bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biopolitics, complex systems theory and ecological social work: Conceptualising ways of transitioning to low carbon futures
Authors: Bay Uschi
Published: January 2017

INTRODUCTION: Social work is engaged with understanding and acting into change processes within society at various levels. How new social and environmental movements are conceptually framed can be usefully explored to enable new ways of understanding their role in change processes, particularly in addressing the most significant problem of our times, climate change and excessive non-renewable energy use.METHODS: Complex systems theory and deep ecology are two of the theoretical conceptualisations that inform the Transition Town movement transnationally. Social workers share these two theoretical frameworks with the Transition Town movement as ways of thinking about effecting change processes. A brief introduction to a biopolitical lens, based on Lemke’s reading of Michel Foucault is added to offer another way to conceptualise the movement’s naturalistic logic.CONCLUSION: A biopolitical lens seeks to make visible the precarious and contingent difference between nature and culture as well as politics and life. Biopolitical analytics aims to focus social workers on investigating the network of power relations, knowledge practices and modes of subjectification evident in change processes. The intersection of life and politics has transformed modern society and biopolitics aims to bring this into focus to understand what we are doing to ourselves.
Human Cytomegalovirus Requires Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling To Enter and Initiate the Early Steps in the Establishment of Latency in CD34
+
Human Progenitor Cells
Authors: Kim Jung Heon , Collins-McMillen Donna , Buehler Jason C. , Goodrum Felicia D. , Yurochko Andrew D.
Published: January 2017

The establishment of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) latency and persistence relies on the successful infection of hematopoietic cells, which serve as sites of viral persistence and contribute to viral spread. Here, using blocking antibodies and pharmacological inhibitors, we document that HCMV activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and downstream phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) mediates viral entry into CD34
+
human progenitor cells (HPCs), resulting in distinct cellular trafficking and nuclear translocation of the virus compared to that in other immune cells, such as we have documented in monocytes. We argue that the EGFR allows HCMV to regulate the cellular functions of these replication-restricted cells via its signaling activity following viral binding. In addition to regulating HCMV entry/trafficking, EGFR signaling may also shape the early steps required for the successful establishment of viral latency in CD34
+
cells, as pharmacological inhibition of EGFR increases the transcription of lytic IE1/IE2 mRNA while curbing the expression of latency-associated UL138 mRNA. EGFR signaling following infection of CD34
+
HPCs may also contribute to changes in hematopoietic potential, as treatment with the EGFR kinase (EGFRK) inhibitor AG1478 alters the expression of the cellular hematopoietic cytokine interleukin 12 (IL-12) in HCMV-infected cells but not in mock-infected cells. These findings, along with our previous work with monocytes, suggest that EGFR likely serves as an important determinant of HCMV tropism for select subsets of hematopoietic cells. Moreover, our new data suggest that EGFR is a key receptor for efficient viral entry and that the ensuing signaling regulates important early events required for successful infection of CD34
+
HPCs by HCMV.

IMPORTANCE
HCMV establishes lifelong persistence within the majority of the human population without causing overt pathogenesis in healthy individuals. Despite this, reactivation of HCMV from its latent reservoir in the bone marrow causes significant morbidity and mortality in immunologically compromised individuals, such as bone marrow and solid organ transplant patients. Lifelong persistent infection has also been linked with the development of various cardiovascular diseases in otherwise healthy individuals. Current HCMV therapeutics target lytic replication, but not the latent viral reservoir; thus, an understanding of the molecular basis for viral latency and persistence is paramount to controlling or eliminating HCMV infection. Here, we show that the viral signalosome activated by HCMV binding to its entry receptor, EGFR, in CD34
+
HPCs initiates early events necessary for successful latent infection of this cell type. EGFR and associated signaling players may therefore represent promising targets for mitigating HCMV persistence.
mTOR Promotes Antiviral Humoral Immunity by Differentially Regulating CD4 Helper T Cell and B Cell Responses
Authors: Ye Lilin , Lee Junghwa , Xu Lifan , Mohammed Ata-Ur-Rasheed , Li Weiyan , Hale J. Scott , Tan Wendy G. , Wu Tuoqi , Davis Carl W. , Ahmed Rafi , Araki Koichi
Published: January 2017

