bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Zonal shift of the South Asian High on the subseasonal time‐scale and its relation to the summer rainfall anomaly in China
Authors: Yang Shuangyan , Li Tim
Published: April 2016

By using daily National Centers for Environmental Prediction‐National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP‐NCAR) reanalysis and observed rainfall data, we investigated the east–west shift of the South Asian High (SAH) on the subseasonal time‐scale and its relationship with the rainfall anomaly in China. It is found that the zonal shift of the SAH at 200 hPa displays a dominant periodicity of 10–50 days, with two preferred locations, one over the northeast Tibetan Plateau (eastern location) and the other over the northeast Iranian Plateau (western location). The zonal shift of the SAH is closely related to the southward movement of intraseasonal perturbations originating in middle latitudes. A vorticity budget analysis reveals that the advection of mean vorticity by the perturbation of meridional wind primarily contributes to the vorticity tendency over both the eastern and western locations. The zonal shift of the SAH closely connects to the summer rainfall anomalies over China. An eastern (a western) location of the SAH corresponds to generally positive (negative) rainfall anomalies in northwestern China and negative (positive) anomalies in southern China. A further diagnosis reveals that the strengthening of the intraseasonal perturbation during the southward journey in the eastern location is attributed to a positive convection–circulation feedback. On the one hand, a positive geopotential height anomaly in the upper troposphere and associated upper‐level divergence induce anomalous ascending motion and condensational heating in the middle troposphere. On the other hand, the positive heating anomaly increases mid‐tropospheric temperature and strengthens upper‐level geopotential height. The southward propagation leads to the zonal shift of the SAH.
Nature of Science or Nature of the Sciences?
Authors: SCHIZAS DIMITRIOS , PSILLOS DIMITRIS , STAMOU GEORGE
Published: April 2016

The present essay examines the emerging issue of domain‐general versus domain‐specific nature of science (NOS) understandings from a perspective that illuminates the value of domain‐specific philosophies of science for the growth and development of the NOS educational field. Under the assumption that individual sciences do have their own character, we address the unique ontological, methodological, and epistemological features of Newtonian physics and evolutionary biology and we articulate the important differences that exist between the worldviews associated with these scientific fields, namely, the Newtonian and the neo‐Darwinian scientific worldviews. The former worldview is consistent in many respects with assumptions that are grounded on positivism, whereas the latter worldview provides an alternative understanding of NOS, which is predominately based in the techniques of hermeneutics and historical sciences. We subsequently attempt to present the current inadequacies and weaknesses that the NOS field is challenged with as a result of not incorporating the differences between the Newtonian and neo‐Darwinian worldviews into its research or instructional agenda. In addition, we outline the heuristic power for the NOS field that may accompany a potential shift from a homogeneous view of NOS to a view more informed by the specificities of any particular science or scientific field.
Promoting Students’ Attention to Argumentative Reasoning Patterns
Authors: CAVAGNETTO ANDY R. , KURTZ KENNETH J.
Published: April 2016

Argument‐based interventions in science education have largely been motivated by the perspective that students lack knowledge of argument. Recent studies, however, suggest that contextual factors influence students’ argument quality. The authors hypothesize that a key limiting factor lies in students’ abilities to recognize when to employ knowledge related to argumentative reasoning. Students hold knowledge that can remain inert if the context fails to trigger access. The article reports on two experiments exploring the influence of context on recognition of argumentative reasoning. Each experiment used performance on a categorization task as the dependent variable. The first experiment (E1) tested the effect of targeted cues on participants’ identification of fallacious reasoning patterns. The second experiment (E2) examined the role of scenario context. E1 revealed a significant advantage in promoting detection of fallacious reasoning patterns when targeted cues were present. E2 suggests that the broad context of scenarios also influences reasoning patterns. These findings reveal that lack of knowledge of argument may not be the principal constraint on students’ argument abilities. Rather, contextual details can have a significant influence on activation of knowledge bases that contribute to argumentative reasoning. Instructional implications are discussed.
Free Radical Scavenging Reactions of Tetrahydroxyquinone: A Pulse Radiolysis Study
Authors: Joshi Ravi
Published: April 2016

Free radical induced redox reaction kinetics and mechanism of tetrahydroxy‐1,4‐benzoquinone (THQ) has been studied using pulse radiolysis technique. THQ efficiently scavenged hydrated electron, superoxide radical anion, ethanol radical, hydroxyl radical, azidyl radical, thiocyanate radical anion, sulfate radical anion, haloperoxyl radical, lipid peroxyl radical, tryptophanyl radical and tyrosyl radical. Transient absorption spectra of THQ semiquinone radical anion, THQ radical cation and THQ radical produced with these free radicals and rate constants for these reactions have been studied. A probable mechanism of free radical induced redox reactions of THQ has been proposed. Reaction of THQ with free radicals and cyclic voltammetry measurements suggest its oxidation potentials at 0.81 V and 0.94 V vs NHE. To the best of our knowledge, free radical reactions of THQ have been reported for the first time.
Transition‐Metal‐Free Thiolation Annulation of 2‐Fluorophenylacetylene Derivatives: Expedient Synthesis of Benzo[b]thiophenes Using Na2S•9H2O
Authors: Li Yibiao , Cheng Liang , Li Bin , Jiang Shaohua , Chen Lu , Shao Yan
Published: April 2016

