bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phylogenetic Analysis of Hemagglutinin Genes of H9N2 Avian Influenza Viruses Isolated from Chickens in Shandong, China, between 1998 and 2013
Authors: Zhao Yuxin , Li Song , Zhou Yufa , Song Wengang , Tang Yujing , Pang Quanhai , Miao Zengmin
Published: November 2015

Since H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) was first isolated in Guangdong province of China, the virus has been circulating in chicken flocks in mainland China. However, a systematic phylogenetic analysis of H9N2 AIV from chickens in Shandong of China has not been conducted. Based on hemagglutinin (HA) gene sequences of H9N2 AIVs isolated from chickens in Shandong of China between 1998 and 2013, genetic evolution of 35 HA gene sequences was systematically analyzed in this study. Our findings showed that the majority of H9N2 AIVs (21 out of 35) belonged to the lineage h9.4.2.5. Most of isolates (33 out of 35) had a PSRSSR↓GLF motif in HA cleavage site. Importantly, 29 out of these 35 isolates had an amino acid exchange (Q226L) in the receptor-binding site. The substitution showed that H9N2 AIVs had the potential affinity to bind to human-like receptor. The currently prevalent H9N2 AIVs in Shandong belonged to the lineage h9.4.2.5 which are different from the vaccine strain SS/94 clade h9.4.2.3. Therefore, the long-term surveillance of H9N2 AIVs is of significance to combat the possible H9N2 AIV outbreaks.
A Rare Case of Diffuse Idiopathic Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Cell Hyperplasia
Authors: Ofikwu Godwin , Mani Vishnu R. , Rajabalan Ajai , Adu Albert , Ahmed Leaque , Vega Dennis
Published: November 2015

Diffuse idiopathic pulmonary neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia (DIPNECH) is a rare clinical condition with only about 100 cases reported in the literature. It is characterized by primary hyperplasia of pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs) which are specialized epithelial cells located throughout the entire respiratory tract, from the trachea to the terminal airways. DIPNECH appears in various forms that include diffuse proliferation of scattered neuroendocrine cells, small nodules, or a linear proliferation. It is usually seen in middle-aged, nonsmoking women with symptoms of cough, dyspnea, and wheezing. We present a 45-year-old, nonsmoking woman who presented with symptoms of DIPNECH associated with bilateral pulmonary nodules and left hilar adenopathy. Of interest, DIPNECH in our patient was associated with metastatic pulmonary carcinoids, papillary carcinoma of the left breast, oncocytoma and angiomyolipoma of her left kidney, and cortical nodules suggestive of tuberous sclerosis. She had video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), modified radical mastectomy with reconstruction, and radical nephrectomy. She is currently symptom-free most of the time with over two years of follow-up.
Parameterization of the Age-Dependent Whole Brain Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Histogram
Authors: Klose Uwe , Batra Marion , Nägele Thomas
Published: November 2015

Purpose. The distribution of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the brain can be used to characterize age effects and pathological changes of the brain tissue. The aim of this study was the parameterization of the whole brain ADC histogram by an advanced model with influence of age considered.Methods. Whole brain ADC histograms were calculated for all data and for seven age groups between 10 and 80 years. Modeling of the histograms was performed for two parts of the histogram separately: the brain tissue part was modeled by two Gaussian curves, while the remaining part was fitted by the sum of a Gaussian curve, a biexponential decay, and a straight line.Results. A consistent fitting of the histograms of all age groups was possible with the proposed model.Conclusions. This study confirms the strong dependence of the whole brain ADC histograms on the age of the examined subjects. The proposed model can be used to characterize changes of the whole brain ADC histogram in certain diseases under consideration of age effects.
Aesthetic Surgical Crown Lengthening Procedure
Authors: de Oliveira Pablo Santos , Chiarelli Fabio , Rodrigues José A. , Shibli Jamil A. , Zizzari Vincenzo Luca , Piattelli Adriano , Iezzi Giovanna , Perrotti Vittoria
Published: November 2015

The aim of this case report was to describe the surgical sequence of crown lengthening to apically reposition the dentogingival complex, in addition to an esthetic restorative procedure. Many different causes can be responsible for short clinical crown. In these cases, the correct execution of a restorative or prosthetic rehabilitation requires an increasing of the crown length. According to the 2003 American Academy of Periodontology (Practice Profile Survey), crown lengthening is the most habitual surgical periodontal treatment.
Parametric Studies on Artificial Morpho Butterfly Wing Scales for Optical Device Applications
Authors: Kim Hyun Myung , Kim Sang Hyeok , Lee Gil Ju , Kim Kyujung , Song Young Min
Published: November 2015

We calculated diffraction efficiencies of grating structures inspired by Morpho butterfly wings by using a rigorous coupled‐wave analysis method. The geometrical effects, such as grating width, period, thickness, and material index, were investigated in order to obtain better optical performance. Closely packed grating structures with an optimized membrane thickness show vivid reflected colors and provide high sensitivity to surrounding media variations, which is applicable to vapor sensing or healthcare indicators. Morpho structures with high index materials such as zinc sulfide or gallium phosphide generate white color caused by broadband reflection that can be used as reflected light sources for display applications.
Grey Wolf Optimizer Based on Powell Local Optimization Method for Clustering Analysis
Authors: Zhang Sen , Zhou Yongquan
Published: November 2015