mTOR has important roles in regulation of both innate and adaptive immunity, but whether and how mTOR modulates humoral immune responses have yet to be fully understood. To address this issue, we examined the effects of rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of mTOR, on B cell and CD4 T cell responses during acute infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. Rapamycin treatment resulted in suppression of virus-specific B cell responses by inhibiting proliferation of germinal center (GC) B cells. In contrast, the number of memory CD4 T cells was increased in rapamycin-treated mice. However, the drug treatment caused a striking bias of CD4 T cell differentiation into Th1 cells and substantially impaired formation of follicular helper T (Tfh) cells, which are essential for humoral immunity. Further experiments in which mTOR signaling was modulated by RNA interference (RNAi) revealed that B cells were the primary target cells of rapamycin for the impaired humoral immunity and that reduced Tfh formation in rapamycin-treated mice was due to lower GC B cell responses that are essential for Tfh generation. Additionally, we found that rapamycin had minimal effects on B cell responses activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which stimulates B cells in an antigen-independent manner, suggesting that rapamycin specifically inhibits B cell responses induced by B cell receptor stimulation with antigen. Together, these findings demonstrate that mTOR signals play an essential role in antigen-specific humoral immune responses by differentially regulating B cell and CD4 T cell responses during acute viral infection and that rapamycin treatment alters the interplay of immune cell subsets involved in antiviral humoral immunity.

IMPORTANCE
mTOR is a serine/threonine kinase involved in a variety of cellular activities. Although its specific inhibitor, rapamycin, is currently used as an immunosuppressive drug in transplant patients, it has been reported that rapamycin can also stimulate pathogen-specific cellular immunity in certain circumstances. However, whether and how mTOR regulates humoral immunity are not well understood. Here we found that rapamycin treatment predominantly inhibited GC B cell responses during viral infection and that this led to biased helper CD4 T cell differentiation as well as impaired antibody responses. These findings suggest that inhibition of B cell responses by rapamycin may play an important role in regulation of allograft-specific antibody responses to prevent organ rejection in transplant recipients. Our results also show that consideration of antibody responses is required in cases where rapamycin is used to stimulate vaccine-induced immunity.
Human Adenovirus Type 37 Uses αVβ1and α3β1Integrins for Infection of Human Corneal Cells
Authors: Storm Rickard J. , Persson B. David , Skalman Lars Nygård , Frängsmyr Lars , Lindström Mona , Rankin Greg , Lundmark Richard , Domellöf Fatima Pedrosa , Arnberg Niklas
Published: January 2017

Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) is a severe, contagious ocular disease that affects 20 to 40 million individuals worldwide every year. EKC is mainly caused by six types of human adenovirus (HAdV): HAdV-8, -19, -37, -53, -54, and -56. Of these, HAdV-8, -19, and -37 use sialic acid-containing glycans as cellular receptors. αVβ3, αVβ5, and a few additional integrins facilitate entry and endosomal release of other HAdVs. With the exception of a few biochemical analyses indicating that HAdV-37 can interact physically with αVβ5, little is known about the integrins used by EKC-causing HAdVs. Here, we investigated the overall integrin expression on human corneal cells and found expression of α2, α3, α6, αV, β1, and β4 subunits in human cornealin situepithelium and/or in a human corneal epithelial (HCE) cell line but no or less accessible expression of α4, α5, β3, or β5. We also identified the integrins used by HAdV-37 through a series of binding and infection competition experiments and different biochemical approaches. Together, our data suggest that HAdV-37 uses αVβ1 and α3β1 integrins for infection of human corneal epithelial cells. Furthermore, to confirm the relevance of these integrins in the HAdV-37 life cycle, we developed a corneal multilayer tissue system and found that HAdV-37 infection correlated well with the patterns of αV, α3, and β1 integrin expression. These results provide further insight into the tropism and pathogenesis of EKC-causing HAdVs and may be of importance for future development of new antiviral drugs.

IMPORTANCEKeratitis is a hallmark of EKC, which is caused by six HAdV types (HAdV-8, -19, -37, -53, -54, and -56). HAdV-37 and some other HAdV types interact with integrin αVβ5 in order to enter nonocular human cells. In this study, we found that αVβ5 is not expressed on human corneal epithelial cells, thus proposing other host factors mediate corneal infection. Here, we first characterized integrin expression patterns on corneal tissue and corneal cells. Among the integrins identified, competition binding and infection experiments and biochemical assays pointed out αVβ1 and α3β1 to be of importance for HAdV-37 infection of corneal tissue. In the absence of a good animal model for EKC-causing HAdVs, we also developed anin vitrosystem with multilayer HCE cells and confirmed the relevance of the suggested integrins during HAdV-37 infection.
Delivering patient-centred care in rural family practice: using the patient's concept of health to guide treatment
Authors: Charlesworth Jennifer M , McManus Evelyn
Published: January 2017