We present here valuable extensions to our previous work in preparing highly functionalized benzo[b]thiophene via thiolation annulation of 2‐fluorophenylacetylene derivatives using Na2S•9H2O under transition‐metal‐free conditions. This practical process was initiated by a Na2S•9H2O induced providing 2‐alkynyl benzenethiol, followed by annulation process affording the corresponding benzo[b]thiophene in moderate to good yields from simple and readily available starting materials.
Benz–amidinato Stabilized a Monomeric Calcium Iodide and a Lithium Calciate(II) Cluster featuring Group 1 and Group 2 Elements
Authors: Yadav Sandeep , Swamy V. S. V. S. N. , Gonnade Rajesh , Sen Sakya S.
Published: April 2016

Soluble calcium halides reported so far are mostly dimeric in nature. The halides occupy the bridging position and thus provide additional coordination to the metal. We obtained a monomeric calcium iodide [{PhC(NiPr)2}CaI(thf)3] (1) from the reaction of [PhC(NiPr)2]Li with CaI2 in THF. The compound has been stabilized by electronic donation and steric shielding from the amidinate ligand as well as coordination of three THF molecules. 1 does not show any propensity towards ligand exchange reaction. When the same reaction is carried out in diethyl ether instead of THF, it led to the formation of a Li calciate(II) cluster of composition L2Ca4I8Li4O (L=PhC(NiPr)2) (2) with an encapsulated O2− in the middle of a tetrahedron spanned by four Ca2+ ions. 2 represents a metal‐rich halide comprising of both alkali and alkaline earth metals which is quite unprecedented. Another notable aspect is that the amidinate ligand binds to the calcium atom in chelating bidentate mode in 1, whereas in 2 each N atom of the amidinate ligands binds to two Ca atoms leading to bridging bis‐chelating coordination mode.
Dendrimer‐based nanocarriers: a versatile platform for drug delivery
Authors: Hsu Hao‐Jui , Bugno Jason , Lee Seung‐ri , Hong Seungpyo
Published: April 2016

Advances in nanotechnology have had profound impacts on therapeutic delivery, leading to the development of nanomaterials engineered with large carrying capabilities and targeting functionalities. Among the nanomaterials, dendrimers have garnered particular attention from researchers owing to their well‐defined structure, near‐monodispersity, and ease of multifunctionalization. As hyperbranched, three‐dimensional macromolecules, dendrimers can be engineered to target and deliver a wide range of therapeutic agents, including small molecules, peptides, and genes, reducing their systemic toxicities and enhancing efficacies. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the commonly employed dendrimer‐based nanocarrier designs, including dendrimer conjugates, Janus dendrimers, and linear‐dendritic block copolymers. The discussion will progress through the basic synthetic strategies of dendrimer‐based nanocarriers, followed by the potential clinical applications related to their unique structural properties. Finally, the major challenges that these nanocarriers are currently facing in their clinical translation and possible solutions to address these issues will be discussed, with the aim to provide researchers in the drug delivery field a good understanding of the potential utilities of dendrimer‐based nanocarriers. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2017, 9:e1409. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1409

This article is categorized under:

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
Dual roles of DNA repair enzymes in RNA biology/post‐transcriptional control
Authors: Vohhodina Jekaterina , Harkin D. Paul , Savage Kienan I.
Published: April 2016

Despite consistent research into the molecular principles of the DNA damage repair pathway for almost two decades, it has only recently been found that RNA metabolism is very tightly related to this pathway, and the two ancient biochemical mechanisms act in alliance to maintain cellular genomic integrity. The close links between these pathways are well exemplified by examining the base excision repair pathway, which is now well known for dual roles of many of its members in DNA repair and RNA surveillance, including APE1, SMUG1, and PARP1. With additional links between these pathways steadily emerging, this review aims to provide a summary of the emerging roles for DNA repair proteins in the post‐transcriptional regulation of RNAs. WIREs RNA 2016, 7:604–619. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1353

This article is categorized under:

RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Turnover/Surveillance Mechanisms

RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Regulation of RNA Stability

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein–RNA Interactions: Functional Implications
Behavioral changes in female Asian elephants when given access to an outdoor yard overnight
Authors: Powell David M. , Vitale Cathy
Published: April 2016

A study was conducted at the Bronx Zoo to determine whether providing elephants with access to an outdoor corral at night had any significant effects on behavior, use of space, and use of a sand corral. Activity budgets for three female Asian elephants were compared when the subjects were housed indoors overnight and when they were given access to an outdoor yard overnight. Observations were recorded via infrared video cameras between the hours of 1900 and 0700 during the months of July–September. Two of the three elephants showed a significant preference for spending time outdoors, whereas, the third elephant spent most of her time indoors. Standing and play behavior increased when the elephants had outdoor access while lying down and feeding behavior decreased. Swaying behavior decreased significantly when the elephants had access to the outdoor yard. The elephants made very little use of a sand‐floor stall regardless of whether or not they had access to outdoors. The results of this study, suggest that having access to alternate areas overnight can promote well‐being by reducing repetitive behavior and allowing animals to express their preferences for different locations. The relative importance of choice alone vs. the behavioral opportunities provided by choice options for zoo animals is discussed. Zoo Biol. 35:298–303, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Facile Method for a Quantitative Study of the Mechanical Force Impact on Fabric Dye Loss During Domestic Washing
Authors: Cai Guoqiang , Guo Liyun , Ge Huayun , Wang Jiping
Published: April 2016

