bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Face Stability Analysis of Shield Tunnels in Homogeneous Soil Overlaid by Multilayered Cohesive-Frictional Soils
Authors: Han Kaihang , Zhang Chengping , Li Wei , Guo Caixia
Published: May 2016

In order to better interpret failure features of the failure of soil in front of tunnel face, a new three-dimensional failure mechanism is proposed to analyze the limit support pressure of the tunnel face in multilayered cohesive-frictional soils. The new failure mechanism is composed of two truncated cones that represent the shear failure band and a distributed force acting on the truncated cones that represents the pressure arch effect. By introducing the concept of Terzaghi earth pressure theory, approximation of limit support pressures is calculated using the limit analysis methods. Then the limit support pressures obtained from the new failure mechanism and the existing approaches are compared, which show that the results obtained from the new mechanism in this paper provide relatively satisfactory results.
Retinal Macroglial Responses in Health and Disease
Authors: de Hoz Rosa , Rojas Blanca , Ramírez Ana I. , Salazar Juan J. , Gallego Beatriz I. , Triviño Alberto , Ramírez José M.
Published: May 2016

Due to their permanent and close proximity to neurons, glial cells perform essential tasks for the normal physiology of the retina. Astrocytes and Müller cells (retinal macroglia) provide physical support to neurons and supplement them with several metabolites and growth factors. Macroglia are involved in maintaining the homeostasis of extracellular ions and neurotransmitters, are essential for information processing in neural circuits, participate in retinal glucose metabolism and in removing metabolic waste products, regulate local blood flow, induce the blood-retinal barrier (BRB), play fundamental roles in local immune response, and protect neurons from oxidative damage. In response to polyetiological insults, glia cells react with a process called reactive gliosis, seeking to maintain retinal homeostasis. When malfunctioning, macroglial cells can become primary pathogenic elements. A reactive gliosis has been described in different retinal pathologies, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetes, glaucoma, retinal detachment, or retinitis pigmentosa. A better understanding of the dual, neuroprotective, or cytotoxic effect of macroglial involvement in retinal pathologies would help in treating the physiopathology of these diseases. The extensive participation of the macroglia in retinal diseases points to these cells as innovative targets for new drug therapies.
Neutrosophic Functions of the Joint Roughness Coefficient and the Shear Strength: A Case Study from the Pyroclastic Rock Mass in Shaoxing City, China
Authors: Ye Jun , Yong Rui , Liang Qi-Feng , Huang Man , Du Shi-Gui
Published: May 2016

Many studies have been carried out to investigate the scale effect on the shear behavior of rock joints. However, existing methods are difficult to determinate the joint roughness coefficient (JRC) and the shear strength of rock joints with incomplete and indeterminate information; the nature of scale dependency of rock joints is still unknown and remains an ongoing debate. Thus, this paper establishes two neutrosophic functions of the JRC values and the shear strength based on neutrosophic theory to express and handle the incomplete and indeterminate problems in the analyses of the JRC and the shear strength. An example, including four rock joint samples derived from the pyroclastic rock mass in Shaoxing city, China, is provided to show the effectiveness and rationality of the developed method. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed neutrosophic functions can express and deal with the incomplete and indeterminate problems of the test data caused by geometry complexity of the rock joint surface and sampling bias. They provide a new approach for estimating the JRC values of the different-sized test profiles and the peak shear strength of rock joints.
Research on the Fracture Properties and Modification Mechanism of Polyester Fiber and SBR Latex Modified Cement Concrete
Authors: Zhou Mingkai , Fang Dong , Jiang Deyong
Published: May 2016

Polyester fiber and SBR latex cement concrete is prepared as pavement surface material; its fracture properties including fracture toughness, fracture energy, CMOD, and flexural strength are studied comparing with those of normal concrete (NC), polyester fiber modified concrete (FMC), SBR polymer modified concrete (SMC), and the combination of polyester fiber and SBR polymer modified concrete (FSMC). The modification mechanism of the latex and fiber on the concrete was also studied by the methods including X-ray test, chemically combined water, heat of hydration, water loss, and scanning electron microscope. Results indicated that the concrete modified by latex and polyester fiber has flexural strength, fracture toughness, and fracture energy of 44.4%, 397.0%, and 462.8% higher than the reference normal concrete, the polymer retarded the hydration process and reduced the hydration degree of cement at early age, while the hydration degree is promoted by the polymer film for its excellent water resistance after 28 d, and the bond between the fiber and cement paste is improved by the latex.
Effect of Variable Properties and Moving Heat Source on Magnetothermoelastic Problem under Fractional Order Thermoelasticity
Authors: Xiong Chunbao , Guo Ying
Published: May 2016

A one-dimensional generalized magnetothermoelastic problem of a thermoelastic rod with finite length is investigated in the context of the fractional order thermoelasticity. The rod with variable properties, which are temperature-dependent, is fixed at both ends and placed in an initial magnetic field, and the rod is subjected to a moving heat source along the axial direction. The governing equations of the problem in the fractional order thermoelasticity are formulated and solved by means of Laplace transform in tandem with its numerical inversion. The distributions of the nondimensional temperature, displacement, and stress in the rod are obtained and illustrated graphically. The effects of the temperature-dependent properties, the velocity of the moving heat source, the fractional order parameter, and so forth on the considered variables are concerned and discussed in detail, and the results show that they significantly influence the variations of the considered variables.
Autoimmune Hepatitis: Progress from Global Immunosuppression to Personalised Regulatory T Cell Therapy
Authors: Than Nwe Ni , Jeffery Hannah C. , Oo Ye H.
Published: May 2016