Through an examination of the life of an 83-year-old patient diagnosed clinically with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), general practice specialists, consultants and junior doctors will see the importance of assessing their patient's concept of health and how to use this understanding to target healthcare options within their healthcare system. This article highlights, in a resource limited context of rural family practice, the utility of a strong physician–patient relationship, recalls the definition of patient-centred care, and the role of judicious inaction in certain contexts. These lessons can be extrapolated for use in more resource rich or specialised settings such as academic hospitals throughout Europe.
Secondary asplenia as a complication of severe Meningococcal Sepsis
Authors: Castillo-Campos Lourdes , Bachiller-Carnicero Luis , Megía-Sevilla María José , González-Tomé María Isabel
Published: January 2017

We report the case of an 11-month-old infant who had a medical history of meningococcal septicaemia 6 months prior to this admission and presented to hospital with an episode of fever due toStreptococcus pneumoniaebacteraemia. During this second admission, an abdominal ultrasound scan revealed secondary asplenia.
Proteinase 3-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-positive ulcerative colitis presenting with abducens neuropathy
Authors: Kirito Yuki , Yamamoto Daisuke , Uchiyama Tsuyoshi
Published: January 2017

A 72-year-old man with ulcerative colitis (UC) presented with complete left abducens nerve palsy. Although MRI showed no significant changes, cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed pleocytosis and elevated protein and interleukin (IL)-6 levels. His serum proteinase 3-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (PR3-ANCA) level was also elevated to 31.1 U/mL, but granulomatosis with polyangiitis was not observed. On the basis of the diagnosis of autoimmune cranial neuropathy, he was treated with steroid therapy. While tapering steroid therapy, his serum PR3-ANCA levels; cerebrospinal fluid findings, including IL-6 levels; and symptoms improved. Serum PR3-ANCA could be a useful parameter of neurological disorders associated with ANCA-positive UC.
Environmental DNA as a valuable and unique source of information about ecological networks in Arctic terrestrial ecosystems
Authors: Zielińska Sylwia , Kidawa Dorota , Stempniewicz Lech , Łoś Marcin , Łoś Joanna M.
Published: January 2017

Arctic terrestrial ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the effects of ongoing and predicted climate changes. The current states of environmental biodiversity and ecological networks in the Arctic need to be known and understood to monitor how they change and how these changes may influence the particular components of the ecosystem. Despite the fact that the Arctic tundra is generally poor in nutrients, it has a surprisingly high biodiversity, especially of invertebrates and microorganisms. Besides macroclimatic features, there may be local factors influencing biodiversity, such as microclimate, water availability, or large seabird colonies depositing guano. This last can have a substantial impact on the soil’s physicochemical features, and consequently the distribution, number, and diversity of tundra-associated plants and animals in the vicinity of the colony. Changes in the Arctic biodiversity and the functioning of the ecosystem at all trophic levels are difficult to investigate using traditional methods. In this review, we discuss how modern molecular techniques, including next generation sequencing, influence our ability to investigate and understand this ecosystem at both the micro- and the macroscale and how they can complement the more traditional approaches to studying ecological networks in the Arctic.
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Constitutional Medicine in China, Japan and Korea: A Comparative Study
Authors: Yu Wenjun , Ma Mingyue , Chen Xuemei , Min Jiayu , Li Lingru , Zheng Yanfei , Li Yingshuai , Wang Ji , Wang Qi
Published: January 2017

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Japanese–Chinese medicine, and Korean Sasang constitutional medicine have common origins. However, the constitutional medicines of China, Japan, and Korea differ because of the influence of geographical culture, social environment, national practices, and other factors. This paper aimed to compare the constitutional medicines of China, Japan, and Korea in terms of theoretical origin, constitutional classification, constitution and pathogenesis, clinical applications and basic studies that were conducted. The constitutional theories of the three countries are all derived from the Canon of Internal Medicine or Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases of Ancient China. However, the three countries have different constitutional classifications and criteria. Medical sciences in the three countries focus on the clinical applications of constitutional theory. They all agree that different pathogenic laws that guide the treatment of diseases govern different constitutions; thus, patients with different constitutions are treated differently. The three countries also differ in terms of drug formulations and medication. Japanese medicine is prescribed only based on constitution. Korean medicine is based on treatment, in which drugs cannot be mixed. TCM synthesize the treatment model of constitution differentiation, disease differentiation and syndrome differentiation with the treatment thought of treating disease according to three categories of etiologic factors, which reflect the constitution as the characteristic of individual precision treatment. In conclusion, constitutional medicines of China, Japan, and Korea have the same theoretical origin, but differ in constitutional classification, clinical application of constitutional theory on the treatment of diseases, drug formulations and medication.
Tuning the near-gap electronic structure of Cu2O by anion–cation co-doping for enhanced solar energy conversion
Authors: Si Yuan , Yang Hao-Ming , Wu Hong-Yu , Huang Wei-Qing , Yang Ke , Peng Ping , Huang Gui-Fang
Published: January 2017