Mechanical abrasion force may be the most important cause for dye loss of fabric in low temperature washing using bleach‐free detergent during domestic washing. In this work, a facile method was developed to investigate the effect of mechanical abrasion force on the dye loss of fabrics. The amount and composition of abraded dyes were quantitatively determined by UV–Vis and HPLC methods, respectively. Results showed that the abraded dyes consisted of fiber bonded dyes and unfixed dyes, and bonded dyes with fractured short fibers took up a larger proportion after several washings. Mechanical abrasion force also facilitated desorption of unfixed dyes and hydrolysis of covalent bond. Meanwhile, the K/S value decreased quickly and surface morphology of fabric was seriously damaged in strong mechanical abrasion condition.
Extraction and Characterization of Montmorency Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) Pit Oil
Authors: Korlesky Nathan M. , Stolp Lucas J. , Kodali Dharma R. , Goldschmidt Robert , Byrdwell William C.
Published: April 2016

Montmorency sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) pit oil (CPO) was extracted and characterized by various methods including: GC, LC–MS, NMR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD). The oil gave an acid value of 1.45 mg KOH/g, saponification value of 193 mg KOH/g and unsaponifiable matter content of 0.72 %. The oil contained oleic (O) and linoleic (l) acids as the major components with small concentrations of α‐eleostearic acid (El, 9Z,11E,13E‐octadecatrienoic acid) and saturated fatty acid palmitic (P) acid. The CPO contained six major triacyglycerols (TAG), OOO (16.83 %), OLO (16.64 %), LLO (13.20 %), OLP (7.25 %), OOP (6.49 %) and LElL (6.16 %) plus a number of other minor TAG. The TAG containing at least one saturated fatty acid constitute 33 % of the total. The polymorphic behavior of CPO as studied by DSC and XRD confirmed the presence of α, β′ and β crystal forms. The oxidative induction time of CPO was 30.3 min at 130 °C and the thermal decomposition temperature was 352 °C.
Chemical Changes and Oxidative Stability of Peanuts as Affected by the Dry‐Blanching
Authors: de Camargo Adriano Costa , Regitano‐d'Arce Marisa Aparecida Bismara , de Alencar Severino Matias , Canniatti‐Brazaca Solange Guidolin , de Souza Vieira Thais Maria Ferreira , Shahidi Fereidoon
Published: April 2016

The oxidative changes of peanuts subjected to the dry‐blanching process were evaluated and compared with those of their in‐shell counterparts. In general, the fatty acid profile was not influenced. The content of α‐tocopherol decreased, but the remaining tocopherol homologs were unaffected. Nonanal, an oxidation product of oleic acid, increased. However, the contents of several volatile compounds with potential antioxidant properties were also increased. The higher oxidative stability of dry‐blanched peanuts was demonstrated by accelerated tests as evaluated by peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and the induction period of cold‐pressed oils and this was confirmed by the higher antioxidant properties of oils from such sample as evaluated by the DPPH radical scavenging activity. These results were further confirmed during long‐term storage of dry‐blanched and in‐shell peanuts. The decrease of tocopherols in peanuts due to dry‐blanching did not negatively influence their oxidative stability. In fact, dry‐blanched peanuts showed higher stability as compared with in‐shell peanuts; therefore, we suggest that loss of tocopherol might be less important than the generation of several volatile antioxidant compounds as well as possibly Maillard reaction products upon the dry‐blanching process. These results may be of practical interest to the peanut and peanut oil industries.
Effects of vascular risk factors, statins, and antihypertensive drugs on PiB deposition in cognitively normal subjects
Authors: Glodzik Lidia , Rusinek Henry , Kamer Angela , Pirraglia Elizabeth , Tsui Wai , Mosconi Lisa , Li Yi , McHugh Pauline , Murray John , Williams Schantel , Osorio Ricardo S. , Randall Catherine , Butler Tracy , Deshpande Anup , Vallabhajolusa Shankar , de Leon Mony
Published: April 2016

Introduction

Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity increase the risk of dementia. Although their detection is commonly followed by an introduction of treatment, little is known about how medications frequently used to treat vascular risk affect amyloid deposition.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study of 156 subjects who underwent positron emission tomography with PiB. Using linear regression, we tested whether blood pressure, cholesterol, overweight/obese status, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), beta‐blockers, diuretics, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, and statins predicted amyloid deposition.

Results

The use of ARBs (β = −.15, P = .044) and diuretics (β = −.20, P = .006) predicted less amyloid accumulation; older age (β = .29, P < .001) and statins (β = .23, P = .004) were related to greater amyloid deposition. Overweight and/or obese women had more cortical amyloid than their peers.