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an immune mediated liver injury. The precise aetiology of AIH is still unknown but current evidence suggests both genetic and environmental factors are involved. Breakdown in peripheral self-tolerance, and impaired functions of FOXP3+regulatory T cell along with effector cell resistance to suppression at the tissue level seem to play an important role in AIH immunopathogenesis. AIH is predominantly a T lymphocytes driven disease but B lymphocytes are also involved in the immunopathology. Innate immune cells are crucial in the initial onset of disease and their response is followed by adaptive T (Th1, Th17, and cytotoxic T cells) and B cell responses evidenced by liver histology and peripheral blood serology. Standard treatment regimens involving steroid and immunosuppressive medications lead to global immune suppression requiring life-long therapy with many side effects. Biologic therapies have been attempted but duration of remission is short-lived. Future direction of diagnosis and treatment for AIH should be guided by “omics” and the immunology profile of the individual patient and clinicians should aim to deliver personalised medicine for their patients. Cell therapy such as infusion of autologous, antigen-specific, and liver-homing regulatory T cells to restore hepatic immune tolerance may soon be a potential future treatment for AIH patients.
Circuits in the Ventral Medulla That Phase-Lock Motoneurons for Coordinated Sniffing and Whisking
Authors: Deschênes Martin , Kurnikova Anastasia , Elbaz Michael , Kleinfeld David
Published: May 2016

The exploratory behavior of rodents is characterized by stereotypical movements of the vibrissae, nose, and head, which are phase locked with rapid respiration, that is, sniffing. Here we review the brainstem circuitry that coordinates these actions and propose that respiration may act as a master clock for binding orofacial inputs across different sensory modalities.
Deposition of BACE-1 Protein in the Brains of APP/PS1 Double Transgenic Mice
Authors: Luo Gang , Xu Hongxia , Huang Yinuo , Mo Dapeng , Song Ligang , Jia Baixue , Wang Bo , Jin Zhanqiang , Miao Zhongrong
Published: May 2016

The main causes of Alzheimer’s disease remain elusive. Previous data have implicated the BACE-1 protein as a central player in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. However, many inhibitors of BACE-1 have failed during preclinical and clinical trials for AD treatment. Therefore, uncovering the exact role of BACE-1 in AD may have significant impact on the future development of therapeutic agents. Three- and six-month-old female APP/PS1 double transgenic mice were used to study abnormal accumulation of BACE-1 protein in brains of mice here. Immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and western blot were performed to measure the distributing pattern and expression level of BACE-1. We found obvious BACE-1 protein accumulation in 3-month-old APP/PS1 mice, which had increased by the time of 6 months. Coimmunostaining results showed BACE-1 surrounded amyloid plaques in brain sections. The abnormal protein expression might not be attributable to the upregulation of BACE-1 protein, as no significant difference of protein expression was observed between wild-type and APP/PS1 mice. With antibodies against BACE-1 and CD31, we found a high immunoreactive density of BACE-1 protein on the outer layer of brain blood vessels. The aberrant distribution of BACE-1 in APP/PS1 mice suggests BACE-1 may be involved in the microvascular abnormality of AD.
A Heuristics-Based Parthenogenetic Algorithm for the VRP with Potential Demands and Time Windows
Authors: Shi Chenghua , Li Tonglei , Bai Yu , Zhao Fei
Published: May 2016

We present the vehicle routing problem with potential demands and time windows (VRP-PDTW), which is a variation of the classical VRP. A homogenous fleet of vehicles originated in a central depot serves customers with soft time windows and deliveries from/to their locations, and split delivery is considered. Also, besides the initial demand in the order contract, the potential demand caused by conformity consuming behavior is also integrated and modeled in our problem. The objective of minimizing the cost traveled by the vehicles and penalized cost due to violating time windows is then constructed. We propose a heuristics-based parthenogenetic algorithm (HPGA) for successfully solving optimal solutions to the problem, in which heuristics is introduced to generate the initial solution. Computational experiments are reported for instances and the proposed algorithm is compared with genetic algorithm (GA) and heuristics-based genetic algorithm (HGA) from the literature. The comparison results show that our algorithm is quite competitive by considering the quality of solutions and computation time.
Ultrasound Biomicroscopy Comparison ofAb InternoandAb ExternoIntraocular Lens Scleral Fixation
Authors: Horiguchi Lie , Garcia Patricia Novita , Malavazzi Gustavo Ricci , Allemann Norma , Gomes Rachel L. R.
Published: May 2016