Doping is an effective strategy to tune the electronic properties of semiconductors, but some side effects caused by mono-doping degrade the specific performance of matrixes. As a model system to minimize photoproduced electron-hole pairs recombination by anion–cation co-doping, we investigate the electronic structures and optical properties of (Fe[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]N) co-doped Cu2O using the first-principles calculations. Compared to the case of mono-doping, the Fe[Formula: see text]N[Formula: see text] (a Fe (N) atom substituting a Cu (O) atom) co-doping reduces the energy cost of doping as a consequence of the charge compensation between the iron and nitrogen impurities, which eliminates the isolated levels (induced by mono-dopant) in the band gap. Interestingly, it is found that the contributions of different host atoms (Cu and O) away from anion (N) and cation (Fe) dopants to the variation of near band gap electronic structure of the co-doped Cu2O are different. Moreover, co-doping reduces the band gap and increases the visible-light absorption of Cu2O. Both band gap reduction and low recombination rate are critical elements for efficient light-to-current conversion in co-doped semiconductor photocatalysts. These findings raise the prospect of using co-doped Cu2O with specifically engineered electronic properties in a variety of solar applications.
Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Programs in Data Science
Authors: De Veaux Richard D. , Agarwal Mahesh , Averett Maia , Baumer Benjamin S. , Bray Andrew , Bressoud Thomas C. , Bryant Lance , Cheng Lei Z. , Francis Amanda , Gould Robert , Kim Albert Y. , Kretchmar Matt , Lu Qin , Moskol Ann , Nolan Deborah , Pelayo Roberto , Raleigh Sean , Sethi Ricky J. , Sondjaja Mutiara , Tiruviluamala Neelesh , Uhlig Paul X. , Washington Talitha M. , Wesley Curtis L. , White David , Ye Ping
Published: January 2017

The Park City Math Institute 2016 Summer Undergraduate Faculty Program met for the purpose of composing guidelines for undergraduate programs in data science. The group consisted of 25 undergraduate faculty from a variety of institutions in the United States, primarily from the disciplines of mathematics, statistics, and computer science. These guidelines are meant to provide some structure for institutions planning for or revising a major in data science.
Bayesian Computing with INLA: A Review
Authors: Rue Håvard , Riebler Andrea , Sørbye Sigrunn H. , Illian Janine B. , Simpson Daniel P. , Lindgren Finn K.
Published: January 2017

The key operation in Bayesian inference is to compute high-dimensional integrals. An old approximate technique is the Laplace method or approximation, which dates back to Pierre-Simon Laplace (1774). This simple idea approximates the integrand with a second-order Taylor expansion around the mode and computes the integral analytically. By developing a nested version of this classical idea, combined with modern numerical techniques for sparse matrices, we obtain the approach of integrated nested Laplace approximations (INLA) to do approximate Bayesian inference for latent Gaussian models (LGMs). LGMs represent an important model abstraction for Bayesian inference and include a large proportion of the statistical models used today. In this review, we discuss the reasons for the success of the INLA approach, the R-INLA package, why it is so accurate, why the approximations are very quick to compute, and why LGMs make such a useful concept for Bayesian computing.
Exposed! A Survey of Attacks on Private Data
Authors: Dwork Cynthia , Smith Adam , Steinke Thomas , Ullman Jonathan
Published: January 2017

Privacy-preserving statistical data analysis addresses the general question of protecting privacy when publicly releasing information about a sensitive dataset. A privacy attack takes seemingly innocuous released information and uses it to discern the private details of individuals, thus demonstrating that such information compromises privacy. For example, re-identification attacks have shown that it is easy to link supposedly de-identified records to the identity of the individual concerned. This survey focuses on attacking aggregate data, such as statistics about how many individuals have a certain disease, genetic trait, or combination thereof. We consider two types of attacks: reconstruction attacks, which approximately determine a sensitive feature of all the individuals covered by the dataset, and tracing attacks, which determine whether or not a target individual's data are included in the dataset. We also discuss techniques from the differential privacy literature for releasing approximate aggregate statistics while provably thwarting any privacy attack.
Role of CD8 Regulatory T Cells versus Tc1 and Tc17 Cells in the Development of Human Graft-versus-Host Disease
Authors: Gutiérrez-Hoya Adriana , López-Santiago Rubén , Vela-Ojeda Jorge , Montiel-Cervantes Laura , Rodríguez-Cortés Octavio , Rosales-García Víctor , Paredes-Cervantes Vladimir , Flores-Mejía Raúl , Sandoval-Borrego Daniela , Moreno-Lafont Martha
Published: January 2017

