient requirements for milk synthesis, thereby increasing their metabolic rate. Here we investigated in experiment 1 the regulation of plasma AEA and 2-AG concentrations during the transition from late pregnancy to early lactation in dairy cows, and analyzed in experiment 2 the expression of the EC system in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus of late and early lactating cows using immunohistochemistry. Cows in experiment 1 were retrospectively grouped based on peak plasma fatty acid concentrations to a high (H) or low (L) group. Feed intake was not different between groups before parturition, but was lower in H than L cows during early lactation. Plasma AEA and 2-AG concentrations increased 2.2- to 2.4-fold during early lactation, in which time plasma AEA concentrations rose faster in H cows than in L cows postpartum. Upregulation of N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine-specific phospholipase D together with tending increased cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) expression, and downregulation of fatty acid amide hydrolase in early lactating cows suggested an increased PVN AEA tone. The abundance of CB1 in the ARC and diacylglycerol lipase-alpha was not different between late and early lactating cows, but PVN monoacylglycerol lipase expression was 30% higher in early lactating cows, indicating diminished PVN 2-AG concentrations. The results show a potential involvement of AEA in stimulating feed intake and of 2-AG in regulating energy metabolism of early lactating cows.
Impact of High Volume Energy Drink Consumption on Electrocardiographic and Blood Pressure Parameters: A Randomized Trial
Authors: Shah Sachin A. , Szeto Andy H. , Farewell Raechel , Shek Allen , Fan Dorothy , Quach Kathy N. , Bhattacharyya Mouchumi , Elmiari Jasmine , Chan Winny , O'Dell Kate , Nguyen Nancy , McGaughey Tracey J. , Nasir Javed M. , Kaul Sanjay
Published: May 2019

Background

Energy drinks have been linked to an increase in emergency room visits and deaths. We aim to determine the impact of energy drinks on electrocardiographic and hemodynamic parameters in young healthy volunteers.

Methods and Results

A randomized, double‐masked, placebo‐controlled, crossover study was conducted in healthy volunteers. Participants consumed 32 oz of either energy drink A, energy drink B, or placebo within 60 minutes on 3 study days with a 6‐day washout period in between. The primary end point of
QT
c interval and secondary end points of
QT
interval,
PR
interval,
QRS
duration, heart rate, and brachial and central blood pressures were measured at baseline, and every 30 minutes for 240 minutes. A repeated‐measures 2‐way analysis of variance was performed with the main effects of intervention, time, and an interaction of intervention and time. Thirty‐four participants were included (age 22.1±3.0 years). The interaction term of intervention and time was statistically significant for Bazett's corrected QT interval, Fridericia's corrected QT interval,
QT
,
PR
,
QRS
duration, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, central systolic blood pressure, and central diastolic blood pressure (all
P
<0.001). The maximum change from baseline in Bazett's corrected
QT
interval for drinks A, B, and placebo were +17.9±13.9, +19.6±15.8, and +11.9±11.1 ms, respectively (
P
=0.005 for
ANOVA
) (
P
=0.04 and <0.01, respectively compared with placebo). Peripheral and central systolic and diastolic blood pressure were statistically significantly different compared with placebo (all
P
<0.001).

Conclusion

Energy drinks significantly prolong the
QT
c interval and raise blood pressure.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL
:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier:
NCT
03196908.
Cholesterol and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Lifelong Problem
Authors: Gidding Samuel S. , Allen Norrina B.
Published: May 2019

See Article
Duncan et al
Scientology’s Sunday Service: Scripture in Action
Authors: Gallagher Eugene V.
Published: May 2019