Purpose. To compareab internoandab externoscleral fixation of posterior chamber intraocular lenses (PCIOL) using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM).Methods. Randomized patients underwentab externoorab internoscleral fixation of a PCIOL. Ultrasound biomicroscopy was performed 3 to 6 months postoperatively, to determine PCIOL centration, IOL distance to the iris at 12, 3, 6, and 9 hours, and haptics placement in relation to the ciliary sulcus.Results. Fifteen patients were enrolled in the study. Theab externotechnique was used in 7 eyes (46.6%) and theab internoin 8 eyes (53.3%). In theab externotechnique, 14 haptics were located: 4 (28.57%) in the ciliary sulcus; 2 (14.28%) anterior to the sulcus; and 8 (57.14%) posterior to the sulcus, 6 in the ciliary body and 2 posterior to the ciliary body. In theab internogroup, 4 haptics (25.0%) were in the ciliary sulcus, 2 (12.50%) anterior to the sulcus, and 10 (75.0%) posterior to the sulcus, 4 in the ciliary body and 6 posterior to the ciliary body.Conclusions.Ab externoandab internoscleral fixation techniques presented similar results in haptic placement.Ab externotechnique presented higher vertical tilt when compared to theab interno.
Disrupting Hypoxia-Induced Bicarbonate Transport Acidifies Tumor Cells and Suppresses Tumor Growth
Authors: McIntyre Alan , Hulikova Alzbeta , Ledaki Ioanna , Snell Cameron , Singleton Dean , Steers Graham , Seden Peter , Jones Dylan , Bridges Esther , Wigfield Simon , Li Ji-Liang , Russell Angela , Swietach Pawel , Harris Adrian L.
Published: May 2016

Tumor hypoxia is associated clinically with therapeutic resistance and poor patient outcomes. One feature of tumor hypoxia is activated expression of carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9), a regulator of pH and tumor growth. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that impeding the reuptake of bicarbonate produced extracellularly by CA9 could exacerbate the intracellular acidity produced by hypoxic conditions, perhaps compromising cell growth and viability as a result. In 8 of 10 cancer cell lines, we found that hypoxia induced the expression of at least one bicarbonate transporter. The most robust and frequent inductions were of the sodium-driven bicarbonate transporters SLC4A4 and SLC4A9, which rely upon both HIF1α and HIF2α activity for their expression. In cancer cell spheroids, SLC4A4 or SLC4A9 disruption by either genetic or pharmaceutical approaches acidified intracellular pH and reduced cell growth. Furthermore, treatment of spheroids with S0859, a small-molecule inhibitor of sodium-driven bicarbonate transporters, increased apoptosis in the cell lines tested. Finally, RNAi-mediated attenuation of SLC4A9 increased apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer spheroids and dramatically reduced growth of MDA-MB-231 breast tumors or U87 gliomas in murine xenografts. Our findings suggest that disrupting pH homeostasis by blocking bicarbonate import might broadly relieve the common resistance of hypoxic tumors to anticancer therapy. Cancer Res; 76(13); 3744–55. ©2016 AACR.
MFG-E8 Drives Melanoma Growth by Stimulating Mesenchymal Stromal Cell–Induced Angiogenesis and M2 Polarization of Tumor-Associated Macrophages
Authors: Yamada Kazuya , Uchiyama Akihiko , Uehara Akihito , Perera Buddhini , Ogino Sachiko , Yokoyama Yoko , Takeuchi Yuko , Udey Mark C. , Ishikawa Osamu , Motegi Sei-ichiro
Published: May 2016

Secretion of the powerful angiogenic factor MFG-E8 by pericytes can bypass the therapeutic effects of anti-VEGF therapy, but the mechanisms by which MFG-E8 acts are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated how this factor acts to promote the growth of melanomas that express it. We found that mouse bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) expressed a substantial amount of MFG-E8. To assess its expression from this cell type, we implanted melanoma cells and MSC derived from wild type (WT) or MFG-E8 deficient [knockout (KO)] into mice and monitored tumor growth. Tumor growth and M2 macrophages were each attenuated in subjects coimplanted with KO-MSC compared with WT-MSC. In both xenograft tumors and clinical specimens of melanoma, we found that MFG-E8 expression was heightened near blood vessels where MSC could be found. Through in vitro assays, we confirmed that WT-MSC–conditioned medium was more potent at inducing M2 macrophage polarization, compared with KO-MSC–conditioned medium. VEGF and ET-1 expression in KO-MSC was significantly lower than in WT-MSC, correlating in vivo with reduced tumor growth and numbers of pericytes and M2 macrophages within tumors. Overall, our results suggested that MFG-E8 acts at two levels, by increasing VEGF and ET-1 expression in MSC and by enhancing M2 polarization of macrophages, to increase tumor angiogenesis. Cancer Res; 76(14); 4283–92. ©2016 AACR.
Biased Expression of the FOXP3Δ3 Isoform in Aggressive Bladder Cancer Mediates Differentiation and Cisplatin Chemotherapy Resistance
Authors: Zhang Hanwei , Prado Kris , Zhang Kelvin X. , Peek Elizabeth M. , Lee Jane , Wang Xiaoyan , Huang Jiaoti , Li Gang , Pellegrini Matteo , Chin Arnold I.
Published: May 2016

Purpose: The transcriptional regulation mediating cancer cell differentiation into distinct molecular subtypes and modulating sensitivity to existing treatments is an enticing therapeutic target. Our objective was to characterize the ability of the forkhead/winged transcription factor FOXP3 to modulate the differentiation of bladder cancer.

