bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
George Lippard’s The Quaker City
Authors: Emerson D. Berton
Published: June 2015

D. Berton Emerson, “George Lippard’s The Quaker City: Disjointed Text, Dismembered Bodies, Regenerated Democracy” (pp. 102–131)

This essay argues that George Lippard’s The Quaker City (1844–1845), originally published in ten separate numbers, is best understood when read more consistently with Lippard’s own mid-production assessment: that he was producing two different books, a novel and its sequel. Doing so reveals that the target of Lippard’s unruly social protest transitions away from a nation-framed story featuring the seduction of an innocent woman and the moral degradation of a community in which such a crime would be possible, to a broader complaint in the sequel against the lack of democratic power and agency at the local level. I start by reconstructing the disjointed composition and publication-in-parts schedule of The Quaker City, along with some historical developments that might have led to its changed course, in order to highlight Lippard’s shifting design and the narrative’s vernacular aesthetics. Turning to the narrative, I explore how the shifting trajectory between novel and sequel becomes most compelling in Lippard’s treatment of printed texts/print culture and bodies/body politic, two entities frequently evoked in the cultivation and understanding of national (imagined) community. In Lippard’s imaginative revision, the sequel thus grapples with alternative political possibilities that discard faith in nation-scaled remedies and instead works through the complexities of a regenerated, localized democracy.
“Picture it all, Darley”
Authors: Altschuler Sari
Published: June 2015

Sari Altschuler “‘Picture it all, Darley’: Race Politics and the Media History of George Lippard’s The Quaker City” (pp. 65–101)

This essay adresses two related questions. First, how did George Lippard’s The Quaker City develop from a multimedia story told through newspaper conventions, illustration, and two plays into the novel that appeared in May 1845? And second, how did Lippard’s white-seduction narrative come to pivot around the nightmare of an ambiguously raced Devil-Bug? Joining these questions of form and content, I argue that the media history of The Quaker City is inextricable from its history of race. In the wake of the almost riot around the mid-serialization of his Philadelphia play, Lippard moved away from fictionalizing current events toward the “grotesque-sublime” through a broader critique of Philadelphia less open to charges of libel. This shift took place through the transformation of Devil-Bug, a character Lippard rapidly developed in the middle installments until he was complex enough to carry the new story. Turning the once-black Devil-Bug into his protagonist, however, required character developments that necessarily complicated the story’s representation of race, a process that occurred concurrently with events related to the work that highlighted the systemic oppression of African Americans. In winter 1844, troubles with two stage productions and his illustrator highlighted the problems of representing race. After a several-month hiatus, Lippard published new installments vituperously condemning the representational limits of these nonprose forms and turned to prose to develop his antislavery position through Devil-Bug. As a result of these confluent developments, The Quaker City became an antislavery text through the process of opening Devil-Bug’s character up to its own hybridity and interiority.
Long-Read Single Molecule Sequencing to Resolve Tandem Gene Copies: The Mst77Y Region on the Drosophila melanogaster Y Chromosome
Authors: Krsticevic Flavia J , Schrago Carlos G , Carvalho A Bernardo
Published: June 2015

The autosomal gene Mst77F of Drosophila melanogaster is essential for male fertility. In 2010, Krsticevic et al. (Genetics184: 295−307) found 18 Y-linked copies of Mst77F (“Mst77Y”), which collectively account for 20% of the functional Mst77F-like mRNA. The Mst77Y genes were severely misassembled in the then-available genome assembly and were identified by cloning and sequencing polymerase chain reaction products. The genomic structure of the Mst77Y region and the possible existence of additional copies remained unknown. The recent publication of two long-read assemblies of D. melanogaster prompted us to reinvestigate this challenging region of the Y chromosome. We found that the Illumina Synthetic Long Reads assembly failed in the Mst77Y region, most likely because of its tandem duplication structure. The PacBio MHAP assembly of the Mst77Y region seems to be very accurate, as revealed by comparisons with the previously found Mst77Y genes, a bacterial artificial chromosome sequence, and Illumina reads of the same strain. We found that the Mst77Y region spans 96 kb and originated from a 3.4-kb transposition from chromosome 3L to the Y chromosome, followed by tandem duplications inside the Y chromosome and invasion of transposable elements, which account for 48% of its length. Twelve of the 18 Mst77Y genes found in 2010 were confirmed in the PacBio assembly, the remaining six being polymerase chain reaction−induced artifacts. There are several identical copies of some Mst77Y genes, coincidentally bringing the total copy number to 18. Besides providing a detailed picture of the Mst77Y region, our results highlight the utility of PacBio technology in assembling difficult genomic regions such as tandemly repeated genes.
X Chromosome and Autosome Dosage Responses in Drosophila melanogaster Heads
Authors: Chen Zhen-Xia , Oliver Brian
Published: June 2015

X chromosome dosage compensation is required for male viability in Drosophila. Dosage compensation relative to autosomes is two-fold, but this is likely to be due to a combination of homeostatic gene-by-gene regulation and chromosome-wide regulation. We have baseline values for gene-by-gene dosage compensation on autosomes, but not for the X chromosome. Given the evolutionary history of sex chromosomes, these baseline values could differ. We used a series of deficiencies on the X and autosomes, along with mutations in the sex-determination gene transformer-2, to carefully measure the sex-independent X-chromosome response to gene dosage in adult heads by RNA sequencing. We observed modest and indistinguishable dosage compensation for both X chromosome and autosome genes, suggesting that the X chromosome is neither inherently more robust nor sensitive to dosage change.
PUF-8 Functions Redundantly with GLD-1 to Promote the Meiotic Progression of Spermatocytes inCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Priti Agarwal , Subramaniam Kuppuswamy
Published: June 2015