Discussion

Prospective studies should confirm effects of drugs and increased body weight on amyloid accumulation and establish whether they translate into measurable clinical outcomes. Women may be more susceptible to harmful effects of obesity.
Geographical explanation of the factors disputed in the Karabakh geopolitical crisis
Authors: Valigholizadeh Ali , Karimi Mahdi
Published: April 2016

Geopolitical crises are among the international crises that have geographic nature and root. Therefore, despite international political or economic crises that may have more negative consequences than those of geopolitical ones, no crisis threatens the nations-states’ factors as do geopolitical crises because the specialty of geographic basis is rooted in national and prestigious values. Thus, the compromise about them is quite hard and impossible, and these crises often last so long. In this regard, if a geopolitical crisis, like the case of Karabakh, is rooted in bilateral disputes over geographic factors, including geographic-political, geographic-cultural and geographic-economic factors, it would have special complexities.
The politics of prosecution service reform in new presidential democracies: The South Korea and Russia cases in comparative perspective
Authors: Lee Sun-Woo
Published: April 2016

This paper explains why large-scale reform of a civil-law prosecution system will be abandoned, fail, or succeed in exceptional cases, focusing on the strategic interaction between an incumbent president and prosecutors, through a comparative analysis of the South Korea and Russia cases. A civil-law prosecution system could hardly be reformed, although there were several attempts to correct the politicization of the prosecution service, in new presidential democracies. An incumbent president sometimes considers major reform against the prosecutors, but he or she tends to abandon it and seek to form alliance with them, expecting short-term political benefits under intense political competition. Moreover, although a president strongly pushes for large-scale prosecution service reform, he or she also cannot easily achieve this goal, since the prosecutors’ willful initiation of criminal proceedings will cause his or her momentum to decline. Indeed, only Putin exceptionally succeeded in major reform of the prosecution system under weak political competition, among South Korean and Russian Presidents after democratization.
An expert-based decision making tool for enhancing the consensus on Caspian Sea legal regime
Authors: Hafeznia Mohamad Reza , Pirdashti Hasan , Ahmadipour Zahra
Published: April 2016

This paper is focused on finding an optimal strategy for enhancing the consensus on negotiations over the legal status and regime problems of the Caspian Sea, which has caused a lot of abortive strives since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The strategic planning process begins with finding a set of major closed sea that has similar geographical features alike Caspian Sea. Then based on expert ideas and background review, it generates a series of fundamental criteria that have influenced the closed sea delimitation. Through a committee of practical experts with diversified professional backgrounds, these criteria were evaluated and classified into internal strengths and weaknesses of the alternative closed sea, as well as external opportunities and threats to them. The Delphi technique also was used to establish expert consensus on key strategies that are important for delimitating the Caspian Sea. In the next section, the decision makers (DMs) determined the factors weight based on the vast amount of information concerning the closed sea delimitation conditions. Then these factors have been weighted based on the Caspian Sea coastal countries’ conditions. Finally, this paper assesses the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat (SWOT) of these criteria, and develops an optimal strategic plan for the Caspian Sea delimitation that can enhance the consensus on Caspian Sea legal regime in future negotiations.
A Biobank for Long-Term and Sustainable Research in the Field of Congenital Heart Disease in Germany
Authors: Pickardt Thomas , Niggemeyer Eva , Bauer Ulrike M.M. , Abdul-Khaliq Hashim ,   Competence Network for Congenital Heart Defects Investigators
Published: April 2016

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most frequent birth defect (0.8%–1% of all live births). Due to the advance in prenatal and postnatal early diagnosis and treatment, more than 90% of these patients survive into adulthood today. However, several mid- and long-term morbidities are dominating the follow-up of these patients. Due to the rarity and heterogeneity of the phenotypes of CHD, multicenter registry-based studies are required. The CHD-Biobank was established in 2009 with the aim to collect DNA from patients and their parents (trios) or from affected families, as well as cardiovascular tissues from patients undergoing corrective heart surgery for cardiovascular malformations. Clinical/phenotype data are matched to the International Paediatric and Congenital Cardiac Code (IPCCC) and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10). The DNA collection currently comprises samples from approximately 4200 participants with a wide range of CHD phenotypes. The collection covers about 430 trios and 120 families with more than one affected member. The cardiac tissue collection comprises 1143 tissue samples from 556 patients after open heart surgery. The CHD-Biobank provides a comprehensive basis for research in the field of CHD with high standards of data privacy, IT management, and sample logistics.
Updated French guidelines for diagnosis and management of pelvic inflammatory disease
Authors: Brun Jean‐Luc , Graesslin Olivier , Fauconnier Arnaud , Verdon Renaud , Agostini Aubert , Bourret Antoine , Derniaux Emilie , Garbin Olivier , Huchon Cyrille , Lamy Catherine , Quentin Roland , Judlin Philippe ,   on behalf of the Collège National des Gynécologues Obstétriciens Français
Published: April 2016

Background

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is commonly encountered in clinical practice.

Objectives

To provide up‐to‐date guidelines on management of PID.

Search strategy

An initial search of the Cochrane database, PubMed, and Embase was performed using keywords related to PID to identify reports in any language published between January 1990 and January 2012, with an update in May 2015.

Selection criteria

All identified reports relevant to the areas of focus were included.

Data collection and analysis

A level of evidence based on the quality of the data available was applied for each area of focus and used for the guidelines.