Experimental Design: Expression of FOXP3 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in a tumor microarray of 587 samples and overall survival in a subset of 187 patients following radical cystectomy. Functional assays were performed in SW780 and HT1376 cell lines in vitro and in vivo and gene expression profiling performed by RNA-Seq. Validation was undertaken using gene expression profiles of 131 patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) consortium in bladder cancer.

Results: FOXP3 expression correlates with bladder cancer stage and inversely with overall survival, with biased expression of the FOXP3Δ3 isoform. Functional assays of FOXP3Δ3 demonstrated resistance to chemotherapy in vitro, whereas subcutaneous xenografts overexpressing FOXP3Δ3 developed larger and more poorly differentiated bladder cancers. RNA expression profiling revealed a unique FOXP3Δ3 gene signature supporting a role in chemotherapy resistance. Accordingly, knockdown of Foxp3 by siRNA in HT1376 cells conferred sensitivity to cisplatin- and gemcitabine-induced cytotoxicity. Validation in TCGA dataset demonstrated increased expression of FOXP3 in subtypes II to IV and skewing of molecular subtypes based on FOXP3Δ3-specific gene expression.

Conclusions: (i) Biased expression of the FOXP3Δ3 isoform in bladder cancer inversely correlates with overall survival, (ii) FOXP3Δ3 induces a unique gene program that mediates cancer differentiation, and (iii) FOXP3Δ3 may augment chemotherapy resistance. Clin Cancer Res; 22(21); 5349–61. ©2016 AACR.
Characterization of CD33/CD3 Tetravalent Bispecific Tandem Diabodies (TandAbs) for the Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Reusch Uwe , Harrington Kimberly H. , Gudgeon Chelsea J. , Fucek Ivica , Ellwanger Kristina , Weichel Michael , Knackmuss Stefan H.J. , Zhukovsky Eugene A. , Fox Judith A. , Kunkel Lori A. , Guenot Jeanmarie , Walter Roland B.
Published: May 2016

Purpose: Randomized studies with gemtuzumab ozogamicin have validated CD33 as a target for antigen-specific immunotherapy of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Here, we investigated the potential of CD33/CD3-directed tandem diabodies (TandAbs) as novel treatment approach for AML. These tetravalent bispecific antibodies provide two binding sites for each antigen to maintain the avidity of a bivalent antibody and have a molecular weight exceeding the renal clearance threshold, thus offering a longer half-life compared to smaller antibody constructs.

Experimental Design: We constructed a series of TandAbs composed of anti-CD33 and anti-CD3 variable domains of diverse binding affinities and profiled their functional properties in CD33+ human leukemia cell lines, xenograft models, and AML patient samples.

Results: Our studies demonstrated that several CD33/CD3 TandAbs could induce potent, dose-dependent cytolysis of CD33+ AML cell lines. This effect was modulated by the effector-to-target cell ratio and strictly required the presence of T cells. Activation and proliferation of T cells and maximal AML cell cytolysis correlated with high avidity to both CD33 and CD3. High-avidity TandAbs were broadly active in primary specimens from patients with newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory AML in vitro, with cytotoxic properties independent of CD33 receptor density and cytogenetic risk. Tumor growth delay and inhibition were observed in both prophylactic and established HL-60 xenograft models in immunodeficient mice.

Conclusions: Our data show high efficacy of CD33/CD3 TandAbs in various preclinical models of human AML. Together, these findings support further study of CD33/CD3 TandAbs as novel immunotherapeutics for patients with AML. Clin Cancer Res; 22(23); 5829–38. ©2016 AACR.
Higher Serum Bisphenol A Levels in Diabetic Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Turgut Faruk , Sungur Sana , Okur Ramazan , Yaprak Mustafa , Ozsan Muge , Ustun Ihsan , Gokce Cumali
Published: May 2016

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) has been implicated as an ‘endocrine disruptor'. We aimed at exploring the association between serum BPA levels and patient characteristics, particularly the presence of diabetes mellitus, and laboratory parameters in hemodialysis patients. Methods: This study included 47 chronic hemodialysis patients. Patient characteristics were recorded. Blood was drawn before and after hemodialysis session. Serum BPA levels were measured by the high-performance-liquid-chromatography and laboratory parameters were measured by using standard methods. Results: In hemodialysis patients, postdialysis serum BPA levels were significantly higher than predialysis after a single hemodialysis session (5.57 ± 1.2 vs. 4.06 ± 0.73, p < 0.0001). Predialysis serum BPA levels were significantly higher in patients with diabetes than non-diabetics (4.4 ± 0.6 vs. 3.9 ± 0.7, p = 0.025). No association was found between serum BPA levels and patient characteristics, and particularly laboratory parameters. Conclusion: Serum BPA levels were rising significantly after a single dialysis session. Diabetic hemodialysis patients had higher predialysis serum BPA levels.
Is Cerebellar Architecture Shaped by Sensory Ecology in the New Zealand Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli)?
Authors: Corfield Jeremy R. , Kolominsky Jeffrey , Craciun Iulia , Mulvany-Robbins Bridget E. , Wylie Douglas R.
Published: May 2016