Successful meiotic progression of germ cells is crucial for gametogenesis. Defects in this process affect proper genetic transmission and sometimes lead to tumor formation in the germline. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the RNA-binding protein GLD-1 is essential for the meiotic development of oocytes. However, its role during spermatogenesis has not been understood. Here, we show that GLD-1 functions redundantly with the PUF family protein PUF-8 to ensure proper meiotic development of spermatocytes. When grown at 20°—the standard laboratory temperature for C. elegans growth—primary spermatocytes in both gld-1 and puf-8 single-mutant males and hermaphrodites complete the meiotic divisions normally. By contrast, some of the gld-1; puf-8 double-mutant spermatocytes exit meiosis and form germ cell tumors in both sexes. During larval development, gld-1; puf-8 double-mutant germ cells begin to express the meiotic marker HIM-3, lose P granules, and form the sperm-specific membranous organelle, which are characteristics of developing spermatocytes. However, some of these cells quickly lose HIM-3 and form germ cell tumors that lack membranous organelle but contain P granules. Mutations that block meiotic progression at late pachytene or diakinetic stage fail to arrest the tumorigenesis, suggesting that the gld-1; puf-8 double-mutant spermatocytes exit meiosis prior to the completion of pachytene. Together, results presented here uncover a novel function for gld-1 in the meiotic development of spermatocytes in both hermaphrodites and males.
A Consensus Genetic Map forPinus taedaandPinus elliottiiand Extent of Linkage Disequilibrium in Two Genotype-Phenotype Discovery Populations ofPinus taeda
Authors: Westbrook Jared W , Chhatre Vikram E , Wu Le-Shin , Chamala Srikar , Neves Leandro Gomide , Muñoz Patricio , Martínez-García Pedro J , Neale David B , Kirst Matias , Mockaitis Keithanne , Nelson C Dana , Peter Gary F , Davis John M , Echt Craig S
Published: June 2015

A consensus genetic map for Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) and Pinus elliottii (slash pine) was constructed by merging three previously published P. taeda maps with a map from a pseudo-backcross between P. elliottii and P. taeda. The consensus map positioned 3856 markers via genotyping of 1251 individuals from four pedigrees. It is the densest linkage map for a conifer to date. Average marker spacing was 0.6 cM and total map length was 2305 cM. Functional predictions of mapped genes were improved by aligning expressed sequence tags used for marker discovery to full-length P. taeda transcripts. Alignments to the P. taeda genome mapped 3305 scaffold sequences onto 12 linkage groups. The consensus genetic map was used to compare the genome-wide linkage disequilibrium in a population of distantly related P. taeda individuals (ADEPT2) used for association genetic studies and a multiple-family pedigree used for genomic selection (CCLONES). The prevalence and extent of LD was greater in CCLONES as compared to ADEPT2; however, extended LD with LGs or between LGs was rare in both populations. The average squared correlations, r2, between SNP alleles less than 1 cM apart were less than 0.05 in both populations and r2 did not decay substantially with genetic distance. The consensus map and analysis of linkage disequilibrium establish a foundation for comparative association mapping and genomic selection in P. taeda and P. elliottii.
Comparison of an essential-oil-based oral rinse and chlorhexidine as adjuncts to scaling and root planing in the treatment of periodontal inflammation
Authors: Alshehri Mohammed , Alshail Faisal , Aldosary Khalid M. , Alamri Abdullah Awad
Published: June 2015

Objective: The aim of the present short-term follow-up study was to compare the efects of an essential oil (EO)-based oral rinse and chlorhexidine as adjuncts to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of periodontal inflammation. Methods: In Group-1, SRP was performed and participants were instructed to rinse with EO-based oral rinse; in Group-2, SRP was performed and participants were instructed to rinse with chlorhexidine; and in Group-3, SRP was performed and participants were instructed to rinse with water. Periodontal parameters (plaque index [PI], bleeding-on-probing [BOP], and probing pocket depth [PPD] ≥ 4 mm) were assessed at baseline and after 7 and 30 days. Results: In all groups, periodontal parameters (PI, BOP, and PPD ≥ 4 mm) were comparable at baseline. In Groups-1 and -2, there was a significant reduction in PI (P < 0.01), BOP (P < 0.01), and PD ≥ 4 mm after 7 days and 30 days of follow-up than baseline. In Group-3, there was a significant reduction in PI (P < 0.01) and BOP (P < 0.01) after 7 days of follow-up compared to baseline. There was no diference in periodontal parameters after 7 days and 30 days of follow-up in Groups-1 and -2. Conclusion: EO-based oral rinses and chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) are acceptable adjuncts to SRP in the treatment of periodontal inflammation.
Horseshoe kidney transplantation
Authors: Nemes Balázs , Kanyári Zsolt , Zádori Gergely , Zsom Lajos , Berhés Mariann , Hamar Mátyás , Kóbor Krisztina , Péter Antal
Published: June 2015