Although they have received little scholarly attention, the communal rituals of the Church of Scientology, particularly the Sunday service, provide a distinctive perspective on how the Church, through the presiding minister, uses a selection of its scriptural texts to form the consciousness and attitudes of those in attendance. While several elements of the Sunday service are invariable, the minister must craft each service by choosing from among a limited selection of possible sermons and group processing exercises, attributed to L. Ron Hubbard himself, that can be delivered to the congregation. Thus, in keeping with the understanding of scripture articulated by Wilfred Cantwell Smith and of canon by Jonathan Z. Smith, the minister exercises a degree of exegetical ingenuity within the strictures of a strongly literal approach to Hubbard’s canonical teachings. Scientology ministers in the context of the Sunday service thus function like other indigenous theologians who work with canonical bodies of texts.
Alfred Loisy’s Comparative Method in Les mystères païens et le mystère chrétien
Authors: Praet Danny , Lannoy Annelies
Published: May 2019

While the work of the “father of Roman Catholic Modernism” prior to his excommunication in 1908 has been extensively studied, Alfred Loisy’s later career as professor of Histoire des Religions at the Collège de France has received less attention. This article examines his original contribution to comparative methodology for the interrelation between early Christianity and the pagan mystery cults. Loisy’s explicit aim was to integrate the historical, sociological, psychological, and anthropological approaches of his time into an original and all-encompassing methodological framework.

Our article pays special attention to Loisy’s predominant yet hitherto unnoticed use of a model of analogy. Crucial to this interpretation are (a) the idea that the Christian mystery and the pagan mysteries are the result of a universal and independent, analogous evolution of religions, and (b) the theory that ritual precedes myth, adopted from the Cambridge Myth and Ritual School. We show that Loisy’s novelty resided in the fact that he consistently applied these principles to both the pagan cults and to Christianity, but it will also become clear that his systematic approach entailed major problems for the individual features of the compared cults, problems which he tended to overlook. Loisy combined this analogical framework with a psychological interpretation of the genesis of the belief in Christ’s resurrection and with a historical-genealogical explanation of Paul’s knowledge and use of the mystery cults. The article also uses unpublished material from Loisy’s correspondence with Franz Cumont.
Chumash Conversions: The Historical Dynamics of Religious Change in Native California
Authors: Paldam Ella
Published: May 2019

The historical dynamics of religious change among the Chumash constitute a compelling case for the academic study of conversion. Within 250 years the community has experienced two major cultural transitions: first, European colonization after 1772, and second, indigenous revitalization since 1968. Although both events implicate changes in religiosity, ethnohistorians and anthropologists tend to regard religious conversion as a byproduct of other cultural forces. This paper takes a different approach because conversion is understood as a force that in itself contributes to cultural transition. The relative distribution of the four most significant religious traditions since colonization is traced using a model that synthesizes prevailing insights from conversion research into an analytical matrix that may be applied to historical and contemporary qualitative data. Approaching cultural change among indigenous peoples as conversion brings a renewed focus on religiosity as a cultural strategy at the same time as it contributes to a cross-cultural perspective on conversion.
“Instant Miracles are Rare, but It Happened to Me”
Authors: Wilkens Katharina
Published: May 2019

The Marian Faith Healing Ministry, under the leadership of the excommunicated Catholic priest Felicien Nkwera, is dedicated to the fight against demons, illness, and corruption. It is a small, but fairly well-known group in Tanzania and enjoys some notoriety due to its propagation of exorcism. At the same time, both the leader and its members fully accept the biomedical paradigm of healing. In this article, I analyze narrative structures reflecting moments of differentiation and de-differentiation between the systems of religious healing and of (bio-)medicine. I draw both on narratives of healing published by Nkwera in his books as well as on narrative interviews conducted with his followers. Religious and biomedical frameworks of explanation were emplotted by some respondents as narratives of miracle healing and conversion, in which biomedicine’s denial of spiritual agency serves as the necessary foil to the efficacy of religious healing. My findings contribute to the study of contemporary forms of alternative medicine by making a case for employing methods of narrative analysis in this field.
The Rise of the Science of Religion and Its Separation from Traditional Protestant Theology in Hungary
Authors: Kovács Ábrahám
Published: May 2019