Among some mammals and birds, the cerebellar architecture appears to be adapted to the animal's ecological niche, particularly their sensory ecology and behavior. This relationship is, however, not well understood. To explore this, we examined the expression of zebrin II (ZII) in the cerebellum of the kiwi (Apteryx mantelli), a fully nocturnal bird with auditory, tactile, and olfactory specializations and a reduced visual system. We predicted that the cerebellar architecture, particularly those regions receiving visual inputs and those that receive trigeminal afferents from their beak, would be modified in accordance with their unique way of life. The general stripe-and-transverse region architecture characteristic of birds is present in kiwi, with some differences. Folium IXcd was characterized by large ZII-positive stripes and all Purkinje cells in the flocculus were ZII positive, features that resemble those of small mammals and suggest a visual ecology unlike that of other birds. The central region in kiwi appeared reduced or modified, with folium IV containing ZII+/- stripes, unlike that of most birds, but similar to that of Chilean tinamous. It is possible that a reduced visual system has contributed to a small central region, although increased trigeminal input and flightlessness have undoubtedly played a role in shaping its architecture. Overall, like in mammals, the cerebellar architecture in kiwi and other birds may be substantially modified to serve a particular ecological niche, although we still require a larger comparative data set to fully understand this relationship.
A Randomized Trial of Daily Prednisone versus Pulsed Dexamethasone in Treatment-Naïve Adult Patients with Immune Thrombocytopenia: EIS 2002 Study
Authors: Matschke Johannes , Müller-Beissenhirtz Hannes , Novotny Jürgen , Vester Ilona , Hertenstein Bernd , Eisele Lewin , Lax Hildegard , Ose Claudia , Dührsen Ulrich
Published: May 2016

Oral prednisone is considered the standard first-line therapy of adult immune thrombocytopenia, but its long-term efficacy is limited. We performed a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial comparing daily prednisone (1-2 mg/kg/day for 2-4 weeks with subsequent dose reduction) with six 3-week cycles of pulsed dexamethasone (0.6 mg/kg/day, days 1-4). The primary endpoint was remission duration. Of 26 patients enrolled, 22 were evaluable for response. Nine were treated with prednisone and 13 with dexamethasone. The median follow-up was 46 months. The initial response rate (PLT ≥50 × 109/l) was 100% in both groups. Long-term remissions were significantly more frequent with pulsed dexamethasone than with daily prednisone (12 months posttreatment: 77 vs. 22%; p = 0.027). The side effects were similar, but patients on dexamethasone suffered significantly more often from insomnia, while patients on prednisone tended to have more infectious complications. Although the cumulative cortisol equivalent dose was comparable during the first 4 weeks of therapy, it was significantly higher in the dexamethasone arm than in the prednisone arm during the ensuing treatment period. We conclude that repeated cycles of pulsed dexamethasone are a good alternative to daily prednisone as a first-line treatment of immune thrombocytopenia. The duration and intensity of glucocorticoid therapy are important determinants of treatment outcome.
1,2:3,4-Diepoxybutane Induces Multipolar Mitosis in Cultured Human Lymphocytes
Authors: Barajas Torres Reyna Lucía , Domínguez Cruz Martín Daniel , Borjas Gutiérrez César , Ramírez Dueñas María de Lourdes , Magaña Torres María Teresa , González García Juan Ramón
Published: May 2016

1,3-Butadiene, a colorless gas regularly used in the production of plastics, thermoplastic resins, and styrene-butadiene rubber, poses an increased leukemia mortality risk to workers in this field. 1,3-Butadiene is also produced by incomplete combustion of motor fuels or by tobacco smoking. It is absorbed principally through the respiratory system and metabolized by several enzymes rendering 1,2:3,4-diepoxybutane (DEB), which has the highest genotoxic potency of all metabolites of 1,3-butadiene. DEB is considered a carcinogen mainly due to its high potential as clastogen, which induces structural chromosome aberrations such as sister chromatid exchanges, chromosomal breaks, and micronuclei. Due to its clastogenic effect, DEB is one of the most used agents for diagnostic studies of Fanconi anemia, a recessively inherited disease related to mutations affecting several genes involved in a common DNA repair pathway. When performing Fanconi anemia diagnostic tests in our laboratory, we have observed occasional multipolar mitosis (MM) in lymphocyte cultures exposed to 0.1 μg/ml of DEB and harvested in the absence of any mitotic spindle inhibitor. Although previous studies reported an aneugenic effect (i.e. it induces aneuploidy) of DEB, no mechanism was suggested to explain such observations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether exposure to 0.1 μg/ml of DEB is significantly associated with the occurrence of MM. We blindly assessed the frequency of MM in lymphocyte cultures from 10 nonsmoking healthy individuals. Two series of 3 cultures were performed from each sample under different conditions: A, without DEB; B, with 0.1 μg/ml of DEB, and C, with 25 μM of mitomycin C as positive control. Cultures exposed to DEB showed higher frequencies of MM (23 of 2,000 cells) than did the unexposed ones (3 of 2,000 cells).
Unique Distribution of Benzodiazepine Receptors in the Brain during the First Two Years of Life
Authors: Nomura Sadahiro , Koizumi Hiroyasu , Suehiro Eiichi , Kiya Hidekatsu , Suzuki Michiyasu
Published: May 2016