Horseshoe kidney is a fusion anomaly found in approximately one in 400–600 people. Due to vascular and ureteral variations, transplantation with a horseshoe kidney presents a technical challenge. In our case, the isthmus connected the upper poles and contained parenchyma. It consisted of three renal arteries, five veins collected to the inferior vena cava, and two ureters and pyelons. It was implanted en bloc to the left side retroperitoneally. During the early period, cellular and humoral rejection was confirmed and treated. For a urine leak, double J catheters were implanted into both ureters. Later, the first catheter was removed. Subsequently, urinary sepsis developed, necessitating graftectomy. The uncommon anatomy of ureters and antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) may both be factors for a ureter tip necrosis led to an infected urinoma. After other Hungarian authors, we also report a horseshoe kidney transplantation that was technically successful. However, after an adequately treated but severe acute humoral rejection, the patient developed sepsis, and the kidney had to be removed. We conclude that transplantation with horseshoe kidney is technically feasible but may increase the risk for urinary complications and resultant infections. Careful consideration of risk and benefit is advised when a transplant professional is faced with this option.
Variación sociofonética de las consonantes del castellano chileno [Sociophonetic variation in Chilean Spanish consonants]
Authors: Sadowsky Scott
Published: June 2015

This paper explores the sociophonetic variation of the consonants of Chilean Spanish. It analyzes the socially-indexed allophones of /t???/, /t???/, /r/, /?/, /?/, /s/, /d?/, /?/, /f/, /l/ and /b/, and concludes that in the young generation, speakers of all social classes are adopting prestige allophones of /t???/ on a massive scale; that a process of sociolect leveling is affecting /t???/, /r/, /?/ and /?/, possibly under the influence of an exonorm in the case of /t???/ and /r/; that /s/ has developed new stigmatized allophones due to the operation of covert prestige; and that certain allophones of /s/ and /d?/ which were socially unmarked in the past are becoming stigmatized, likely as a result of hypercorrective use. It further concludes that /?/ is for all intents and purposes extinct, and that the stigmatized allophones of /f/ and /l/, as well as a non-stigmatized allophone of /b/, have been largely abandoned.
Signs in cities: the discursive production and commodification of urban spaces
Authors: Papen Uta
Published: June 2015

The analysis of signs in cities is known as research into ‘linguistic landscapes’. Following Jaworski and Thurlow (2010), this paper focuses on ‘semiotic’ not linguistic landscapes. I argue that visual images and visual aspects of writing such as font or colour are essential for the meanings conveyed on signs. As an example, I examine the semiotic landscape of parts of Prenzlauer Berg, a neighbourhood of the former East Berlin. Neglected in the 1980s, after reunification, this originally working class area became middle class and trendy, popular for its shops, cafes and arts culture. Using multimodal and ethnographic methods, my paper reveals the important role commercial signs and street art play in the discursive re-construction of this gentrified neighbourhood. Both contribute to the area’s commercialization and aestheticization. My paper also illustrates how semiotic landscapes contribute to placemaking and the commodification of urban spaces. The combination of multimodal analysis with interviews with sign authors allowed for insights into the reasons specific semiotic choices were made, adding to our understanding of discourse production by revealing intended meanings which were not identifiable based on text analysis alone.
In Reply
Authors: Takagi Yusuke , Hosomi Yukio , Shibuya Masahiko , Okamoto Hiroaki
Published: June 2015

Studies of supportive therapy in oncology must be interpreted carefully, considering the balance between convenience and safety. Further prospective studies may be necessary for applying the short-term vitamin supplementation to all patients who undergo pemetrexed-based therapy.
De la realidad a la ficción, de la literatura al periodismo
Authors: Ardila J. Clemencia
Published: June 2015

Se propone en este artículo considerar la relación entre literatura y periodismo bajo dos modalidades: como estrategia narrativa, a partir de la configuración de una narradora-reportera, y como motivo temático recurrente en el que el ejercicio del cronista es objeto de reflexiones éticas. Uno y otro caso, se explican y analizan en algunas novelas de los escritores colombianos Laura Restrepo y Juan Gabriel Vásquez.
Ansiedad finisecular e hibridez cultural en el imaginario dariano de Azul (1888)
Authors: Solodkow David
Published: June 2015

El objetivo de este artículo es analizar la construcción de una hibridez cultural, política y estética en dos poemas de Azul (“Estival” y “Anagke”). En estos poemas, Rubén Darío presenta al lector una visión cultural compleja de América Latina a finales del siglo XIX. Al mismo tiempo, estos poemas muestran una cierta ansiedad cultural finisecular producto de la modernización capitalista, de los nuevos circuitos de consumo, del nuevo y cada vez más amplio público lector y, finalmente, de la moderna función del escritor en una sociedad en constante aceleración. Mi hipótesis es que las transformaciones culturales y políticas del período generan una mezcla de tradiciones literarias y de imaginarios culturales que repercuten en nuevas formas de escritura.
“Entrar en los cuadros”. Écfrasis literaria y écfrasis crítica en los ensayos de Pedro Gómez Valderrama
Authors: Giraldo Efrén
Published: June 2015