CD8+ T cells that secrete proinflammatory cytokines play a central role in exacerbation of inflammation; however, a new subpopulation of CD8 regulatory T cells has recently been characterized. This study analyzes the prominent role of these different subpopulations in the development of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Samples from 8 healthy donors mobilized with Filgrastim® (G-CSF) and 18 patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) were evaluated by flow cytometry. Mobilization induced an increase in Tc1 (p<0.01), Th1 (p<0.001), Tc17 (p<0.05), and CD8+IL-10+ cells (p<0.05), showing that G-CSF induces both pro- and anti-inflammatory profiles. Donor-patient correlation revealed a trend (p=0.06) toward the development of GVHD in patients who receive a high percentage of Tc1 cells. Patients with acute GVHD (aGVHD), either active or controlled, and patients without GVHD were evaluated; patients with active aGVHD had a higher percentage of Tc1 (p<0.01) and Tc17 (p<0.05) cells, as opposed to patients without GVHD in whom a higher percentage of CD8 Treg cells (p<0.01) was found. These findings indicate that the increase in Tc1 and Tc17 cells is associated with GVHD development, while regulatory CD8 T cells might have a protective role in this disease. These tests can be used to monitor and control GVHD.
Bilateral Intra-Articular Radiofrequency Ablation for Cervicogenic Headache
Authors: Odonkor Charles A. , Tang Teresa , Taftian David , Chhatre Akhil
Published: January 2017

Introduction. Cervicogenic headache is characterized by unilateral neck or face pain referred from various structures such as the cervical joints and intervertebral disks. A recent study of patients with cervical pain showed significant pain relief after cervical medial branch neurotomy but excluded patients with C1-2 joint pain. It remains unclear whether targeting this joint has potential for symptomatic relief. To address this issue, we present a case report of C1-2 joint ablation with positive outcomes. Case Presentation. A 27-year-old female presented with worsening cervicogenic headache. Her pain was 9/10 by visual analog scale (VAS) and described as cramping and aching. Pain was localized suboccipitally with radiation to her jaw and posterior neck, worse on the right. Associated symptoms included clicking of her temporomandibular joint, neck stiffness, bilateral headaches with periorbital pain, numbness, and tingling. History, physical exam, and diagnostic studies indicated localization to the C1-2 joint with 80% decrease in pain after C1-2 diagnostic blocks. She underwent bilateral intra-articular radiofrequency ablation of the C1-C2 joint. Follow-up at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks showed improved function and pain relief with peak results at 12 weeks. Conclusion. Clinicians may consider C1-C2 joint ablation as a viable long-term treatment option for cervicogenic headaches.
Multiconnectivity for Mobility Robustness in Standalone 5G Ultra Dense Networks with Intrafrequency Cloud Radio Access
Authors: Tesema Fasil B. , Awada Ahmad , Viering Ingo , Simsek Meryem , Fettweis Gerhard P.
Published: January 2017

Capacity and ultra-reliable communication are some of the requirements for 5th generation (5G) networks. One of the candidate technologies to satisfy capacity requirement is standalone Ultra Dense Network (UDN). However, UDNs are characterized by fast change of received signal strength that creates mobility challenges in terms of increased handovers and connection failures. In this paper, a low layer multiconnectivity scheme is presented for standalone UDN aiming at ultra-reliable communication that is free of interruptions from handover procedures and connection failures. Furthermore, the problem in managing of the set of serving cells, that are involved in multiconnectivity for each user, is formulated. By using numerical method, feasible scheme for management of the set of serving cells is derived. Performance of the proposed multiconnectivity scheme is evaluated and compared against single connectivity. It is shown that the proposed multiconnectivity scheme outperforms single connectivity considerably in terms of connection failures and cell-edge throughput.
Isolated Liver Metastasis in Hürthle Cell Thyroid Cancer Treated with Microwave Ablation
Authors: Segkos Konstantinos , Schmidt Carl , Nabhan Fadi
Published: January 2017

Hürthle cell thyroid cancer (HCTC) is a less common form of differentiated thyroid cancer. It rarely metastasizes to the liver, and when it does, the metastasis is almost never isolated. Here we report a 62-year-old male with widely invasive Hürthle cell thyroid cancer, who underwent total thyroidectomy and received adjuvant treatment with I-131 with posttreatment scan showing no evidence of metastatic disease. His thyroglobulin however continued to rise after that and eventually an isolated liver metastasis was identified. He underwent laparoscopic microwave ablation of the liver metastasis, with dramatic decline in thyroglobulin and no structural disease identified to date. This case highlights the rare occurrence of isolated liver metastasis from HCTC and also illustrates the utility of thermoablation as an alternative to surgical resection in the treatment of small isolated liver metastases from HCTC.
The Role of Humoral Alloreactivity in Liver Transplantation: Lessons Learned and New Perspectives
Authors: Cheng Elaine Y.
Published: January 2017