Background: 123I-iomazenil (IMZ) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a tool for evaluating epileptic foci and brain damage. To apply the method to children, information regarding the age-specific expression of benzodiazepine receptors (BDZ-Rs) is required. Unfortunately, there is no information currently available for children <2 years of age. Methods: We used IMZ SPECT once in infants aged 3-8 months and again at 2 years of age in order to describe the maturational changes in BDZ-R distribution. Results: No neurological deficits were found in any of the infants at the first examination. The BDZ-Rs were more dominantly distributed in the occipital lobe than in the frontal lobe before the age of 2 years. The frontal-occipital gradients of the distribution were obvious in children <8 months of age. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a spreading of myelination toward the frontal lobes simultaneously with BDZ-R expression. Conclusion: Information regarding the alteration in the BDZ-R distribution pattern is useful when assessing infantile epilepsy and brain injury. The age-related pattern of BDZ-R distribution could correspond with myelination, cerebral blood flow, metabolism and behavioral development.
A Case of Survival: Myocardial Infarction and Ventricular Arrhythmia Induced by Severe Hydrogen Sulfide Poisoning
Authors: Chen Jie , Chen Shenjie , Mao Wei
Published: May 2016

Most cases of acute hydrogen sulfide (H2S) poisoning in China are caused by sewage processing. With the rapid development of urbanization in China, H2S poisoning is showing an increasing trend. Here, we report a case of survival from severe H2S poisoning. A 40-year-old worker was found in the underground sewer lines. He was unresponsive with bilaterally dilated pupils and had poor oxygen saturation. After intubation, he was transferred to the intensive care unit. He developed respiratory failure, acute myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmia and left ventricular function impairment, requiring artificial ventilation with highly concentrated oxygen, hyperbaric oxygen treatment and drug therapy. Consequently, he completely recovered from the respiratory and cardiac failure. Cases of survival after severe H2S intoxication have been rarely reported. Such exposures may bring about severe myocardial impairment, which is most likely to benefit from angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and β-blocker.
Radiation-Induced Moyamoya Syndrome after Proton Beam Therapy in the Pediatric Patient: A Case Series
Authors: Reynolds Matthew R. , Haydon Devon H. , Caird John , Leonard Jeffrey R.
Published: May 2016

Minimizing normal-tissue radiation exposure is especially important in the pediatric population as children appear to be particularly sensitive to postradiation vasculopathies after conventional photon radiotherapy. Given the limited scattering effect and low-dose radiation delivery to the surrounding tissues with proton beam radiotherapy, this modality is considered to be an effective treatment for pediatric skull-base tumors compared to conventional radiotherapy, and to have fewer adverse side effects. We report 2 cases of radiation-induced moyamoya syndrome following proton beam therapy in pediatric patients. To our knowledge, only a few other reported cases of radiation-induced moyamoya syndrome following proton beam therapy exist in the current literature. While rare, radiation-induced moyamoya syndrome can occur in the pediatric population with newer techniques like proton beam radiotherapy. Accordingly, patients and their families should be informed about this potential complication prior to all forms of radiation treatment.
Determination of Clinical Outcome in Mitral Regurgitation With Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Quantification
Authors: Myerson Saul G. , d’Arcy Joanna , Christiansen Jonathan P. , Dobson Laura E. , Mohiaddin Raad , Francis Jane M. , Prendergast Bernard , Greenwood John P. , Karamitsos Theodoros D. , Neubauer Stefan
Published: May 2016

Background—

Surgery for severe mitral regurgitation is indicated if symptoms or left ventricular dilation or dysfunction occur. However, prognosis is already reduced by this stage, and earlier surgery on asymptomatic patients has been advocated if valve repair is likely, but identifying suitable patients for early surgery is difficult. Quantifying the regurgitation may help, but evidence for its link with outcome is limited. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) can accurately quantify mitral regurgitation, and we examined whether this was associated with the future need for surgery.

Methods and Results—

One hundred nine asymptomatic patients with echocardiographic moderate or severe mitral regurgitation had baseline CMR scans and were followed up for up to 8 years (mean, 2.5±1.9 years). CMR quantification accurately identified patients who progressed to symptoms or other indications for surgery: 91% of subjects with regurgitant volume ≤55 mL survived to 5 years without surgery compared with only 21% with regurgitant volume >55 mL (
P
<0.0001). A similar separation was observed for regurgitant fraction ≤40% and >40%. CMR-derived end-diastolic volume index showed a weaker association with outcome (proportions surviving without surgery at 5 years, 90% for left ventricular end-diastolic volume index <100 mL/m
2
versus 48% for ≥100 mL/m
2
) and added little to the discriminatory power of regurgitant fraction/volume alone.