Este artículo examina la manera en que la obra de arte pictórico, los museos y la imagen arquitectónica, devocional y popular se manifiestan en los ensayos literarios de Pedro Gómez Valderrama. Para ello, 1) se discute la diferencia entre las funciones crítica y literaria de la écfrasis, 2) se abordan diversos textos ensayísticos del escritor colombiano y 3) se postula la presencia de la écfrasis en el ensayo como uno de los rasgos de su inscripción estética y valoración literaria.
Editorial. V Encuentro la Academia tiene la Palabra Tema: Salud, Desarrollo y Paz. Santafé de Bogotá, jueves 16 de abril de 2015. Declaración Académica
Authors: Facultad Nacional de Salud Pública  , Universidad de los Andes  , Pontificia Universidad Javeriana  , Universidad del Rosario  , Universidad del Valle  , Universidad Santo Tomás  , Asociación Colombina de la salud  , Así Vamos en Salud
Published: June 2015

Vivimos un tiempo de debate y reflexión crítica sobre la Seguridad Social y la Salud Pública. Salud, Desarrollo y Paz son los ejes de la discusión en estos tiempos. El IV Encuentro la Academia tiene la Palabra ha centrado su reflexión y crítica propositiva analizando la coyuntura política de los acuerdos de paz, las propuestas del Plan Nacional de Desarrollo y la reciente Ley Estatutaria en Salud 1751 del 16 de febrero de 2015 y la sentencia C 313 del 2014.
Imaginarios de la educación en salud pública en enfermería
Authors: Arias T. Dolly , Núñez G. Nicolás A. , Almeida de F. Nébia M. , Tonini Teresa
Published: June 2015

Los imaginarios de la educación en salud pública de enfermería se construyen desde una visión histórica del currículo, los fundamentos normativos en educación y salud, las vivencias de los docentes, estudiantes y egresados; lo cual conlleva a la apropiación conceptual y metodológica de estrategias para fortalecer la calidad de la formación de enfermeras en el siglo XXI. Objetivo: develar imaginarios de educación en salud pública en el programa de Enfermería de la Universidad Surcolombiana desde 1993 hasta 2013. Metodología: estudio cualitativo, de análisis de contenido. Muestreo deliberado de profesores del área de salud pública y estudiantes de Enfermería de último año. Información recolectada mediante entrevista de grupo focal y procesado con el software Atlas Ti. Resultados: en relación con el tema de estudio emergen categorías principales: concepción de la salud pública, comprensión de la salud pública, formación profesional del maestro, la salud pública en el plan de estudios, educación en salud pública en enfermería y lo “no visto, no sentido, no escuchado”. Conclusiones: los imaginarios de educación en salud pública de Enfermería en la Universidad Surcolombiana se caracterizan por una crisis epistemológica entre teorías y prácticas disciplinares; las políticas propuestas por la oms/ops y las leyes de la profesión indican la necesidad de robustecer la integración curricular, el desarrollo de competencias específicas y la participación de los estudiantes en la definición de objetivos, métodos y ambientes de aprendizaje desde una visión holística y global pero con perspectiva local.
Los costos de la enfermedad laboral: revisión de literatura
Authors: Riaño-Casallas Martha I. , Palencia-Sánchez Francisco
Published: June 2015

Objetivo: identificar el estado de desarrollo de la investigación sobre los costos de la enfermedad laboral que ha sido publicada en la literatura durante la última década en el mundo. Metodología: se realizó una búsqueda sistemática de literatura, altamente sensible, con el objetivo de identificar publicaciones que se adaptaran a los criterios de inclusión predefinidos por los autores. Se consultaron bases de datos como Pubmed, Ebsco, Lilacs, Online Wiley, Embase y Springer. El periodo de tiempo consultado fue 2000-2013. Resultados: Se incluyeron 54 artículos, de los cuales el mayor porcentaje están escritos en inglés, la mayoría fue producto de investigaciones realizadas en Estados Unidos. La metodología utilizada principalmente por los autores de los artículos fue del tipo de estudios de carga y costos de la enfermedad. Los costos incluidos en estas publicaciones fueron directos e indirectos en su mayoría y la perspectiva predominante fue la de tipo social. Conclusiones: Las economías más avanzadas del mundo son las que en su mayoría realizan este tipo de investigaciones, balance que resalta la importancia de realizar estos estudios para economías de países en desarrollo. Con respecto al lenguaje de publicación solamente se encontraron publicaciones en español realizadas en España, de ahí que sea necesario adelantar más estudios de este tipo en Latinoamérica.
Equilibrium, kinetics and process design of acid yellow 132 adsorption onto red pine sawdust
Authors: Can Mustafa
Published: June 2015

Linear and non-linear regression procedures have been applied to the Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin, Dubinin–Radushkevich, and Redlich–Peterson isotherms for adsorption of acid yellow 132 (AY132) dye onto red pine (Pinus resinosa) sawdust. The effects of parameters such as particle size, stirring rate, contact time, dye concentration, adsorption dose, pH, and temperature were investigated, and interaction was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscope. The non-linear method of the Langmuir isotherm equation was found to be the best fitting model to the equilibrium data. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacity was found as 79.5 mg/g. The calculated thermodynamic results suggested that AY132 adsorption onto red pine sawdust was an exothermic, physisorption, and spontaneous process. Kinetics was analyzed by four different kinetic equations using non-linear regression analysis. The pseudo-second-order equation provides the best fit with experimental data.
Influence of phenylacetic acid pulses on anaerobic digestion performance and archaeal community structure in WWTP sewage sludge digesters
Authors: Cabrol Léa , Urra Johana , Rosenkranz Francisca , Kroff Pablo Araya , Plugge Caroline M. , Lesty Yves , Chamy Rolando
Published: June 2015