More than ten years after the initial description of the humoral theory of transplantation by Dr. Paul I. Terasaki, the significance of humoral alloimmunity in liver transplantation has yet to be clearly defined. The liver allograft has an inherent tolerogenic capacity which confers its resistance to cell-mediated as well as antibody-mediated rejection. Nevertheless, the protection against alloimmunity is not complete, and antibody-mediated tissue injury can occur in the liver graft under specific circumstances. In this article the evidence on the clinicopathologic effects of donor-specific alloantibodies in liver transplantation will be examined and interpreted in parallel with lessons learned from renal transplantation. The unique anatomic and immunologic features of the liver will be reviewed to gain new insights into the complex interactions between humoral immune system and the liver allograft.
Management Challenges in a Child with Chronic Hyponatremia: Use of V2 Receptor Antagonist
Authors: Krishnan Sowmya , Deshpande Swapna , Mallappa Ashwini , Divya Gunda , Lane Pascale , Vishwanath Anu , McNall-Knapp Rene Y.
Published: January 2017

Chronic hyponatremia is very rare in children and is often seen in the setting of congestive heart failure or liver failure in adults. Here, we report an 8-year-old child with hypothalamic glioma who presented with severe hyponatremia. Initial management consisted of fluid restriction. This was very difficult for the child to follow and the child developed bizarre drinking habits requiring intervention from child psychiatry. So therapy was initiated with low dose V2 receptor antagonist under close inpatient monitoring. While initial response was reassuring, her sodium levels tended to drift down with longer duration of treatment requiring us to increase the dose frequently. Her response to therapy and her stable clinical situation off therapy suggest that she may have reset osmostat.
Effects of pH on the Shape of Alginate Particles and Its Release Behavior
Authors: Chuang Jui-Jung , Huang Yu-Ya , Lo Szu-Hsuan , Hsu Tzu-Fang , Huang Wen-Ying , Huang Shu-Ling , Lin Yung-Sheng
Published: January 2017

A vast majority of alginate particles exist as spheres in most practical uses, and both the particle shape and size are the key factors dominating the applications and performance of alginate gels. Therefore, it becomes an issue of great interest to investigate the aspheric alginate particles. As the first step, various shaped alginate particles were formed due to various pH values in gelation solutions. It was experimentally demonstrated that a low pH brought about an oblate shape, and particularly lower concentrations of both alginate and divalent cations resulted in a flattened oblate shape. Ba2+acting as a cross-linker had a less impact on the particle shape than Ca2+due to a higher affinity in alginate intermolecular cross-linking. With a larger surface area, an oblate particle offered a higher release rate than a spheric one.
Surdity in the OR: An Unusual Case of Brainstem Anesthesia
Authors: Palte Howard D. , Hoa Don P. , Pavon Canseco Aldo
Published: January 2017

Brainstem anesthesia is a potentially life-threatening complication of regional ophthalmic anesthesia. This case report chronicles an unusual presentation of brainstem anesthesia following an eye block. The unique features of this case were the presenting symptoms of deafness and slurred speech in the absence of loss of consciousness, respiratory depression, or contralateral ophthalmoplegia. This report underscores two key points: first, the importance of ongoing patient monitoring after performance of an eye block; second, the exigency of supportive therapy in suspected cases of brainstem anesthesia.
Conservative Nonhormonal Options for the Treatment of Male Infertility: Antibiotics, Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, and Antioxidants
Authors: Calogero Aldo E. , Condorelli Rosita A. , Russo Giorgio Ivan , La Vignera Sandro
Published: January 2017

The nonhormonal medical treatment can be divided into empirical, when the cause has not been identified, and nonempirical, if the pathogenic mechanism causing male infertility can be solved or ameliorated. The empirical nonhormonal medical treatment has been proposed for patients with idiopathic or noncurable oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and for normozoospermic infertile patients. Anti-inflammatory, fibrinolytic, and antioxidant compounds, oligo elements, and vitamin supplementation may be prescribed. Infection, inflammation, and/or increased oxidative stress often require a specific treatment with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and/or antioxidants. Combined therapies can contribute to improve sperm quality.
Asymptomatic Congenital Hyperinsulinism due to a Glucokinase-Activating Mutation, Treated as Adrenal Insufficiency for Twelve Years
Authors: Morishita Kae , Kyo Chika , Yonemoto Takako , Kosugi Rieko , Ogawa Tatsuo , Inoue Tatsuhide
Published: January 2017

Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) caused by a glucokinase- (GCK-) activating mutation shows autosomal dominant inheritance, and its severity ranges from mild to severe. A 43-year-old female with asymptomatic hypoglycemia (47 mg/dL) was diagnosed as partial adrenal insufficiency and the administration of hydrocortisone (10 mg/day) was initiated. Twelve years later, her 8-month-old grandchild was diagnosed with CHI. Heterozygosity of exon 6 c.590T>C (p.M197T) was identified in a gene analysis of GCK, which was also detected in her son and herself. The identification of GCK-activating mutations in hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia patients may be useful for a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology involved and preventing unnecessary glucocorticoid therapy.
IgG4-Related Disease Presenting as Isolated Scleritis
Authors: Berkowitz Eran , Arnon Ella , Yaakobi Alona , Cohen Yuval , Tiosano Beatrice
Published: January 2017

A rare case of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) manifesting as nodular scleritis is presented in a 20-year-old female. Patient complained of left eye pain and redness for one week. Ocular examination together with ancillary testing led to the diagnosis of nodular scleritis. Since the patient did not show apparent improvement after one week of systemic steroidal treatment, she underwent a biopsy of the affected area revealing histopathological characteristics of IgG4-RD. Long-term treatment with corticosteroids and a steroid-sparing agent (methotrexate) led to significant improvement in signs and symptoms. This case highlights the significance of IgG4-RD in the differential diagnosis of scleritis and raises the question as to whether various organs affected by IgG4-RD may have different underlying pathophysiological mechanisms in which pathogenic T cells play a role.
Automatic Traffic Data Collection under Varying Lighting and Temperature Conditions in Multimodal Environments: Thermal versus Visible Spectrum Video-Based Systems
Authors: Fu Ting , Stipancic Joshua , Zangenehpour Sohail , Miranda-Moreno Luis , Saunier Nicolas
Published: January 2017

Vision-based monitoring systems using visible spectrum (regular) video cameras can complement or substitute conventional sensors and provide rich positional and classification data. Although new camera technologies, including thermal video sensors, may improve the performance of digital video-based sensors, their performance under various conditions has rarely been evaluated at multimodal facilities. The purpose of this research is to integrate existing computer vision methods for automated data collection and evaluate the detection, classification, and speed measurement performance of thermal video sensors under varying lighting and temperature conditions. Thermal and regular video data was collected simultaneously under different conditions across multiple sites. Although the regular video sensor narrowly outperformed the thermal sensor during daytime, the performance of the thermal sensor is significantly better for low visibility and shadow conditions, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists. Retraining the algorithm on thermal data yielded an improvement in the global accuracy of 48%. Thermal speed measurements were consistently more accurate than for the regular video at daytime and nighttime. Thermal video is insensitive to lighting interference and pavement temperature, solves issues associated with visible light cameras for traffic data collection, and offers other benefits such as privacy, insensitivity to glare, storage space, and lower processing requirements.
Novel Approach to Classify Plants Based on Metabolite-Content Similarity
Authors: Liu Kang , Abdullah Azian Azamimi , Huang Ming , Nishioka Takaaki , Altaf-Ul-Amin Md. , Kanaya Shigehiko
Published: January 2017

Secondary metabolites are bioactive substances with diverse chemical structures. Depending on the ecological environment within which they are living, higher plants use different combinations of secondary metabolites for adaptation (e.g., defense against attacks by herbivores or pathogenic microbes). This suggests that the similarity in metabolite content is applicable to assess phylogenic similarity of higher plants. However, such a chemical taxonomic approach has limitations of incomplete metabolomics data. We propose an approach for successfully classifying 216 plants based on their known incomplete metabolite content. Structurally similar metabolites have been clustered using the network clustering algorithm DPClus. Plants have been represented as binary vectors, implying relations with structurally similar metabolite groups, and classified using Ward’s method of hierarchical clustering. Despite incomplete data, the resulting plant clusters are consistent with the known evolutional relations of plants. This finding reveals the significance of metabolite content as a taxonomic marker. We also discuss the predictive power of metabolite content in exploring nutritional and medicinal properties in plants. As a byproduct of our analysis, we could predict some currently unknown species-metabolite relations.
Dyslipidemia in Patients with a Cardiovascular Risk and Disease at the University Teaching Hospital of Yaoundé, Cameroon
Authors: Ama Moor Vicky Jocelyne , Ndongo Amougou Sylvie , Ombotto Sebastien , Ntone Felicien , Wouamba Doriane Edna , Ngo Nonga Bernadette
Published: January 2017