Conclusions—

CMR quantification of mitral regurgitation was associated with the development of symptoms or other indications for surgery and showed better discriminatory ability than the reference-standard CMR-derived ventricular volumes. CMR may be able to identify appropriate patients for early surgery, with the potential to change clinical practice, although the clinical benefits of early surgery require confirmation in a clinical trial.
SMART Money: Do Financial Incentives Encourage College Students to Study Science?
Authors: Evans Brent J.
Published: May 2016

Increasing the number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees is a major federal education priority. I investigate whether providing a $4,000 financial incentive to low-income students in their junior and senior years of college induces them to major in a STEM field. Using administrative data from Ohio public colleges, I exploit a discontinuity in income eligibility for the National SMART Grant on the pursuit of science majors. Regression discontinuity results indicate financial incentives do not encourage students at the threshold of eligibility to choose STEM majors in their junior year. The null findings are fairly precise, ruling out modest, policy relevant effects for students near the Pell Grant eligibility threshold. I examine several potential explanations of this null result and argue that federal policy makers could improve the design of the program by creating the financial incentive earlier in students’ educational careers.
Racial Interaction Effects and Student Achievement
Authors: Penney Jeffrey
Published: May 2016

Previous research has found that students who are of the same race as their teacher tend to perform better academically. This paper examines the possibility that both dosage and timing matter for these racial complementarities. Using a model of education production that explicitly accounts for past observable inputs, a conditional differences-in-differences estimation procedure is used to nonparametrically identify dynamic treatment effects of various sequences of interventions. Applying the methodology to Tennessee's Project STAR class size experiment, I find that racial complementarities may vary considerably according to the treatment path. Early exposures to same-race teachers yield benefits that persist in the medium run. This same-race matching effect may explain a nontrivial portion of the black–white test score gap.
Intensive College Counseling and the Enrollment and Persistence of Low-Income Students
Authors: Castleman Benjamin , Goodman Joshua
Published: May 2016

Though counseling is one commonly pursued intervention to improve college enrollment and completion for disadvantaged students, there is relatively little causal evidence on its efficacy. We use a regression discontinuity design to study the impact of intensive college counseling provided by a Massachusetts program to college-seeking, low-income students that admits applicants partly on the basis of a minimum grade point average requirement. Counseling shifts enrollment toward four-year colleges that are less expensive and have higher graduation rates than alternatives students would otherwise choose. Counseling also improves persistence through at least the second year of college, suggesting a potential to increase the degree completion rates of disadvantaged students.
Pension Choices and the Savings Patterns of Public School Teachers
Authors: Goldhaber Dan , Grout Cyrus
Published: May 2016

This paper examines the savings behavior of public school teachers who are enrolled in a hybrid pension plan that includes a defined contribution (DC) component. Few states have incorporated DC features into teacher pension systems and little is known about how providing teachers with greater control over deferred compensation might affect their savings behavior—an important determinant of retirement security. We find the retirement savings choices of teachers—how much they opt to contribute to a DC retirement account—to be generally consistent with that of their peers in the private sector. In particular, age and salary are positively correlated with contribution rates, and contribution rates increase with teaching experience. Importantly, our analysis of retirement wealth suggests that Washington's hybrid plan is likely to provide a level of retirement security for a typical teacher that is comparable to or greater than that provided by the state's pure defined benefit plan.
Transformative Theology: An Ecumenical Approach to Transformation in Guatemala
Authors: Leer-Helgesen Arnhild
Published: May 2016

The Latin American debate on development has been put on the agenda of theologians and church leaders since the 1960s, most critically by the representatives of liberation theology. Different epistemological and hermeneutic approaches have been used. By using a case from Guatemala this paper claims that different theological discourses are in play and influence the way political, social, economic and cultural development is understood and practiced. These discourses are often in conflict with each other. Bjune (2012) argues that the growth and strength of the Alliance of Evangelical Churches in Guatemala (aeg) have made “the evangelicals” a political actor in the country, contributing to maintaining the privileges of the rich and powerful. I argue that the Conference of Evangelical Churches in Guatemala (ciedeg) and their use of theology can be seen as a counter discourse to that ofaegas well as to what can be seen as western development thinking. The different theological discourses are thus also linked to economy and political influence: Whileaegseems to go hand in hand with strong economic forces, the international support for the ecumenically-orientedciedeghas declined. This article focuses on theological discourse as an important field in the debate on religion and development in Latin America.
The “Poor” in Ancient Israel – and in Contemporary African Biblical Studies
Authors: Holter Knut
Published: May 2016

The academic discipline of biblical studies experiences an increasing tendency to engage in burning issues of our own time. The contemporary globalization of the subject – with more and stronger exponents outside its traditional Western habitat – challenges a discipline that used to be defined as a purely historical enterprise whose only purpose was that of providing textual and historical raw materials for others, such as the supposedly “real” theologians of systematic theology, practical theology, or missiology. Using examples provided by African biblical scholars who interpret biblical concepts of poverty, the article argues that the academic discipline of biblical studies has a mandate to participate in the current struggle for justice and human dignity, and to do so with its particular insights and toolsvis-à-visthe biblical texts.
Race, Ethnicity, and Assimilation
Authors: Shankar Shobana
Published: May 2016