The effect of phenylacetic acid (PAA) pulses on anaerobic digestion (AD) performance and archaeal community structure was evaluated in anaerobic digesters treating sewage sludge from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Four pilot-scale continuous stirred tank reactors were set up at a full-scale municipal WWTP in Santiago de Chile, and fed with either primary or mixed sewage sludge. AD performance was evaluated by volatile fatty acid (VFA) and biogas production monitoring. Archaeal community structure was characterized by 16S rRNA denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and band sequencing. In the primary sludge digester, a single PAA pulse at 200 mg L−1 was sufficient to affect AD performance and archaeal community structure, resulting in long-term VFA accumulation, reduced biogas production and community shift from dominant acetoclastic (Methanosaeta concilii) to hydrogenotrophic (Methanospirillum hungatei) methanogens. By contrast, AD performance and archaeal community structure in the mixed sludge digester were stable and resistant to repeated PAA pulses at 200 and 600 mg L−1. This work demonstrated that the effect of PAA pulses on methanogenic activity and archaeal community structure differed according to AD substrate, and suggests that better insights of the correlations between archaeal population dynamics and functional performance could help to better face toxic shocks in AD.
Responses of streamflow and sediment load to climate change and human activity in the Upper Yellow River, China: a case of the Ten Great Gullies Basin
Authors: Liu Tong , Huang He Qing , Shao Mingan , Yao Wenyi , Gu Jing , Yu Guoan
Published: June 2015

Soil erosion and land desertification are the most serious environmental problems globally. This study investigated the changes in streamflow and sediment load from 1964 to 2012 in the Ten Great Gullies area of the Upper Yellow River. Tests for gradual trends (Mann–Kendall test) and abrupt changes (Pettitt test) identify that significant declines in streamflow and sediment load occurred in 1997–1998 in two typical gullies. A comparison of climatic variability before and after the change points shows no statistically significant trends in annual precipitation and potential evapotranspiration. Human activities have been very active in the region and during 1990–2010, 146.01 and 197.62 km2 of land were converted, respectively, to forests and grassland, with corresponding increases of 87.56 and 77.05%. In addition, a large number of check dams have been built up in the upper reaches of the ten gullies. These measures were likely responsible for the significant decline in the annual streamflow and sediment load over the last 49 years.
Measuring the efficiency of wastewater services through Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Guerrini A. , Romano G. , Leardini C. , Martini M.
Published: June 2015

Efficient water management is a priority in the European Union, since the operational efficiency of many water utilities is very low compared to best practice. Several countries are restructuring the water industry to save costs. Larger-scale operations and vertical integration are promoted to achieve scale and scope economies; however, the literature is not unanimous that such economies exist. There is also little evidence of the effect of customer density on costs. This article offers some insights into this matter, analysing the Danish water industry by a two-stage Data Envelopment Analysis approach to investigate the effects of size, scope and density in the wastewater industry. The results show that the Danish wastewater industry is positively affected by vertical integration and higher population density: firms that serve more than 100 person per km of sewer and combine water and wastewater services achieve better efficiency. Size does not have any significant influence on global efficiency, although technical pure efficiency decreases statistically with firm size.
Effects of 17β-estradiol on typical greenhouse gas emissions in aquatic anaerobic ecosystem
Authors: Ruan Aidong , Liu Chenxiao , Zhao Ying , Zong Fengjiao , Jiang Shaopeng , Yu Zhongbo
Published: June 2015

Anaerobic microecosystems designed with different concentrations of 17β-estradiol (17β-E2) (0.0–10,000.0 ng/L) were simulated in this study. The influence of different concentrations of 17β-E2 on the emissions of typical greenhouse gases (CH4 and CO2) in simulated anaerobic microecosystems is analyzed to primarily explore the relationship between 17β-E2 and such emissions in aquatic anaerobic ecosystems. The results showed that 17β-E2 could promote or significantly stimulate aquatic anaerobic micro-organisms' production of CH4. The degree and the promotion time of CH4 production were both enhanced with the increase of 17β-E2 concentration. Furthermore, under higher concentration of 17β-E2 (≥500.0 ng/L), the increasing tendency of aquatic anaerobic microbial populations' activity and the function of methanogenic activity under corresponding experimental conditions had a synchronous relationship.
Enhanced nitrogen removal with an onsite aerobic cyclic biological treatment unit
Authors: Babcock Roger W. , Senthill Atiim , Lamichhane Krishna M. , Agsalda Jessica , Lindbo Glen D.
Published: June 2015

Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA, Section 6217) necessitate the requirement that onsite wastewater disposal units located near impaired surface waters or groundwater to provide at least 50% nitrogen removal. Approximately 38% of Hawaii households use onsite systems including septic tanks and cesspools that cannot meet this requirement. Upgrades to aerobic treatment units (ATUs) are a possible compliance solution. In Hawaii, ATUs must meet National Sanitation Foundation Standard 40 (NSF40) Class I effluent criteria. Previously, a multi-chamber, flow-through, combined attached/suspended growth type ATU (OESIS-750) and presently, a sequencing batch type ATU (CBT 0.8KF-210) were evaluated for NSF40 compliance, nutrient removal capability (NSF245), and adaptability for water reuse (NSF350). Both units easily achieved the NSF40 Class I effluent criteria. While the OESIS-750 achieved only 19% nitrogen removal, the CBT unit achieved 81% nitrogen removal, meeting the NSF245 criteria and CZARA requirements for applications in critical wastewater disposal areas. In addition, the CBT consistently produced effluent with turbidity less than 2 NTU (NSF350) and UVT254 greater than 70%, facilitating the production of unrestricted-use recycled water.
Thermodynamic reassessment of the Mn-Ni-Si system
Authors: Hu B. , Du Y. , Yuan J.J. , Liu Z.F. , Wang Q.P.
Published: June 2015

Iased on the new experimental data available in the literature, the Mn-Ni-Si
system has been reassessed using the CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagram)
approach. Compared with the previous modeling, the ?8 and ?12 ternary phases
were treated as the same phase according to the new experimental data. The
Mn3Si phase was described with two sublattice model (Mn, Ni)3(Si)1. The
reported new ternary phase ? was not considered in the present work.
Comprehensive comparisons between the calculated and measured phase diagrams
showed that a set of thermodynamic parameters of the Mn-Ni-Si system obtained
in this work was more accurate than the previous one.
Alterations in Intestinal Microbiota Correlate With Susceptibility to Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Alkanani Aimon K. , Hara Naoko , Gottlieb Peter A. , Ir Diana , Robertson Charles E. , Wagner Brandie D. , Frank Daniel N. , Zipris Danny
Published: June 2015

We tested the hypothesis that alterations in the intestinal microbiota are linked with the progression of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Herein, we present results from a study performed in subjects with islet autoimmunity living in the U.S. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and adjustment for sex, age, autoantibody presence, and HLA indicated that the gut microbiomes of seropositive subjects differed from those of autoantibody-free first-degree relatives (FDRs) in the abundance of four taxa. Furthermore, subjects with autoantibodies, seronegative FDRs, and new-onset patients had different levels of the Firmicutes genera Lactobacillus and Staphylococcus compared with healthy control subjects with no family history of autoimmunity. Further analysis revealed trends toward increased and reduced abundances of the Bacteroidetes genera Bacteroides and Prevotella, respectively, in seropositive subjects with multiple versus one autoantibody. Canonical discriminant analysis suggested that the gut microbiomes of autoantibody-positive individuals and seronegative FDRs clustered together but separate from those of new-onset patients and unrelated healthy control subjects. Finally, no differences in biodiversity were evident in seropositive versus seronegative FDRs. These observations suggest that altered intestinal microbiota may be associated with disease susceptibility.
Treatment of Obese Insulin-Resistant Mice With an Allosteric MAPKAPK2/3 Inhibitor Lowers Blood Glucose and Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Authors: Ozcan Lale , Xu Xiaoming , Deng Shi-Xian , Ghorpade Devram S. , Thomas Tiffany , Cremers Serge , Hubbard Brian , Serrano-Wu Michael H. , Gaestel Matthias , Landry Donald W. , Tabas Ira
Published: June 2015

The prevalence of obesity-induced type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing worldwide, and new treatment strategies are needed. We recently discovered that obesity activates a previously unknown pathway that promotes both excessive hepatic glucose production (HGP) and defective insulin signaling in hepatocytes, leading to exacerbation of hyperglycemia and insulin resistance in obesity. At the hub of this new pathway is a kinase cascade involving calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and MAPKAPK2/3 (MK2/3). Genetic-based inhibition of these kinases improves metabolism in obese mice. Here, we report that treatment of obese insulin-resistant mice with an allosteric MK2/3 inhibitor, compound (cmpd) 28, ameliorates glucose homeostasis by suppressing excessive HGP and enhancing insulin signaling. The metabolic improvement seen with cmpd 28 is additive with the leading T2D drug, metformin, but it is not additive with dominant-negative MK2, suggesting an on-target mechanism of action. Allosteric MK2/3 inhibitors represent a potentially new approach to T2D that is highly mechanism based, has links to human T2D, and is predicted to avoid certain adverse effects seen with current T2D drugs.
Müller Glia Are a Major Cellular Source of Survival Signals for Retinal Neurons in Diabetes
Authors: Fu Shuhua , Dong Shuqian , Zhu Meili , Sherry David M. , Wang Changyun , You Zhipeng , Haigh Jody J. , Le Yun-Zheng
Published: June 2015