One heuristic evolutionary algorithm recently proposed is the grey wolf optimizer (GWO), inspired by the leadership hierarchy and hunting mechanism of grey wolves in nature. This paper presents an extended GWO algorithm based on Powell local optimization method, and we call it PGWO. PGWO algorithm significantly improves the original GWO in solving complex optimization problems. Clustering is a popular data analysis and data mining technique. Hence, the PGWO could be applied in solving clustering problems. In this study, first the PGWO algorithm is tested on seven benchmark functions. Second, the PGWO algorithm is used for data clustering on nine data sets. Compared to other state-of-the-art evolutionary algorithms, the results of benchmark and data clustering demonstrate the superior performance of PGWO algorithm.
Comparison of Stationary and Dynamic Conceptual Models in a Mountainous and Data-Sparse Catchment in the South-Central Chilean Andes
Authors: Toledo Camila , Muñoz Enrique , Zambrano-Bigiarini Mauricio
Published: November 2015

In recent years, it has been documented that climatic variability influences hydrological processes; however, these influences, such as hydrologic dynamics, have not yet been incorporated into models, which have been assumed as stationary with regard to climatic conditions. In this study, the temporal variability of hydrological processes and their influence on the water balance of a mountainous and data-sparse catchment in Chile are observed and modeled through the comparison of a stationary (time-invariant parameters) and dynamic (time-variant parameters) model. Since conceptual models are the most adequate option for a data-scarce basin, a conceptual model integrated with the Monte Carlo Analysis Toolbox is used to perform the analyses. Simple analyses aimed at increasing the amount of information obtained from models were used. The General and Dynamic Identifiability Analyses were used to perform stationary and dynamic calibration strategies, respectively. As a result we concluded that the dynamic model is more robust than the stationary one. Additionally, DYNIA helped us to observe the temporal variability of hydrological processes. This analysis contributed to a better understanding of hydrological processes in a data-sparse Andean catchment and thus could potentially help reduce uncertainties in the outputs of hydrological models under scenarios of climate change and/or variability.
An Efficient Numerical Algorithm for Solving Fractional Higher-Order Nonlinear Integrodifferential Equations
Authors: Syam Muhammed I. , Al-Mdallal Qasem M. , Anwar M. Naim
Published: November 2015

This paper is devoted to both theoretical and numerical study of boundary value problems for higher-order nonlinear fractional integrodifferential equations. Existence and uniqueness results for the considered problem are provided and proved. The numerical method of solution for the problem is based on a conjugate collocation and spline approach combined with shooting method. Some numerical examples are discussed to demonstrate the efficiency and the accuracy of the proposed algorithm.
Effect of Low Dose Dexmedetomidine on Emergence Delirium and Recovery Profile following Sevoflurane Induction in Pediatric Cataract Surgeries
Authors: Ghai Babita , Jain Divya , Coutinho Payal , Wig Jyotsna
Published: November 2015

This randomized trial was conducted to assess the efficacy and recovery profile of low dose intravenous dexmedetomidine in prevention of post-sevoflurane emergence delirium in children undergoing cataract surgery. Sixty-three children aged 1–6 years were included. Anesthesia was induced with sevoflurane and airway was maintained with LMA. They were randomized to group D 0.15 (received intravenous dexmedetomidine 0.15 μg/kg), group D 0.3 (received dexmedetomidine 0.3 μg/kg), or group NS (received normal saline). The incidence of emergence delirium, intraoperative haemodynamic variables, Aldrete scoring, pain scoring, rescue medication, and discharge time were recorded. Emergence delirium was significantly reduced in dexmedetomidine treated groups with incidence being 10% in group D 0.15, none in group D 0.3, and 35% in the NS group (p=0.002). Significantly lower PAED scores were observed in D 0.15 and D 0.3 group compared to the NS group (p=0.004). Discharge time was significantly prolonged in the NS group compared to D 0.15 and D 0.3 (45.1 min ± 4.4 versus 36.8 min ± 3.8 versus 34.4 min ± 4.6), p<0.02. Intravenous dexmedetomidine in low doses (0.3 and 0.15 μg/kg) was found to be effective in reducing emergence delirium in children undergoing unilateral cataract surgery.
Moringa oleifera Flower Extract Suppresses the Activation of Inflammatory Mediators in Lipopolysaccharide‐Stimulated RAW 264.7 Macrophages via NF‐κB Pathway
Authors: Tan Woan Sean , Arulselvan Palanisamy , Karthivashan Govindarajan , Fakurazi Sharida
Published: November 2015

Aim of Study. Moringa oleifera Lam. (M. oleifera) possess highest concentration of antioxidant bioactive compounds and is anticipated to be used as an alternative medicine for inflammation. In the present study, we investigated the anti‐inflammatory activity of 80% hydroethanolic extract of M. oleifera flower on proinflammatory mediators and cytokines produced in lipopolysaccharide‐ (LPS‐) induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. Materials and Methods. Cell cytotoxicity was conducted by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Nitric oxide (NO) production was quantified through Griess reaction while proinflammatory cytokines and other key inflammatory markers were assessed through enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting. Results. Hydroethanolic extract of M. oleifera flower significantly suppressed the secretion and expression of NO, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin‐ (IL‐) 6, IL‐1β, tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2). However, it significantly increased the production of IL‐10 and IκB‐α (inhibitor of κB) in a concentration dependent manner (100 μg/mL and 200 μg/mL). Conclusion. These results suggest that 80% hydroethanolic extract of M. oleifera flower has anti‐inflammatory action related to its inhibition of NO, PGE2, proinflammatory cytokines, and inflammatory mediator’s production in LPS‐stimulated macrophages through preventing degradation of IκB‐α in NF‐κB signaling pathway.
The Perception of Evidence for Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis Current Practices after Cardiac Surgery: A Canadian Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Mufti Hani N. , Baskett Roger J. F. , Arora Rakesh C. , Légaré Jean-Francois
Published: November 2015