This study of the works of Ödön Kovács (1844–1895) demonstrates how Western European liberal scholarship, especially the work of J. H. Scholten, C. P. Tiele, and O. Pfleiderer, impacted the emergence of the science of religion in the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. It addresses the issue of how the science of religion was envisioned and explicated by Kovács, a pioneer of the study of religion in Hungary. By examining his first series of articles written as early as 1869 on the science of religion, the article sheds light on the different theoretical premises and methodologies of theology and the science of religion as well as on the impact of the Tübingen and Leiden schools of theology. It further points out how the emergence of the science of religion was promoted by one of the most talented Hungarian scholars of religion. Finally, it attempts to demarcate the lines of divergence and convergence between the two interconnected academic fields.
Standing Rock Religion(s)
Authors: Johnson Greg , Kraft Siv Ellen
Published: May 2019

This article addresses emergent religious formations at protest scenes in the broader context of indigenous organization and identity-building. Our central example is the Standing Rock protest in North Dakota, 2016–2017, a local encampment-based event that quickly expanded into an international indigenous peoples’ movement. We argue that religion was a key register in the camps, during direct actions, and in solidarity actions around the world, primarily expressed through a limited selection of key terms: water is sacred, water is life, Mother Earth, and ceremony. We argue, moreover, that these terms, and “ceremony” in particular, were a crucial medium of inter-group and up-scaled cultural translations, allowing local identities to come forth as a unified front. Invoking Standing Rock religion(s) as an instance of the broader category indigenous religion(s), we suggest that these identity formations belong to a globalizing indigenous religious formation, anchored in, yet distinct from, discrete indigenous religions, and today performed and mediated in diverse arenas, crisscrossing and connecting indigenous worlds. We are concerned with the translations and comparisons at play, and with the sentiments and moodiness of religion in this particular case, fueled by the cause (a planned pipeline on ancestral lands), the brutality of police encounters, and the sharing of ceremonies, food, and fires at the camps.
“Your Son Will Be the Scourge of Islam”
Authors: Spät Eszter
Published: May 2019

Using analyses of myths and fieldwork material, the article studies the way Yezidis, a small ethno-religious group of the Middle East, appropriated the Muslim figure of Yazīd ibn Muʿāwiya, the second Umayyad caliph. In his Yezidi myth, he appears as a divine being who was incarnated on earth in order to subvert sharia and replace it with a more spiritual form of Islam, equated with the Yezidi religion at the time the myth was composed. The myth is constructed around the historical reputation of Yazīd as an antinomian figure, but interprets it in a way that mocks orthodox Islam and echoes the ethos of Yezidi religion. In their turn, the Prophet Muhammad and Caliph Muʿāwiya appear as inferior figures, representing a religious tradition that is superseded by Yazīd’s arrival. The myth throws light on the historical development of Yezidi religion, as it reflects an earlier stage, when Yezidis considered orthodox Islam a related, albeit rival and inferior, form of religion. However, today, as Yezidis emphasize their distance from anything related with Islam and Arabic culture, the myth may come to be rejected despite its profoundly Yezidi nature.
Two Ways of Being for an End
Authors: Gelber Jessica
Published: May 2019

Five times in the extant corpus, Aristotle refers to a distinction between two ways of being a ‘that for the sake of which’ that he sometimes marks by using genitive and dative pronouns. Commentators almost universally say that this is the distinction between an aim (hou heneka + genitive) and beneficiary (hou heneka + dative). I propose that Aristotle had a quite different distinction in mind, namely: (a) that which holds between something and the aim or objective it is in the business of producing or achieving, and (b) that which holds between some instrument and the user of that instrument.
Equitable and Quality Education for All of Africa? The Challenges of Using ict in Education
Authors: Samarakoon Shanil , Christiansen Amé , Munro Paul G.
Published: May 2019