To dissect the role of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) in Müller cells and its effect on neuroprotection in diabetic retinopathy (DR), we disrupted VEGFR2 in mouse Müller glia and determined its effect on Müller cell survival, neuronal integrity, and trophic factor production in diabetic retinas. Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin. Retinal function was measured with electroretinography. Müller cell and neuronal densities were assessed with morphometric and immunohistochemical analyses. Loss of VEGFR2 caused a gradual reduction in Müller glial density, which reached to a significant level 10 months after the onset of diabetes. This observation was accompanied by an age-dependent decrease of scotopic and photopic electroretinography amplitudes and accelerated loss of rod and cone photoreceptors, ganglion cell layer cells, and inner nuclear layer neurons and by a significant reduction of retinal glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Our results suggest that VEGFR2-mediated Müller cell survival is required for the viability of retinal neurons in diabetes. The genetically altered mice established in this study can be used as a diabetic animal model of nontoxin-induced Müller cell ablation, which will be useful for exploring the cellular mechanisms of neuronal alteration in DR.
Prevalence of Cardiovascular Autonomic Neuropathy in a Cohort of Patients With Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes: The Verona Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Study (VNDS)
Authors: Zoppini Giacomo , Cacciatori Vittorio , Raimondo Daniele , Gemma Marialuisa , Trombetta Maddalena , Dauriz Marco , Brangani Corinna , Pichiri Isabella , Negri Carlo , Stoico Vincenzo , Bergamini Corinna , Targher Giovanni , Santi Lorenza , Thomaseth Karl , Bellavere Federico , Bonadonna Riccardo C. , Bonora Enzo
Published: June 2015

OBJECTIVE

Cardiovascular autonomic diabetic neuropathy (CAN) is a serious complication of diabetes. No reliable data on the prevalence of CAN among patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes are available. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of CAN among patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A cohort of 557 patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes with cardiovascular autonomic test results available was selected. Early and confirmed neuropathy were assessed using a standardized methodology and their prevalences determined. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was modeled to study the factors associated with CAN.

RESULTS

In the entire cohort, the prevalence of confirmed CAN was 1.8%, whereas that of early CAN was 15.3%. Prevalence did not differ between men and women. In the multivariate analyses BMI results were independently and significantly associated with CAN after adjusting for age, sex, hemoglobin A1c, pulse pressure, triglyceride-to-HDL cholesterol ratio, kidney function parameters, and antihypertensive treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

CAN could be detected very early in type 2 diabetes. This study may suggest the importance of performing standardized cardiovascular autonomic tests after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
Five-Year Metabolic, Functional, and Safety Results of Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Transplanted With Allogenic Islets Within the Swiss-French GRAGIL Network
Authors: Lablanche Sandrine , Borot Sophie , Wojtusciszyn Anne , Bayle Francois , Tétaz Rachel , Badet Lionel , Thivolet Charles , Morelon Emmanuel , Frimat Luc , Penfornis Alfred , Kessler Laurence , Brault Coralie , Colin Cyrille , Tauveron Igor , Bosco Domenico , Berney Thierry , Benhamou Pierre-Yves ,   on behalf of the GRAGIL Network
Published: June 2015

OBJECTIVE

To describe the 5-year outcomes of islet transplantation within the Swiss-French GRAGIL Network.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Retrospective analysis of all subjects enrolled in the GRAGIL-1c and GRAGIL-2 islet transplantation trials. Parameters related to metabolic control, graft function, and safety outcomes were studied.

RESULTS

Forty-four patients received islet transplantation (islet transplantation alone [ITA] 24 patients [54.5%], islet after kidney [IAK] transplantation 20 patients [45.5%]) between September 2003 and April 2010. Recipients received a total islet mass of 9,715.75 ± 3,444.40 IEQ/kg. Thirty-four patients completed a 5-year follow-up, and 10 patients completed a 4-year follow-up. At 1, 4, and 5 years after islet transplantation, respectively, 83%, 67%, and 58% of the ITA recipients and 80%, 70%, and 60% of the IAK transplant recipients reached HbA1c under 7% (53 mmol/mol) and were free of severe hypoglycemia, while none of the ITA recipients and only 10% of the IAK transplant recipients met this composite criterion at the preinfusion stage. Thirty-three of 44 patients (75%) experienced insulin independence during the entire follow-up period, with a median duration of insulin independence of 19.25 months (interquartile range 2–58). Twenty-nine of 44 recipients (66%) exhibited at least one adverse event; 18 of 55 adverse events (33%) were possibly related to immunosuppression; and complications related to the islet infusion (n = 84) occurred in 10 recipients (11.9%).

CONCLUSIONS

In a large cohort with a 5-year follow-up and in a multicenter network setting, islet transplantation was safe and efficient in restoring good and lasting glycemic control and preventing severe hypoglycemia in patients with type 1 diabetes.
Risk factors for failure of single-level percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy
Authors: Wang Hongwei , Zhou Yue , Li Changqing , Liu Jun , Xiang Liangbi
Published: June 2015

OBJECT

Few studies have addressed surgical failures and complications following percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD), and no previous study has investigated the risk factors that lead to surgical failure. The authors report their experience using PELD for single-level lumbar disc herniation (LDH) to provide insights into the rates of surgical failure and identify potential risk factors that lead to this complication.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 350 patients who underwent PELD for single-level LDH and identified 36 patients (10.3%) who underwent reoperation due to the failure of PELD.

RESULTS

Patients’ mean visual analog scale of pain scores and Oswestry Disability Index scores improved significantly from 6.6 ± 2.1 and 51.6 ± 19.4 preoperatively to 1.9 ± 1.4 and 28.3 ± 12.0, respectively, at 1 month postoperatively and 1.2 ± 1.1 and 9.3 ± 7.8, respectively, at 1 year postoperatively. The frequencies with which patients took analgesic medications significantly decreased from 74.6% preoperatively to 19.7% at 1 month postoperatively and 10.0% at 1 year postoperatively. Relatively older patients (p = 0.005) and those ≥ 60 years old (p = 0.001) experienced larger numbers of failures compared to younger patients. An analysis of potentially contributing comorbid conditions indicated that significantly more patients with diabetes were present in the PELD failure group (p = 0.017). As surgeons gained familiarity with the procedure, outcomes improved. The failure rate during the authors’ early use of the PELD technique (Cases 1–70) was 17.1%; the failure rate then fell to 5.7% (p = 0.034) (Cases 141–210) before finally stabilizing at 10.0% (Cases 211–280 and Cases 281–350).