This article traces the influences of American anthropology and racial discourse on Christian missions and indigenous converts in British Northern Nigeria from the 1920s. While colonial ethnological studies of religious and racial difference had represented non-Muslim Northern Nigerians as inherently different from the Muslim Hausa and Fulani peoples, the American missionary Albert Helser, a student of Franz Boas, applied American theories and practices of racial assimilation to Christian evangelism to renegotiate interreligious and interethnic relations in Northern Nigeria. Helser successfully convinced the British colonial authorities to allow greater mobility and influence of “pagan” converts in Muslim areas, thus fostering more regular and more complicated Christian-Muslim interactions. For their part, Christian Northern Nigerians developed the identity of being modernizers, developed from their narratives of uplift from historical enslavement and oppression at the hands of Muslims. Using new sources, this article shows that a region long assumed to be frozen and reactionary experienced changes similar to those occurring in other parts of Africa. Building on recent studies of religion, empire, and the politics of knowledge, it shows that cultural studies did not remain academic or a matter of colonial knowledge. Northern Nigerians’ religious identity shaped their desire for cultural autonomy and their transformation from converts into missionaries themselves.
A comparison of ITS sequence data and morphology for Calligonum pumilum and C. mongolicum (Polygonaceae) and its taxonomic implications
Authors: SHI WEI , WEN JUN , PAN BORONG
Published: May 2016

Several lines of evidence including morphology, chromosome numbers, karyotypes, and phenology were previously used to clarify the taxonomic relationship between Calligonum mongolicum and C. pumilum (Polygonaceae). We employed sequences of the commonly used bar-coding locus, the nuclear ribosomal ITS region, to differentiate Calligonum mongolicum and C. pumilum, based on a sampling scheme of seven populations in three desert regions in China. Phylogenetic analyses did not support the monophyly of each of the two species; instead, populations of the two taxa are intermixed in the analysis. This pattern of intermixing is consistent with the result of the neighbor-net analysis. The ITS region can distinguish other species beyond the C. mongolicum complex defined by morphology both within a section and among sections in Calligonum. The intermixed non-monophyletic pattern of the widespread C. mongolicum and the narrowly distributed C. pumilum supports the merge of C. pumilum with C. mongolicum, consistent with morphological, cytological and karyotype analyses. We herein formally treat C. pumilum as the synonym of C. mongolicum.
Cryptophaea, a new genus of byssoid Arthoniaceae (lichenized Ascomycota) and its phylogenetic position
Authors: VAN DEN BROECK DRIES , ERTZ DAMIEN
Published: May 2016

Cryptophaea, a new corticolous lichen genus, is described from the Congo basin as belonging to the cryptothecioid Arthoniaceae. It is characterized by (1) maculiform, tomentose, brownish ascomata lacking a distinct exciple, (2) the absence of a distinct hamathecium of paraphysoids, (3) a byssoid crustose thallus with a trentepohlioid photobiont, (4) greyish to brown (sub)muriform ascospores and (5) the presence of parietin, an anthraquinone, absent in the other cryptothecioid Arthoniaceae. At this moment the new genus is represented by only one species, Cryptophaea phaeospora sp. nov. A phylogenetic analysis of mtSSU and RPB2 sequences shows Cryptophaea as sister genus to Glomerulophoron in the cryptothecioid Arthoniaceae.
A new species and new records of Lecanora (Lecanoraceae, lichenized Ascomycota) with usnic acid from the Antarctic region
Authors: ROSA IRIS NADIA DE LA , PASSO ALFREDO , RODRÍGUEZ JUAN MANUEL , CHIAPELLA JORGE OSCAR , MESSUTI MARÍA INÉS
Published: May 2016

A new species of Lecanora, L. flavocrassa, is described from the Antarctic region. Additionally, L. stenotropa is registered for the first time from Antarctica and the distribution range of L. intricata is extended to the Antarctic Peninsula. A key to the species of Lecanora from Antarctica that contain usnic acid as secondary metabolite is presented.
Revision of the Nearctic species of Callomyia Meigen (Diptera: Platypezidae) and phylogeny of the genus
Authors: CUMMING HEATHER J. , WHEELER TERRY A.
Published: May 2016

The Nearctic fauna of the genus Callomyia Meigen is revised and a phylogeny of the world species, based on morphological characters, is presented. Although morphological data are used primarily to delimit species, molecular sequence data (DNA barcodes) are used where possible, to help determine species boundaries and associate sexes. Species descriptions, diagnoses, and distribution maps are presented, along with illustrations of habitus, male terminalia, and additional important diagnostic characters. A key to the Nearctic species is provided. Ten species are recorded from the Nearctic Region including three new species: C. argentea Cumming sp. nov., C. arnaudi Cumming sp. nov., C. bertae Kessel, C. browni Cumming sp. nov., C. calla Kessel, C. corvina Kessel, C. gilloglyorum Kessel, C. proxima Johnson, C. velutina Johnson, and C. venusta Snow. The female of C. velutina is described, and three new synonyms are proposed: C. cleta Kessel is a junior synonym of C. calla syn. nov.; C. clara Kessel is a junior synonym of C. corvina syn. nov.; and C. liardia Kessel & Buegler is a junior synonym of C. proxima syn. nov. Phylogenetic relationships within the genus are reconstructed. The genus is monophyletic based primarily on the setulose R1 wing vein, female antennal size and three larval characters. The Nearctic species do not form a monophyletic group with respect to the Old World species.