Background. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the third leading cause of cardiovascular death in patients undergoing surgery. However, VTE prophylaxis practices in cardiac surgery are based on noncardiac surgical literature. The objective of our study was to extract current patterns of VTE prophylaxis practices in cardiac surgery patients. We also aimed to identify health care professionals knowledge of available evidence supporting VTE prophylaxis in adult cardiac surgery patients. Methods. A web-based survey was developed and sent to all Canadian cardiac surgery centers with the intent to have the survey distributed to all personnel involved in the perioperative care of adult cardiac surgery patients. Participation in the questionnaire was voluntary and anonymized. Results. Thirty-five responses were obtained. Sixty-nine percent reported having an established protocol for VTE prophylaxis. However, 83% reported using VTE prophylaxis in their daily practice despite lack of protocol. The majority (60%) believed that the class of recommendation was high despite the lack of evidence. Conclusions. Our survey demonstrated the following. (a) Majority of Canadian centers employ VTE prophylaxis, with considerable variability. (b) There is a misconception among health care professionals about the strength of evidence supporting VTE prophylaxis in cardiac surgery. Our findings highlight the need for appropriately designed studies to fill this knowledge gap.
Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles as a New Delivery System for Sustained 5‐Fluorouracil Release: Characterization and Evaluation of Drug Release Mechanism
Authors: El-Kady Abeer M. , Farag Mohammad M.
Published: November 2015

Bioactive glass nanoparticles were synthesized and tested for the first time as a new delivery system for sustained 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) release. They were characterized by TEM, DTA, TGA, and FT‐IR. The porosity % and specific surface area of glass nanoparticles were 85.59% and 378.36 m2/g, respectively. The in vitro bioactivity evaluation confirmed that bioactive glass disks prepared from these nanoparticles could induce hydroxyapatite layer over their surfaces in simulated body fluid. The in vitro drug release experiment indicated that glass nanoparticles could serve as long‐term local delivery vehicles for sustained 5‐FU release. The release profile of 5‐FU showed an initial fast release stage followed by a second stage of slower release. The initial burst release of 5‐FU in the first day was about 23% (28.92 mg·L−1) of the total amount of loaded 5‐FU, while the final cumulative percentage of the 5‐FU released after 32 days was about 45.6% (57.31 mg·L−1) of the total amount of loaded 5‐FU. The application of different mathematical models indicated that 5‐FU was released by diffusion controlled mechanism and suggested that its release rate was dependent on glass particles dissolution, changes of surface area as well as diameter of glass particles, and concentration of loaded drug.
Extracellularα-Galactosidase fromTrichodermasp. (WF-3): Optimization of Enzyme Production and Biochemical Characterization
Authors: Chauhan Aishwarya Singh , Kumar Arunesh , Siddiqi Nikhat J. , Sharma B.
Published: November 2015

Trichodermaspp. have been reported earlier for their excellent capacity of secreting extracellularα-galactosidase. This communication focuses on the optimization of culture conditions for optimal production of enzyme and its characterization. The evaluation of the effects of different enzyme assay parameters such as stability, pH, temperature, substrate concentrations, and incubation time on enzyme activity has been made. The most suitable buffer for enzyme assay was found to be citrate phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 6.0) for optimal enzyme activity. This enzyme was fairly stable at higher temperature as it exhibited 72% activity at 60°C. The enzyme when incubated at room temperature up to two hours did not show any significant loss in activity. It followed Michaelis-Menten curve and showed direct relationship with varying substrate concentrations. Higher substrate concentration was not inhibitory to enzyme activity. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (Km), maximum rate of reaction (Vmax),Kcat, and catalytic efficiency values for this enzyme were calculated from the Lineweaver-Burk double reciprocal plot and were found to be 0.5 mM, 10 mM/s, 1.30 U mg−1, and 2.33 U mg−1 mM−1, respectively. This information would be helpful in understanding the biophysical and biochemical characteristics of extracellularα-galactosidase from other microbial sources.
Metabolic Serum Profiles for Patients Receiving Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation: The Pretransplant Profile Differs for Patients with and without Posttransplant Capillary Leak Syndrome
Authors: Reikvam Håkon , Grønningsæter Ida-Sofie , Ahmed Aymen Bushra , Hatfield Kimberley , Bruserud Øystein
Published: November 2015