CONCLUSIONS

The surgical failure rate following PELD for LDH was 10.3%. Older patients, elderly patients (age ≥ 60 years), and patients with diabetes were at increased risk of surgical failure of PELD, particularly in the early years of the procedure’s use.
The lateral infratrigeminal transpontine window to deep pontine lesions
Authors: Ferroli Paolo , Schiariti Marco , Cordella Roberto , Boffano Carlo , Nava Simone , La Corte Emanuele , Cavallo Claudio , Bauer Dario , Castiglione Melina , Broggi Morgan , Acerbi Francesco , Broggi Giovanni
Published: June 2015

OBJECT

Surgery of brainstem lesions is increasingly performed despite the fact that surgical indications and techniques continue to be debated. The deep pons, in particular, continues to be a critical area in which the specific risks related to different surgical strategies continue to be examined. With the intention of bringing new knowledge into this important arena, the authors systematically examined the results of brainstem surgeries that have been performed through the lateral infratrigeminal transpontine window.

METHODS

Between 1990 and 2013, 29 consecutive patients underwent surgery through this window for either biopsy sampling or for removal of a deep pontine lesion. All of this work was performed at the Department of Neurosurgery of the Istituto Nazionale Neurologico "Carlo Besta", in Milan, Italy. A retrospective analysis of the findings was conducted with the intention of bringing further clarity to this important surgical strategy.

RESULTS

The lateral infratrigeminal transpontine window was exposed through 4 different approaches: 1) classic retrosigmoid (15 cases), 2) minimally invasive keyhole retrosigmoid (10 cases), 3) translabyrinthine (1 case), and 4) combined petrosal (3 cases). No deaths occurred during the entire clinical study. The surgical complications that were observed included hydrocephalus (2 cases) and CSF leakage (1 case). In 6 (20.7%) of 29 patients the authors encountered new neurological deficits during the immediate postoperative period. All 6 of these patients had undergone lesion removal. In only 2 of these 6 patients were permanent sequelae observed at 3 months follow-up. These findings show that 93% of the patients studied did not report any permanent worsening of their neurological condition after this surgical intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

This retrospective study supports the idea that the lateral infratrigeminal transpontine window is both a low-risk and safe corridor for either biopsy sampling or for removal of deep pontine lesions.
The effectiveness of percutaneous balloon compression in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia in patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Martin Sean , Teo Mario , Suttner Nigel
Published: June 2015

OBJECT

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is more common in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients than in the general population and among the former has an incidence of approximately 2%. The pathophysiology of TN in MS patients is believed to be caused by a demyelinating plaque at the root entry zone, and therefore procedures that cause direct nerve damage are thought to be the most effective surgical modality. The authors aimed to compare the efficacy of percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) in TN patients with and without MS.

METHODS

Retrospectively collected clinical data on 80 consecutive patients who underwent 144 procedures and who received PBC forTN treatment between January 2000 and January 2010 were analyzed. The cohort included 17 MS and 63 non-MS patients.

RESULTS

The mean age at first operation was significantly younger in the MS group compared with the non-MS group (59 years vs 72 years, respectively, p < 0.0001). After a mean follow-up of 43 months (MS group) and 25 months (non-MS group), the symptom recurrence rate following the first operation was higher in the MS group compared with that in the non-MS group (86% vs 47%, respectively, p < 0.01). During long-term follow-up, more than 70% of MS patients required multiple procedures compared with only 44% of non-MS patients. Excellent or satisfactory outcomes were not significantly different between the MS and non-MS cohorts, respectively, at 1 day postoperatively (82% vs 91%, p = 0.35), 3 months postoperatively (65% vs 81%, p = 0.16), and at last follow-up (65% vs 76%, p = 0.34). A similar incidence of postoperative complications was observed in the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

PBC is effective in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia in patients with MS, but, compared with that in non-MS patients, symptom recurrence is higher and requires multiple procedures.
Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system associated with incomplete dural closure following posterior fossa surgery: report of 3 cases
Authors: Kumar Ravi , Jacob Jeffrey T. , Welker Kirk M. , Cutrer Fred M. , Link Michael J. , Atkinson John L. D. , Wetjen Nicholas M.
Published: June 2015

This report reviews a series of 3 patients who developed superficial siderosis following posterior fossa operations in which dural closure was incomplete. In all 3 patients, revision surgery and complete duraplasty was performed to halt the progression of superficial siderosis. Following surgery, 2 patients experienced resolution of their CSF xanthochromia while 1 patient had reduced CSF xanthochromia. In this paper the authors also review the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of this condition. The authors suggest that posterior fossa dural patency and pseudomeningocele are risk factors for the latent development of superficial siderosis and recommend that revision duraplasty be performed in patients with posterior fossa pseudomeningoceles and superficial siderosis to prevent progression of the disease.