Main results

PID must be suspected when spontaneous pelvic pain is associated with induced adnexal or uterine pain (grade C). Pelvic ultrasonography is necessary to exclude tubo‐ovarian abscess (grade B). Microbiological diagnosis requires vaginal and endocervical sampling for molecular and bacteriological analysis (grade B). First‐line treatment for uncomplicated PID combines ofloxacin and metronidazole for 14 days (grade B). Treatment of tubo‐ovarian abscess is based on drainage if the collection measures more than 3 cm (grade B), with combined ceftriaxone, metronidazole, and doxycycline for 14–21 days.

Conclusions

Current management of PID requires easily reproducible investigations and treatment, and thus can be applied worldwide.
Re-resection of remnant Caroli syndrome six years after the first resection (case report)
Authors: Zidan Ahmed , Bauschke Astride , Scheuerlein Hubert , Settmacher Utz , Rauchfuss Falk
Published: April 2016

ABSTRACT

Introduction:

Caroli syndrome is characterized as multiple cystic or saccular dilatations of intrahepatic bile ducts (Caroli disease) and congenital hepatic fibrosis. Diagnosis depends on histological features and imaging, which shows communications between the sacculi and bile ducts.

Presentation of a case:

In our case, the patient had segments II/III liver resection six years ago for Caroli syndrome. A follow-up CT after four months of the operation revealed remnant cysts in segment IV, which needed another surgical intervention to resect the remnant cysts and segment IV after six years from the first operation.

Disscussion:

In our case, we were surprised that patient has remnant of the primary benign disease in the follow-up CT after only four months of the previous operation. This remnant continued to increase in size with recurrent attacks of cholangitis until liver abscess developed and required another surgical intervention.

Conclusion:

Imaging is essential in planning the operative treatment to detect the extent of the Caroli disease and define the extent of resection. Any residual disease due to inappropriate imaging planning may cost the patient another cycle of suffering and may need another surgical intervention as in our case. We recommend using intraoperative ultrasound for accurate determination of the line of resection.

Highlights
O‐GlcNAcylation: A regulator of tau pathology and neurodegeneration
Authors: Gong Cheng‐Xin , Liu Fei , Iqbal Khalid
Published: April 2016

O‐GlcNAcylation is the posttranslational modification of intracellular proteins by O‐linked β‐N‐acetylglucosamine (O‐GlcNAc). The discovery of O‐GlcNAc modification of tau and its impact on tau phosphorylation has attracted recent research interest in O‐GlcNAc studies in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) field. Modification of proteins by O‐GlcNAc occurs extensively in the brain. The expressions and activities of the enzymes catalyzing O‐GlcNAc cycling are several‐fold higher in the brain than in the peripheral tissues. The O‐GlcNAcylation levels of brain proteins including tau are decreased in AD brain, probably due to decreased brain glucose metabolism. The reduction of brain O‐GlcNAcylation appears to mediate the molecular mechanism by which decreased brain glucose metabolism contributes to neurodegeneration. Studies on mouse models of tauopathies suggest a neuroprotective role of pharmacological elevation of brain O‐GlcNAc, which could potentially be a promising approach for treating AD and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Idiopathic megacolon in a teenager treated by laparoscopic rectosigmoidectomy
Authors: Sodero Carlos Eduardo Oliveira , da Silva Emerson Abdulmassih Wood , de Castro Rezende Júnior Dirceu , Tiveron Gustavo Roberto Carvalho , Zago Aurélio Fabiano Ribeiro , de Oliveira Rafael Andrade , Souza Bernardo Rosae e , Pelegrinelli Luciano Ricardo
Published: April 2016

Chronic constipation in children and adolescents is relatively common and a reason for consultation with pediatricians and proctologists. Most cases respond to medical treatment. Advanced cases of megacolon and megarectum can be treated surgically by Duhamel technique.

This case report describes a 15-year-old patient with chronic intestinal constipation refractory to clinical treatment associated with megacolon and megarectum, which was surgically treated.
A clearer spotlight on spotlight: Understanding, conducting and reporting
Authors: Krishna Aradhna
Published: April 2016

There has been a remarkable increase in the use of spotlight analysis to examine any interactive effect between an independent variable and a continuous moderator. Most of the spotlight analyses have been conducted at one standard deviation above and below the mean value of the moderator, even when alternate methods are more appropriate. Additionally, many spotlight analyses are not conducted correctly. More importantly, results for spotlight analyses are reported in a manner that makes it virtually impossible for mistakes to be detected. This article focuses on “understanding,” “conducting,” and “reporting” spotlight analyses. By posing questions for the reader, it highlights some common mistakes made when doing spotlight analysis and explains why confusion often arises. Then it provides an easy to understand way to do spotlight analysis for some popular contexts. Alternatives to spotlight analysis are also briefly discussed. Finally, it suggests how to report results for spotlight analysis and for the alternatives. Pointing out recurrent mistakes should prevent perpetuation of misleading practices. Similarly, reporting essential details of the analyses should prevent mistakes from going undetected.
Temporal sinus node modification by high‐dose continuous intravenous administration of landiolol in a patient with persistent inappropriate sinus tachycardia
Authors: Hori Yuichi , Nakahara Shiro , Anjo Naofumi , Sakai Yoshihiko , Taguchi Isao
Published: April 2016