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation is commonly used in the treatment of younger patients with severe hematological diseases, and endothelial cells seem to be important for the development of several posttransplant complications. Capillary leak syndrome is a common early posttransplant complication where endothelial cell dysfunction probably contributes to the pathogenesis. In the present study we investigated whether the pretreatment serum metabolic profile reflects a risk of posttransplant capillary leak syndrome. We investigated the pretransplant serum levels of 766 metabolites for 80 consecutive allotransplant recipients. Patients with later capillary leak syndrome showed increased pretherapy levels of metabolites associated with endothelial dysfunction (homocitrulline, adenosine) altered renal regulation of fluid and/or electrolyte balance (betaine, methoxytyramine, and taurine) and altered vascular function (cytidine, adenosine, and methoxytyramine). Additional bioinformatical analyses showed that capillary leak syndrome was also associated with altered purine/pyrimidine metabolism (i.e., metabolites involved in vascular regulation and endothelial functions), aminoglycosylation (possibly important for endothelial cell functions), and eicosanoid metabolism (also involved in vascular regulation). Our observations are consistent with the hypothesis that the pretransplant metabolic status can be a marker for posttransplant abnormal fluid and/or electrolyte balance.
The Impact of Sequence of Chemotherapy and EGFR-TKI Treatment on DifferentEGFRMutation Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Chung Fu-Tsai , Ho Ming-Yun , Fang Yueh-Fu , Hshieh Meng-Heng , Wang Tsai-Yu , Kuo Chih-Hsi , Chen Hao-Cheng , Wang Chun-Hwa , Lin Shu-Min , Yu Chih-Teng , Lin Horng-Chyuan , Kuo Han-Pin
Published: November 2015

Objectives. Chemotherapy as first-/second-line treatment in different epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation lung adenocarcinoma remains controversial.Methods. Consecutive patients were collected between 2009 and 2012. Patients were divided into two groups (1st-line chemotherapy:n= 56 and 2nd-line chemotherapy:n= 55). Their outcomes profiles were analyzed.Results. The overall survival (OS) of all patients (390 versus 662 days,p< 0.0001), as well as both progression-free survival (PFS, 151 versus 252 days,p= 0.0001) and OS (308 versus 704 days,p= 0.0001) of patients withL858Rmutation (n= 63), who received 2nd-line chemotherapy, was significantly poor. By univariate and multivariate analysis, 2nd-line chemotherapy, andL858Rmutation were significantly related to poor PFS and OS.Conclusion. In advanced lung adenocarcinoma,L858Rmutation and 2nd-line chemotherapy caused a poor outcome. It is a consideration to choice of 1st-line chemotherapy in these subjects. A prospective design is warranted to confirm this finding.
Dermatological Diseases Associated with Pregnancy: Pemphigoid Gestationis, Polymorphic Eruption of Pregnancy, Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy, and Atopic Eruption of Pregnancy
Authors: Sävervall Christine , Sand Freja Lærke , Thomsen Simon Francis
Published: November 2015

Dermatoses unique to pregnancy are important to recognize for the clinician as they carry considerable morbidity for pregnant mothers and in some instances constitute a risk to the fetus. These diseases include pemphigoid gestationis, polymorphic eruption of pregnancy, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, and atopic eruption of pregnancy. This review discusses the pathogenesis, clinical importance, and management of the dermatoses of pregnancy.
Urokinase Exerts Antimetastatic Effects by Dissociating Clusters of Circulating Tumor Cells
Authors: Choi Jin Woo , Kim Jun Ki , Yang Yun Jung , Kim Pilhan , Yoon Kwon-Ha , Yun Seok Hyun
Published: November 2015

Clusters of circulating tumor cells (CTC) exhibit more robust metastatic properties than single CTC. Thus, understanding the distinct behaviors of CTC clusters and how CTC clustering is regulated may offer new insights into how to limit metastasis. In this study, we utilized an in vivo confocal system to observe the clustering behavior of CTC in real time, finding that the number of clusters increased proportionally with the growth of the primary tumor. Our experiments also indicated that the flow rate of the CTC clusters in blood vessels was relatively slower than single CTC due to increased vessel wall adhesion. Depending on disease stage, 5% to 10% of total CTC in circulation were in clusters, with this proportion increasing to >24% within lung metastases examined. Notably, in the 4T1 mouse model of breast cancer metastasis, we found that injecting host animals with urokinase-type plasminogen activator, a clinical thrombolytic agent, was effective at preventing the assembly of CTC clusters and prolonging overall host survival by approximately 20% relative to control animals. Our results suggest a tractable approach to limit metastasis by suppressing the formation or stability of CTC clusters circulating in the blood of cancer patients. Cancer Res; 75(21); 4474–82. ©2015 AACR.
Circulating Tumor Cells and Circulating Tumor DNA: Challenges and Opportunities on the Path to Clinical Utility
Authors: Ignatiadis Michail , Lee Mark , Jeffrey Stefanie S.
Published: November 2015

Recent technological advances have enabled the detection and detailed characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTC) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in blood samples from patients with cancer. Often referred to as a “liquid biopsy,” CTCs and ctDNA are expected to provide real-time monitoring of tumor evolution and therapeutic efficacy, with the potential for improved cancer diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we focus on these opportunities as well as the challenges that should be addressed so that these tools may eventually be implemented into routine clinical care. Clin Cancer Res; 21(21); 4786–800. ©2015 AACR.
Clinicopathological Correlations and Concomitant Pathologies in Rapidly Progressive Dementia: A Brain Bank Series
Authors: Grau-Rivera Oriol , Gelpi Ellen , Nos Carlos , Gaig Carles , Ferrer Isidro , Saiz Albert , Lladó Albert , Molinuevo José L. , Graus Francesc , Sánchez-Valle Raquel ,   for the Neurological Tissue Bank Collaborative Group
Published: November 2015