Technological advances are increasing interest in the potential role of information and communication technologies (ict) in enabling quality education outcomes in Africa. At present, however, the geographies of ict use in Africa is poorly understood, and ict education policy development has occurred in a relative empirical void. Relevant studies have largely been focused on wealthier African nations, largely neglecting poorer regions where education issues are most acute. This article works to address this lacuna. Drawing upon extensive fieldwork, it provides a detailed snapshot of ict use in education in the northern Sierra Leonean district of Koinadugu. We subsequently argue that a lack of access to electricity, along with limited numbers of qualified teaching staff, presents fundamental barriers for realizing ict use in classroom settings. Nevertheless, we also identify some promising trends with respect to the informal use of mobile Internet by teachers and students to augment learning in the classroom.
Internet Use around the World: An Empirical Assessment
Authors: Dao Minh
Published: May 2019

This paper empirically assesses the effect of the determinants of Internet use, using several samples of both developed and developing countries. Based on a sample of 23 low-income economies in 2015, we find that Internet use depends upon computer access. Using a sample of 38 lower middle-income countries we find that Internet use depends upon Internet quality and Internet affordability. Using a sample of 41 upper middle-income countries, we find that computer access and Internet affordability influence Internet use. From a sample of 45 high-income countries, we are able to show that computer access, Internet quality, and affordability do affect Internet use. Using a sample of thirty oecd countries, we find that Internet use depends upon computer access and Internet quality. When a sample of 150 developing and developed countries is used, results show that Internet use is influenced by computer access, Internet quality, Internet affordability, and Internet application.
Alt-Right Transgressions in the Age of Trump
Authors: Pollard Tom
Published: May 2019

The alt-right movement dates from 2008 when white supremacist Richard Spencer invented the term to identify contemporary right-wing and far-right socio/political movements. The movement relies on mass media, communicating graphically and symbolically through “trolls,” “tropes,” and “memes.” The “Sadomasochist trope” valorizes aggressive actors like Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, while demonizing “passive” individuals like Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama. Trolls communicate through memes, single-frame or short video phrases matched with photos and cartoons, to attract online audiences. When not attacking liberals and progressives, alt-right memes turn on traditional conservatives. The alt-right community maintains it is “under assault” in today’s politically correct, overly secularized, culturally diverse society. However, Donald Trump elevated alt-right icon and former Breitbart ceo Stephen Bannon to chief advisor, providing the alt-right movement access to the highest government levels. Will alt-right organizations continue their recent expansion, or will the public lose interest in the movement?
From Occupy Wall Street to the Umbrella Movement: Leaderless Uprising Explained
Authors: Choi Wai Kit
Published: May 2019

The series of uprising that swept from Wall Street in 2011 to Hong Kong in 2014 are described as embodying a “leaderless” form of organizing. With no centralized organizational structure, these contemporary movements are often thought to be a new form of politics that is far more participatory and spontaneous than the tradition of revolutionary communism inaugurated by the Bolsheviks in 1917. However, such a stark contrast suppresses the similarities between past and present revolts, and obscures how the experience of the former can still contribute to the latter.
Cultural, Political, and Economic Factors Affecting the Incentive to Do Business in BRICS Countries
Authors: Joshi Prathibha , Beck Kris Aaron
Published: May 2019

The BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) countries generally offer some of the best opportunities for successful investment. We therefore examine the factors that encourage or discourage foreign direct investment (FDI) in these BRICS countries. Some similar studies have evaluated the impact of economic risks on investment; fewer studies have explored the political risks associated with investing or how human development within a country can alter the decision to invest. Our innovation is to look at all of these factors, and hence we investigate how domestic economic growth, measures of economic freedom, degrees of political freedom, cultural factors, and levels of human development influence the likelihood of investment in BRICS countries. We find that economic freedom and urbanization are insignificant, but that GDP, political freedom, gross national income, and secondary education all are significant and positive; cellphone subscriptions show negative and significant results.
A Critical Vision of Disruptive Nanotechnologies
Authors: Foladori Guillermo , Invernizzi Noela
Published: May 2019

Nanotechnologies constitute one of the most innovative processes of production, and their products already reach all economic sectors. In view of their potential to boost economic development and competitiveness, governments have declared them areas of priority or strategic interest.