A 20‐year‐old woman underwent an electrophysiological study for drug‐resistant persistent inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST). Use of a high‐dose continuous intravenous administration of landiolol, a short‐acting beta‐adrenoreceptor blocker, made the patient's heart rate suddenly drop with a slight change in the P‐wave morphology. Three‐dimensional right atrial (RA) activation mapping revealed that the earliest activation site moved 8 mm to a lower anterior site around the high lateral RA. Radiofrequency energy applied to the earliest activation site during tachycardia was successful. A temporal sinus node modification with landiolol administration was useful for mapping and for safe catheter ablation of IST.
Successful cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation in a patient with situs inversus and dextrocardia
Authors: Yoshiga Yasuhiro , Shimizu Akihiko , Ueyama Takeshi , Ono Makoto , Fumimoto Tomoko , Ishiguchi Hironori , Yano Masafumi
Published: April 2016

A 79‐year‐old man with situs inversus and dextrocardia underwent catheter ablation of symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), using second‐generation cryoballoon under Ensite NavX system guidance, was performed successfully in a reverse manner, which required short procedure and fluoroscopy times, as required in a PVI performed on a normal heart without any complications. Cryoballoon‐based PVI under Ensite NavX guidance was feasible and safe to achieve a favorable outcome in this patient with abnormal anatomy.
Pharmacokinetic study of eplerenone in rats after long‐term coadministration with buckwheat tea
Authors: Zou Liang , Jia Kun , Li Rui , Wang Ping , Lin Jun‐Zhi , Chen Hui‐Juan , Zhao Gang , Peng Lian‐Xin
Published: April 2016

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of long‐term intake of Tartary buckwheat tea on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of eplerenone in rats. A validated high‐performance liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS) method was established to determine the eplerenone in plasma, and the portal vein absorption model was applied to conduct the pharmacokinetic study. Two groups of animals—buckwheat tea group and control group—were involved in this study. Plasma samples were obtained at different time points after administration, and were separated on Shimadzu HPLC‐MS 2020 instruments. The method showed good linearity (r = 0.9988) over a wide dynamic range (0.20–50 μg/mL). Within‐ and between‐batch precisions ranged from 2.13% to 7.90%. The extraction recovery rates ranged from 91.96% to 94.96%. The data showed that in the Tartarian buckwheat group the area under the curve and maximum concentration of eplerenone were reduced compared with those of the blank group (p < 0.01), but the time to reach peak concentrations of eplerenone (p < 0.01) was prolonged. The results suggested that long‐term consumption of Tartary buckwheat tea might induce the activities of the hepatic drug metabolizing enzyme, which can accelerate the metabolism of eplerenone. According to the results, the dosage of eplerenone should be adjusted in hypertension treatment trials when administered with Tartary buckwheat or Tartary buckwheat‐containing dietary supplements to avoid potential drug interactions.
Ischemia‐modified albumin levels in the prediction of acute critical neurological findings in carbon monoxide poisoning
Authors: Daş Murat , Çevik Yunsur , Erel Özcan , Çorbacioğlu Şeref Kerem
Published: April 2016

The aim of the study was to determine whether serum ischemia‐modified albumin (IMA) levels in patients with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning were higher compared with a control group of healthy volunteers. In addition, the study sought to determine if there was a correlation between serum IMA levels and carboxyhemoglobin (COHB) levels and other critical neurological findings (CNFs). In this prospective study, the IMA levels of 100 patients with CO poisoning and 50 control individuals were compared. In addition, the IMA and COHB levels were analyzed according to absence or presence CNFs in patients with CO poisoning. The levels of IMA (mg/dL) on admittance, and during the 1st hour and 3rd hour, in patients with CO poisoning (49.90 ± 35.43, 30.21 ± 14.81, and 21.87 ± 6.03) were significantly higher, compared with the control individuals (17.30 ± 2.88). The levels of IMA in the 6th hour were not higher compared with control individuals. The levels of IMA on admittance, and during the 1st hour, 3rd hour, and 6th hour, and COHB (%) levels in patients who had CNFs were higher compared with IMA levels and COHB levels in patients who had no CNFs (p < 0.001). However, when the multivariate model was created, it was observed that IMA level on admittance was a poor indicator for prediction of CNFs (odds ratio = 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.08). We therefore concluded that serum IMA levels could be helpful in the diagnosis of CO poisoning. However, we believe that IMA levels cannot be used to predict which patients will develop CNFs due to CO poisoning.
Clinical experiences of dynamic stabilizers: Dynesys and Dynesys top loading system for lumbar spine degenerative disease
Authors: Hsieh Cheng‐Ta , Chang Chih‐Ju , Su I‐Chang , Lin Li‐Ying
Published: April 2016