Background: Rapidly progressive dementia (RPD) is caused by a heterogeneous group of both neurodegenerative and non-neurodegenerative disorders. The presence of concomitant pathologies, mainly Alzheimer's disease (AD), may act as a confounding variable in the diagnostic process of this group of diseases. Objectives: We aimed to describe clinicopathological features, including Alzheimer's co-pathology, and diagnostic accuracy in a postmortem series of RPD. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 160 brain donors with RPD (defined as 2 years of disease duration from the first symptom to death) registered at the Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobanc-Hospital Clínic-IDIBAPS, from 2001 to 2011. Results: Prion diseases were the most frequent neuropathological diagnosis (67%), followed by non-prion neurodegenerative pathologies (17%), mostly AD and dementia with Lewy bodies, and non-neurodegenerative diseases (16%). We observed clinicopathological diagnostic agreement in 94% of the patients with prion RPD but only in 21% of those with non-prion RPD. Four patients with potentially treatable disorders were diagnosed, while still alive, as having Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Concomitant pathologies were detected in 117 (73%). Among all RPD cases, 51 presented moderate or frequent mature β-amyloid plaques (neuritic plaques), which are considered to be associated with positive amyloid biomarkers in vivo. Conclusions: Prion diseases were accurately identified in our series. In contrast, non-prion RPD diagnosis was poor while the patients were still alive, supporting the need for better diagnostic tools and confirmatory neuropathological studies. The presence of concomitant AD pathology in RPD should be taken into account in the interpretation of amyloid biomarkers.
Colorectal Cancers with the Uncommon Findings of KRAS Mutation and Microsatellite Instability
Authors: Zauber Peter , Marotta Stephen , Sabbath-Solitare Marlene
Published: November 2015

Sporadic colorectal cancers with microsatellite instability (MSI) frequently contain a mutation of the BRAF gene. Additionally, it has been shown that BRAF mutations in colorectal cancers are mutually exclusive of KRAS mutation. We evaluated 14 cases of colorectal cancer with MSI that were BRAF wild type but demonstrated a KRAS mutation. The codon 12/13 region in exon 2 of the KRAS oncogene and the codon 600 region in exon 15 of the BRAF gene were analyzed with standard PCR methods. MSI was evaluated by using the Bethesda panel of markers. The methylation status of the mismatch repair system was ascertained using the SALSA® MS-MLPA® methylation-specific DNA detection. The mismatch repair proteins MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2 were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. A total of 530 colorectal cancers were studied for MSI and KRAS gene mutation. Fourteen (2.6%) cancers with both MSI and a KRAS mutation were identified, and all cancers were BRAF wild type. Methylation was present in 7 (50%), 5 demonstrated methylation of MLH1, 1 showed methylation of MGMT, and 1 showed methylation of MSH2. Four patients had simultaneous cancers, some of which showed different genetic changes. Immunohistochemical staining suggested a germ line mutation for 4 of 10 cases with complete staining information. KRAS mutation may occur with MSI in colorectal cancers with wild-type BRAF. If a mutation in KRAS co-exists with MSI, then strong methylation of the MLH1 gene is unlikely. These tumors demonstrate that a small number of colorectal cancers will develop with atypical patterns of molecular genetic changes, suggesting that a specific pattern of genetic changes may not be as crucial as the overall accumulation of changes, consistent with the ‘unique tumor principle'.
Recombinant Fusion Allergens, Cry j 1 and Cry j 2 from Japanese Cedar Pollen, Conjugated with Polyethylene Glycol Potentiate the Attenuation of Cry j 1-Specific IgE Production in Cry j 1-Sensitized Mice and Japanese Cedar Pollen Allergen-Sensitized Monkeys
Authors: Fujimura Takashi , Fujinami Koji , Ishikawa Ryosuke , Tateno Minoru , Tahara Yoshio , Okumura Yasushi , Ohta Hisashi , Miyazaki Hiroyuki , Taniguchi Masaru
Published: November 2015

Background: Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) pollinosis is the most prevalent seasonal rhinitis in Japan. A standardized Japanese cedar pollen extract (CPE) containing 1.5-4.2 μg of Cry j 1 is currently the highest-concentration extract available for allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) against this pollinosis. Therefore, we developed a PEGylated fusion protein as a more effective SIT vaccine against Japanese cedar pollinosis. Methods: The fusion protein of major allergens for Japanese cedar pollen, Cry j 1 and Cry j 2, was expressed in Escherichia coli and conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG). The purified PEGylated Cry j 1/2 fusion protein (PEG-fusion) was subcutaneously injected four times into Cry j 1- sensitized mice and CPE-sensitized monkeys. The mice were then subcutaneously challenged with Cry j 1 and serum levels of Cry j 1-specific immunoglobulin, and the proliferation and cytokine production of splenocytes were analyzed. The monkeys were intranasally challenged with CPE and analyzed for Cry j 1-specific immunoglobulin levels in plasma. Results: Cry j 1-specific IgE was significantly attenuated in the PEG-fusion-treated group after Cry j 1-challenge and Cry j 1-specific IgG was significantly increased following PEG-fusion treatment in mice and monkeys. Proliferation and Th2-type cytokine production in splenocytes stimulated with Cry j 1 were also reduced in PEG-fusion-treated mice. IL10 and IL2 production were reduced, but not significantly, while IFN-γ was significantly increased in the PEG-fusion-treated group. Conclusions: A high-dose injection of PEG-fusion appears to be a valid candidate for a safer and more effective vaccine than the conventional SIT extract for Japanese cedar pollinosis.
Diversity of Sex Chromosome Systems in Ancistrini (Loricariidae, Hypostominae): ZZ/ZW in Ancistrus taunayi Miranda Ribeiro, 1918
Authors: Thums Konerat Jocicléia , Bueno Vanessa , Margarido Vladimir P. , Portela-Castro Ana L.B. , Martins-Santos Isabel C.
Published: November 2015