In the framework of studies that deal with the evaluation of benefits, impacts, and harmful effects of new technologies, this article analyses the potential barriers to an inclusive development of nanotechnologies to improve the living conditions of broad sectors of the population. It is concluded that the discussion on disruptive technologies leaves aside the socio-economic and political context in which nanotechnologies are developed. It is in this context that the barriers to a more inclusive development aimed at improving the living conditions of the population must be sought. But, even if this target is not met, new technologies can result in market and competitive advantages, although deepening the gap in social inequality.

The text is divided into two sections. In the first, the peculiarities of nanotechnologies are explained, allowing their identification as a new form of disruptive production. In the second, an analysis of the context in which nanotechnologies develop as well as their potential social implications is provided.
Le relazioni tra Siria e Libano nel sistema geopolitico vicino-orientale prima e dopo le rivolte arabe
Authors: Di Peri Rosita
Published: May 2019

The relationships between Syria and Lebanon have been historically marked by a deep asymmetry. From the French Mandate, regional and international events have shaped the life of the two countries of the Mashreq, underlining the steady presence of Syria over Lebanese affairs. Pushed by the need of accreditation as a regional power, Syria has elaborated, over the years, a clear and precise strategy towards Lebanon, by using the Pan-Arab narrative but also economic, identititarian and political incentives. Consequently, the paper argues, in the frame of a Westphalian narrative, that Lebanon has been used by Syria as a tool for domestic, regional and international accreditation. This hypothesis will be tested through the analysis of the relationships between the two countries from the 1970s until the more recent events of the Arab uprisings.
The Struggle of the Women’s Movements in Neo-patriarchal Libya
Authors: Lagdaf Souadou , Zoubir Yahia H.
Published: May 2019

After the 2011 revolution, the new Libyan authorities launched a political and constitutional debate, which focused, inter alia, on democracy and the role of women in the new order. The autonomous initiatives of women’s associations, which demanded female quotas and equal rights, is an important aspect of the post-revolution reality and highlights the contradictions between the cultural conditions and the policies of the authoritarian past in a society that for the most part aspires for equal rights, the nature of its neo-patriarchy1 notwithstanding.

In this article, the authors analyse the historical trajectory of women’s claims and the contributions of women’s associations to the constitutional debate for women’s rights. Women’s activism has characterised this new era, one full of incongruities, such as the opposition of past ideas against innovative, more modernist, progressive ones.
Hope as the Prudent Art of Potentialities: Its Significance for a Christian Economics of Human Flourishing
Authors: Nullens Patrick
Published: May 2019

Hope is a complex and multifaceted syndrome, an emotion as well as a virtue. It requires attention in a Christian economic paradigm oriented at justice and human flourishing. This article makes a case for this type of interdisciplinary research. Our focus lies on hope with a high (aspirational) agency and prudence. In recent economics, with increasing appreciation for relationships, well-being, and the common good, there is an openness to motivational concepts such as hope. Positive psychology has also given attention to hope as a form of well-being and resilience. We stress the importance of embedding hope in a Christian worldview in the tradition of Abraham Kuyper’s Pro Rege and the work of Nicholas Wolterstorff. Christian thinking fosters the relationship between hope, faith, moral orientation, and worship as imagining a different future. Hope as a prudent art of potentiality is a transformational power, creating a society where humans can flourish and fight off anxiety and despair.
The Dilemma for Christian Philosophical Thought and the Critical Character of the Philosophy of the Cosmonomic Idea
Authors: van Haeften Chris
Published: May 2019

Introduction to the translation of “Het dilemma voor het christelijk wijsgeerig denken en het critisch karakter van de wijsbegeerte der wetsidee” by Herman Dooyeweerd (1936), Philosophia Reformata 1 (1), pp. 3–16. See doi 10.1163/23528230-08302008.