Dynesys (Dynamic Neutralization System) was designed to overcome the shortcomings of fusion. The Dynesys top loading (DTL) system is a new alternative Dynesys system that can be applied via a minimally invasive procedure. This study aimed to ascertain whether DTL is a suitable device for motion preservation and prevention of instability, and to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes between DTL and Dynesys. In this study, 12 patients were treated with Dynesys and 21 patients were treated with DTL. Back and leg pain were evaluated using the visual analog scale. The Oswestry Disability Index was used to evaluate the patients' function. Range of motion (ROM) at the operative level and for the whole lumbar spine was measured pre‐ and postoperatively. The length of wound, blood loss, length of hospital stay, and operation duration were also compared. All patients were followed up for 12–76 months. Scores on the visual analog scale and Oswestry Disability Index were significantly improved postoperatively. The median ROM of the whole spine and index level ROM in all patients showed 12.5% and 79.6% loss, respectively. The DTL group exhibited significantly better results in terms of blood loss, wound length, and operation duration, in addition to early ambulation. In conclusion, Dynesys and DTL are semirigid fixation systems that can significantly improve clinical symptoms and signs. Our results suggested that DTL was better than Dynesys as a result of it being a minimally invasive procedure. However, further study with large sample sizes and longer follow‐up durations is required to validate the effects of these dynamic stabilizers.
Cycling Injuries in Southwest Colorado: A Comparison of Road vs Trail Riding Injury Patterns
Authors: Kotlyar Simon
Published: April 2016

Objective

To describe the epidemiology of injuries sustained in cyclists and compare the injury patterns in road vs trail biking accidents.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed of injured road and trail cyclists presenting to a rural mountain resort–based medical center during a 3-year study period.

Results

Of 304 patients, 70% were male, with 67% sustaining trail injuries and 33% sustaining road cycling injuries. There was a bimodal age distribution. Prehospital care was activated in 16% of patients. The most common injuries were lacerations and abrasions (64%), upper extremity fractures (26%), head injuries (9%), and thoracic trauma (6%). Head injury was more common in road- vs trail-related trauma (16% vs 6%; P = .005), whereas thoracic injury was more common in trail riders (7% vs 2%; P = .053). Head injury and lower extremit y fracture were the most common reasons for patient transfer. Patients with head injuries who did not use a helmet were more likely to require transfer to a neurosurgical unit (38% vs 17%; P = .296); however, this difference did not meet statistical significance.

Conclusions

Lacerations and abrasions are the most common injuries sustained in cycling. Quantifying the role of protective extremity gear in reducing these injury patterns may be of interest for future studies. Protective helmet use may be important in reducing morbidity from cycling-related head trauma; however, more data are needed. Prehospital care providers responding to the injured trail cyclist should be equipped to manage laceration, fracture, head injury, and thoracic trauma in the field.
Lightning Strike in Pregnancy With Fetal Injury
Authors: Galster Kellen , Hodnick Ryan , Berkeley Ross P.
Published: April 2016

Injuries from lightning strikes are an infrequent occurrence, and are only rarely noted to involve pregnant victims. Only 13 cases of lightning strike in pregnancy have been previously described in the medical literature, along with 7 additional cases discovered within news media reports. This case report presents a novel case of lightning-associated injury in a patient in the third trimester of pregnancy, resulting in fetal ischemic brain injury and long-term morbidity, and reviews the mechanics of lightning strikes along with common injury patterns of which emergency providers should be aware.
A nonreciprocal antenna speaks without listening
Authors: Miller Johanna L.
Published: April 2016

Freed from the textbook symmetry between transmission and reception, the device could be a boon to communications.
APPAGATO: an APproximate PArallel and stochastic GrAph querying TOol for biological networks
Authors: Bonnici Vincenzo , Busato Federico , Micale Giovanni , Bombieri Nicola , Pulvirenti Alfredo , Giugno Rosalba
Published: April 2016

Motivation

Biological network querying is a problem requiring a considerable computational effort to be solved. Given a target and a query network, it aims to find occurrences of the query in the target by considering topological and node similarities (i.e. mismatches between nodes, edges, or node labels). Querying tools that deal with similarities are crucial in biological network analysis because they provide meaningful results also in case of noisy data. In addition, as the size of available networks increases steadily, existing algorithms and tools are becoming unsuitable. This is rising new challenges for the design of more efficient and accurate solutions.

Results

This paper presents APPAGATO, a stochastic and parallel algorithm to find approximate occurrences of a query network in biological networks. APPAGATO handles node, edge and node label mismatches. Thanks to its randomic and parallel nature, it applies to large networks and, compared with existing tools, it provides higher performance as well as statistically significant more accurate results. Tests have been performed on protein–protein interaction networks annotated with synthetic and real gene ontology terms. Case studies have been done by querying protein complexes among different species and tissues.

Availability and implementation

APPAGATO has been developed on top of CUDA-C ++ Toolkit 7.0 framework. The software is available online http://profs.sci.univr.it/∼bombieri/APPAGATO.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
XLinkDB 2.0: integrated, large-scale structural analysis of protein crosslinking data
Authors: Schweppe Devin K. , Zheng Chunxiang , Chavez Juan D. , Navare Arti T. , Wu Xia , Eng Jimmy K. , Bruce James E.
Published: April 2016

Motivation: Large-scale chemical cross-linking with mass spectrometry (XL-MS) analyses are quickly becoming a powerful means for high-throughput determination of protein structural information and protein–protein interactions. Recent studies have garnered thousands of cross-linked interactions, yet the field lacks an effective tool to compile experimental data or access the network and structural knowledge for these large scale analyses. We present XLinkDB 2.0 which integrates tools for network analysis, Protein Databank queries, modeling of predicted protein structures and modeling of docked protein structures. The novel, integrated approach of XLinkDB 2.0 enables the holistic analysis of XL-MS protein interaction data without limitation to the cross-linker or analytical system used for the analysis.