The karyotype of the Ancistrini catfish Ancistrus taunayi was analyzed by conventional (Giemsa staining, AgNOR staining and C-banding) and molecular cytogenetic (5S and 18S rDNA-FISH) methods. The diploid chromosome number was 2n = 50 (22 metacentrics + 10 submetacentrics + 10 subtelocentrics + 8 acrocentrics) for both sexes. A single NOR-bearing acrocentric chromosome pair (No. 24) was detected after Ag-staining and 18S rDNA-FISH, while 5S rDNA was found only in the subtelocentric pair No. 21. Conspicuous GC-rich heterochromatin blocks corresponded to the NOR sites and were also observed in the distal regions of the acrocentric chromosome pairs Nos. 22 and 25. Chromosome pair No. 22 differed between males and females; in males, only a small interstitial block of GC-rich heterochromatin was present in both chromosomes, whereas in females, 2 blocks of GC-rich heterochromatin flanked a euchromatic region in one of the homologues, suggesting the occurrence of a ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system. Two mechanisms for the origin and evolution of this simple ZZ/ZW sex chromosome system in A. taunayi are proposed: (1) a paracentric inversion followed by amplification of the proximal heterochromatin and (2) amplification of the interstitial heterochromatin followed by a paracentric inversion. Although ZZ/ZW systems have already been described for other Ancistrus species, our results do not show the same pattern, suggesting an independent origin.
Molecular Mechanisms of Right Ventricular Failure
Authors: Reddy Sushma , Bernstein Daniel
Published: November 2015

An abundance of data has provided insight into the mechanisms underlying the development of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and its progression to LV failure. In contrast, there is minimal data on the adaptation of the right ventricle (RV) to pressure and volume overload and the transition to RV failure. This is a critical clinical question, because the RV is uniquely at risk in many patients with repaired or palliated congenital heart disease and in those with pulmonary hypertension. Standard heart failure therapies have failed to improve function or survival in these patients, suggesting a divergence in the molecular mechanisms of RV versus LV failure. Although, on the cellular level, the remodeling responses of the RV and LV to pressure overload are largely similar, there are several key differences: the stressed RV is more susceptible to oxidative stress, has a reduced angiogenic response, and is more likely to activate cell death pathways than the stressed LV. Together, these differences could explain the more rapid progression of the RV to failure versus the LV. This review will highlight known molecular differences between the RV and LV responses to hemodynamic stress, the unique stressors on the RV associated with congenital heart disease, and the need to better understand these molecular mechanisms if we are to develop RV-specific heart failure therapeutics.
The Discourse on Primal Religion
Authors: Atwood David
Published: November 2015

This article presents a formalized way to distinguish different regimes of truth in the historiography of religion. By focusing on the nineteenth-century European discourse on the origins of humanity and its (primal) religion in Africa, I will show how narratives of the origin always oscillate between a scientific and a religious regime of truth. The article further outlines a possible method to formally differentiate between insider and outsider positions by redefining them asthe assignment to a certain way of organizing a discourse or a semantic field according to a regime of truth. A discourse analysis and sociology of knowledge approach reveals possibilities to distinguish different constructions of insider perspectives by heuristically identifying codes, rarefactions, rules of formations, and regimes of truth.
A Matter of Perspective?
Authors: Mostowlansky Till , Rota Andrea
Published: November 2015

This article introduces the emic–etic debate in the scientific study of religion\s and provides a frame for the special issue’s six articles on the topic. Departing from the broader debate’s early history in the 1960s, this article contextualizes the emic–etic debate and locates its point of entry into the scientific study of religion\s in the 1980s. This article argues that in the course of the debate the insider–outsider and emic–etic complexes have become entangled. In order to facilitate an understanding of the debate, this article maintains that the emic–etic debate in the scientific study of religion\s touches upon three central dimensions (existential–political, methodological, and epistemological). In order to move toward a clearer methodological and epistemological framework, this article furthermore proposes an iterative model that locates insider–outsider at the level of observers and emic–etic at the level of categories.
The Impact of Contact Languages on the Grammaticalization of the Modern Hebrew Superlative
Authors: Reshef Yael
Published: November 2015

Modern Hebrew grammatical constructions include a tripartite paradigm of degree comparison consisting of the positive adjective, the comparative, and the superlative. Such a paradigm did not exist in classical Hebrew, and the expression of the superlative in both Biblical Hebrew and Rabbinic Hebrew required reference to a comparison class by means of a noun. Based on an examination of textual evidence from the initial phases of the formation of Modern Hebrew, this article traces the emergence of the modern superlative constructions and evaluates the role of contact languages in the process.
The Evolution of the Structure of Free Relative Clauses in Modern Hebrew: Internal Development and Contact Language Influence
Authors: Levy Miri Bar-Ziv , Agranovsky Vera
Published: November 2015

The article discusses the evolution of the syntax of Free Relative clauses (frs) in Modern Hebrew, from the beginning of the Revival period in the 1880s until the 1980s. Two different fr constructions are used during this period, one originating in Biblical Hebrew, and the other in Mishnaic Hebrew. The article points to two processes that affected these constructions and that have likely been influenced by the languages with which Modern Hebrew was in contact (Yiddish, Slavic). First, the Mishnaic construction gradually replaced the Biblical one. A factor favoring this process was the affinity of the Mishnaic construction to the structure of frs in Yiddish and in Slavic. Second, the case marking of the Mishnaic construction (at least in direct object position) underwent a process of differentiation that encoded the semantic distinction between definite and universal fr interpretations. The same semantic distinction is also structurally encoded in the Yiddish/Polish fr construction.
Predicate Nominal Sentences with the Hebrew ze and Its Russian Counterpart eto
Authors: Kagan Olga
Published: November 2015

The article is devoted to Hebrew predicate nominal sentences in which the lexical item ze fulfills a copula-like function. A hypothesis is put forward according to which the demonstrative ze has acquired its new function under the influence of Slavic contact languages.
Circumstantial versus Depictive Secondary Predicates in Literary Hebrew—The Influence of Yiddish and Russian
Authors: Dubnov Keren
Published: November 2015

This article discusses the development of circumstantial secondary predicates in late Enlightenment and early Modern literary Hebrew under the influence of adverbial participle constructions in substrate languages, primarily Yiddish and Russian. Circumstantial secondary predicates differ from depictive secondary predicates, which are well-attested in Classical Hebrew.
Filtering the Stochastic Skeleton Model for the Madden–Julian Oscillation
Authors: Chen Nan , Majda Andrew J.
Published: November 2015

The filtering and prediction of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and relevant tropical waves is a contemporary issue with significant implications for extended range forecasting. This paper examines the process of filtering the stochastic skeleton model for the MJO with noisy partial observations. A nonlinear filter, which captures the inherent nonlinearity of the system, is developed and judicious model error is included. Despite its nonlinearity, the special structure of this filter allows closed analytical formulas for updating the posterior states and is thus computationally efficient. A novel strategy for adding nonlinear observational noise to the envelope of convective activity is designed to guarantee its nonnegative property. Systematic calibration based on a cheap single-column version of the stochastic skeleton model provides a practical guideline for choosing the parameters in the full spatially extended system. With these column-tuned parameters, the full filter has a high overall filtering skill for Rossby waves but fails to recover the small-scale fast-oscillating Kelvin and moisture modes. An effectively balanced reduced filter involving a simple fast-wave averaging strategy is then developed, which greatly improves the skill of filtering the moisture modes and other fast-oscillating modes and enhances the total computational efficiency. Both the full and the reduced filters succeed in filtering the MJO and other large-scale features with both homogeneous and warm pool cooling/moistening backgrounds. The large bias in filtering the solutions by running the perfect model with noisy forcing is due to the noise accumulation, which indicates the importance of including judicious model error in designing filters.
IL-1 Receptor Antagonist Inhibits Early Granulation Formation
Authors: Nicolli Elizabeth A. , Ghosh Ankona , Haft Sunny , Frank Renee , Saunders Cecil James , Cohen Noam , Mirza Natasha
Published: November 2015

Purpose:

Using a functional model of airway granulation tissue in laryngotracheal stenosis, we investigated changes in histopathology and inflammatory markers within granulation tissue in response to an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). This study allows us to further delineate the immune response to wound healing and potentially identify treatment markers.

Methods:

Laryngotracheal complexes (LTCs) of donor mice underwent direct airway injury. The LTCs were transplanted into subcutaneous tissue of recipient mice in 2 groups: IL-1Ra treated and untreated. The IL-1Ra–treated arm received daily intraperitoneal injections of IL-1Ra for 3 weeks. The LTCs were then harvested. Granulation formation was measured. The mRNA expression of transforming growth factor (TGF) beta and IL-1 was quantified using real-time reverse transcript polymerase chain reaction.

Results:

There were statistically significant differences in lamina propria thickness. There were no statistically significant changes in mRNA expression of TGF-β and IL-1β between the treated and untreated specimens.