Availability and Implementation: XLinkDB 2.0 can be found here, including documentation and help: http://xlinkdb.gs.washington.edu/ .

Contact : jimbruce@uw.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
PD-1 inhibitors induced bullous lichen planus-like reactions: a rare presentation and report of three cases
Authors: Wakade Deepal V. , Carlos Giuliana , Hwang Shelley J.E. , Chou Shaun , Hui Rina , Fernandez-Peñas Pablo
Published: April 2016

The introduction of immunotherapy such as antiprogrammed death1 (anti-PD1) monoclonal antibodies has changed the scenario of treatment in cancer. Apart from their impressive efficacy profiles, they are better tolerated than the anticytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 antibodies. Dermatological adverse events such as pruritus and rash have been reported in various clinical trials. We report three cases of anti-PD1-induced bullous lichen planus (LP)-like reactions encountered in our institution. These patients developed LP-like papules and annular plaques with vesicles or crusted centres. Histology showed LP-like changes with negative immunofluorescence. Vesiculobullous lesions in patients treated with anti-PD1 therapies require a careful clinicopathological evaluation.
Components of Exercise Prescription and Pregnancy
Authors: MOTTOLA MICHELLE F.
Published: April 2016

Physicians should discuss decreasing sedentary time and behavior with their pregnant patients to assist sedentary women to become more active using light activities. Medical screening before engaging or continuing in a moderate aerobic exercise program is vital to ensure a low-risk pregnancy. The FITT principle is important to use in prescription that suggests: Frequency (3 to 4 times per week), Intensity (appropriate target heart rate zone, rating of perceived exertion scale, or the talk test), Time (start at 15 min progressing to 30 min), and Type (moving large muscles groups such as walking, swimming, and cycling) of physical activity.
Value of Baseline Cardiovascular Mechanics in Predicting Exercise Training Success
Authors: Aslanger Emre , Assous Benjamin , Bihry Nicolas , Beauvais Florence , Logeart Damien , Cohen-Solal Alain
Published: April 2016

PURPOSE:

Despite being repeatedly shown that exercise training (ET) increases exercise capacity and decreases mortality in many cardiac conditions, not all patients enjoy the benefits of ET programs. We hypothesized that baseline cardiovascular mechanic properties, including cardiac systolic and diastolic functions, arterial mechanics and ventriculoarterial interaction, may have a role in predicting response to ET.

METHODS:

Full left ventricular pressure-volume loops were constructed and arterial mechanics were evaluated using echocardiographic and tonometric measurements. A cardiopulmonary exercise (CPX) test was performed before and after the ET program.

RESULTS:

Sixty of the 75 patients with coronary artery disease or heart failure diagnoses completed the study. All of the CPX parameters showed a significant improvement with ET. The change in oxygen uptake correlated only with arterial parameters, such as compliance (r = 0.399, P = .002), end-systolic arterial elastance (r = −0.293, P = .02), aortic pulse pressure (r = −0.302, P = .02), and brachial pulse pressure (r = −0.312, P = .01). Receiver-operating characteristics analysis demonstrated that baseline arterial compliance and brachial pulse pressure predicted a significantly positive ET result with reasonable sensitivity and specificity.

CONCLUSIONS:

Patients with a more compliant arterial system improved their exercise capacity more with ET. Evaluation of baseline arterial compliance may facilitate proper patient selection and may define patients who need optimizing measures for the arterial system before commencing ET. Even a simple blood pressure measurement may give clues in this regard.
A Simplified (Screening) Approach to Check the Calibration Status of the Goldmann Applanation Tonometer
Authors: Choudhari Nikhil S. , Ramavath Suresh , Rekha Gunturu , Rao Aparna , Rao Harsha L. , Senthil Sirisha , Garudadri Chandra Sekhar
Published: April 2016

Background:

To investigate whether a lower-end calibration error check alone can identify a Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) with acceptable calibration error as per Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society (APGS) and World Glaucoma Association (WGA) guidelines.

Methods:

This was a multicentric prospective study in a tertiary eye-care institutional setting. Seventy-six slit-lamp–mounted Haag-Streit GATs (Model AT 900 C/M) were included in the study. All GATs were checked for calibration error at 0, 20, and 60 mm Hg testing levels as recommended by the manufacturer. The ability of 2 screening criteria (calibration error within ±1 or ±2 mm Hg, respectively, at the 0 mm Hg testing level without using the calibration error check weight bar) to identify a tonometer within acceptable calibration limits defined by APGS (calibration error within ±2, ±3, and ±4 mm Hg at 0, 20, and 60 mm Hg testing levels, respectively) and WGA (calibration error within ±1 mm Hg at all testing levels) was determined.

Main Outcome Measure:

The negative likelihood ratio of the screening criteria

Results:

Five (6.6%) and 42 (55%) GATs were outside of the APGS and the WGA calibration limits, respectively. Negative likelihood ratios of the first and the second screening criteria at the APGS definition of calibration error tolerance were 0.11 and 0.25, respectively, and at that of the WGA definition of calibration error tolerance were 0.38 and 0.90, respectively.

Conclusions:

The screening criteria of calibration error within ±1 mm Hg at the 0 mm Hg testing level seem to be clinically useful to detect GAT with an acceptable calibration error as per the APGS guideline.