Conclusions:

Using a previously described murine model, we delineate inflammatory markers that can be targeted for potential therapy. While the levels of inflammatory markers do not change significantly, the lamina propria thickness shows that the effects of IL-1 have been inhibited. The early use of the IL-1Ra will inhibit the efficacy of IL-1 in the inflammatory cascade and can prevent early granulation formation.
Configurable Bureaucracy and the Making of Modular Man
Authors: Hirst Alison , Humphreys Michael
Published: November 2015

The flexibility of people in modern societies rests upon their capacity to divide themselves into separate modules of thought and action, and deploy them in ways that fit their purposes. The practice of ‘informatizing’ work by converting tasks into software-based processes entails the modular design of work, because software has a modular form. We use the concept of modularity to analyse the implications of informatization in the empirical context of a ‘shared service centre’ providing professional services. We make three contributions. First, informatization enlarges the scope for organizational flexibility, because the organization can be treated as a configuration of modules which can be reshuffled to suit changing circumstances. Second, employees must attempt to deploy enhanced modular capabilities, by executing any given set of processes, in a flexible, unemotional and time-efficient fashion. Third, given the ability to informatize complex service work, and the existence of organizational templates which accommodate it, the modular design and management of other services may become more common.
Transnational Contexts for Professional Identity Development in Accounting
Authors: Yu Kyoung-Hee , Kim Sunghoon , Restubog Simon
Published: November 2015

Global expansion in the boundaries of professional work, the introduction of managerial concepts and thinking, and changes in the organizational form of professional service firms all impact the process by which professionals come to identify with their profession. The focus of this paper is on transnational professional careers and professional identity development, which remain an under-researched aspect of how globalization affects the professions. Based on original survey data from Australia, we chart the influence of social and organizational contexts on professional identity development for migrant and local accounting professionals respectively. Findings suggest that unlike the “boundaryless” opportunities associated with globe-trotting professionals, the majority of professional migrants are significantly constrained by the organizational and inter-subjective settings in which they work. Theoretically, we extend the concept of professional identity development to include not only formative early career experiences, but also large institutional jolts such as those provided by migration. Findings also help expand current understandings of organizations as sites of professionalization by shedding light on their impact on transnational careers.
Work: Four Worlds and Ways of Seeing
Authors: Delbridge Rick , Sallaz Jeffrey J.
Published: November 2015

Organizations are spaces and places of work. In this introductory essay to the Special Issue of Organization Studies dedicated to ‘Worlds of Work’, we lay out our vision for placing the study of work and workers back at the centre of organization studies. We advance four inter-related work-world metaphors or ways of seeing organizations: as physical worlds, as worlds of hierarchy, as spaces of innovation, and as fields of actors. Research that puts work at the centre of organizational analysis, and places organization within its context of economy, politics and society, will provide important new insights into the experience of work and nature of contemporary organization. Such an agenda will be founded on both a recognition of the socially constructed nature of these phenomena and their dialectics, tracing how these tensions play out in new and hybrid forms.
Satire, racist humour and the power of (un)laughter: On the restrained nature of Swedish online racist discourse targeting EU-migrants begging for money
Authors: Malmqvist Karl
Published: November 2015

Online racist discourse, in contrast to offline varieties, is often assumed to be emotionally unrestrained due to the anonymity of online settings. Taking an affective–discursive practice approach, this study challenges that assumption by analysing online racist satire and other forms of racist humour targeting European Union (EU)-migrants begging for money, as well as responses evoked by such humorous attempts, appearing in two discussion threads on the Swedish website Flashback. A discourse analysis is conducted, drawing on insights from theories of satirical discursive practice, critical approaches to humour and the sociology of emotions. The results show that online racism may be articulated in subtle and restrained as well as more explicit ways through different humorous techniques. Furthermore, laughing and unlaughing responses to satire and other forms of humour reveal an online racist affective–discursive order in the making, which demands clarity in articulating racist messages. This points to online racism’s restrained nature.
An ‘Intermediate Blockade’? British North Sea Strategy, 1912–1914
Authors: Morgan-Owen David G.
Published: November 2015

Historians have argued that, between 1912 and 1914, Britain’s naval leadership projected a so-called ‘intermediate blockade’, a line of vessels strung across the mid-North Sea. This strategy has been widely criticized as impractical and unrealistic. However, this article demonstrates that the Admiralty never projected such an approach. Rather, the naval leadership intended to adopt a system of mid-North Sea patrols during this period. By misunderstanding Admiralty policy before 1914, historians have been unable to ascertain that these patrols were resurrected in late 1914 and played an important part in the Royal Navy’s wartime strategy.
US Fleet Submarines in the Atlantic during the Second World War: A Case Study of Relative Failure
Authors: Sturma Michael
Published: November 2015

The contribution of US submarines to the Battle of the Atlantic during the Second World War has been almost entirely neglected by historians. Admittedly that contribution was relatively small, as reaffirmed by this study of eight modern American fleet submarines assigned to Operation Torch and subsequent patrols from Britain to the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic. Faced with stringent rules of engagement and mechanical problems, along with limited refit and recreational facilities, the American submariners found assignment in the Atlantic frustrating. Arguably the experience honed their skills for later war patrols in the Pacific, but even this is open to question.
Doctrine for Orders and Decentralization in the British and German Armies, 1885–1935
Authors: Samuels Martin
Published: November 2015

Drawing on theories of problems in warfare being ‘tame’ or ‘wicked’, this article explores continuity and changes in British and German doctrine through examination of wording, emphasis, and approach in field service manuals. This reveals significant continuities in German doctrine, especially the emphasis on initiative, but growing focus on rapid decision-making, coupled with forward command, to achieve surprise. British doctrine also displayed continuity, focused on controlling the battle and reluctance to allow subordinates to exercise initiative. A shift in British doctrine, from one similar to the German model towards a more restrictive approach, is identified between 1905 and 1909.