Objective. To determine the frequency of lipid abnormalities in patients with a cardiovascular risk and disease at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) of Yaoundé.Materials and Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study from 1 March to 31 May 2015 at the UTH of Yaoundé. We included all patients seen in the outpatient department with a diagnosis of a cardiovascular disease or a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Patients who accepted to participate in the study were asked to answer a questionnaire; after that a blood sample was taken for lipid profile. An informed consent was signed by all the participants and the study has received approval from the national ethic committee.Results. We recruited 264 patients of which 119 were men and 145 were women with a sex ratio of 0.82. Mean age was 61.36 years. The frequency of lipid profiles abnormalities was as follows: low HDL cholesterol (44.3%), hypertriglyceridemia (18.9%), high LDL cholesterol (3.8%), and high total cholesterol 3.4%). Hypertriglyceridemia was strongly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Conclusion. Low levels of HDL cholesterol and hypertriglyceridemia are more prevalent in our study population. More studies are needed to confirm this finding in our environment.
Formation Pore Pressure Variation of the Neocomian Sedimentary Succession (the Fahliyan Formation) in the Abadan Plain Basin, SW of Iran
Authors: Soleimani Bahman , Hassani-Giv Mohammad , Abdollahi fard Iraj
Published: January 2017

The Neocomian Fahliyan Formation is one of the important oil reservoirs in the Abadan Plain Basin, SW of Iran. To evaluate the pore pressure regime of the Fahliyan reservoir, 164 in situ pressure data points (MDT, XPT, and RFT) were analyzed from seven wells belonging to six oilfields. The pressure versus depth plot revealed that the Fahliyan reservoir is highly overpressured in all fields. The formation was characterized as a multilayered stacked reservoir with different pore pressure decreasing downward in a step-wise manner. Also, there is a major pressure step in the middle part of the reservoir, suggesting the presence of a regional efficient seal dividing the reservoir into two stacked compartments, where the upper compartment is more overpressured than the lower one. The stepped pressure pattern of the Fahliyan Formation is a regional phenomenon controlled by a factor governed regionally, the depositional condition, and facies lateral changes during the deposition of shallowing upward sequence of the Fahliyan reservoir. In addition, direct relationship is observed between the reservoir pressure and burial depth. This matter could amplify the initially generated overpressure state more possible due to dewatering of sediments and by-pass product of oil migration from Garau source rock to the Fahliyan reservoir.
Short-Term Monocular Deprivation Enhances Physiological Pupillary Oscillations
Authors: Binda Paola , Lunghi Claudia
Published: January 2017

Short-term monocular deprivation alters visual perception in adult humans, increasing the dominance of the deprived eye, for example, as measured with binocular rivalry. This form of plasticity may depend upon the inhibition/excitation balance in the visual cortex. Recent work suggests that cortical excitability is reliably tracked by dilations and constrictions of the pupils of the eyes. Here, we ask whether monocular deprivation produces a systematic change of pupil behavior, as measured at rest, that is independent of the change of visual perception. During periods of minimal sensory stimulation (in the dark) and task requirements (minimizing body and gaze movements), slow pupil oscillations, “hippus,” spontaneously appear. We find that hippus amplitude increases after monocular deprivation, with larger hippus changes in participants showing larger ocular dominance changes (measured by binocular rivalry). This tight correlation suggests that a single latent variable explains both the change of ocular dominance and hippus. We speculate that the neurotransmitter norepinephrine may be implicated in this phenomenon, given its important role in both plasticity and pupil control. On the practical side, our results indicate that measuring the pupil hippus (a simple and short procedure) provides a sensitive index of the change of ocular dominance induced by short-term monocular deprivation, hence a proxy for plasticity.
Diverticular Pylephlebitis and Polymicrobial Septicemia
Authors: Ram Pradhum , Lapumnuaypol Kamolyut , Punjabi Chitra
Published: January 2017

Diverticulitis primarily affects the sigmoid colon and is often complicated by intra-abdominal abscesses and fistulas. Rarely, however, mesenteric venous thrombosis has been known to occur. Optimal management is still unclear. We report the first case of polymicrobial sepsis resulting from diverticular pylephlebitis, managed successfully with bowel rest, antibiotics, and anticoagulation.
Study on Ultrasonic Response to Mechanical Structure of Coal under Loading and Unloading Condition
Authors: Liu Xiaofei , Wang Xiaoran , Wang Enyuan , Liu Zhentang , Xu Xiaoyang
Published: January 2017

Ultrasonic technology can be applied to study the changes in the internal defects of coal under quantitative loading, which can provide the theoretical basis for applying the technology to determine the structural stability of coal and predict disasters related to the dynamics of coal or rock. In this paper, to investigate the propagation laws of ultrasonic signals through a coal material under various loading conditions, an ultrasonic test system for the deformation and fracture of coal rock was used and a cyclic loading and unloading pattern is adopted. In addition, changes in ultrasonic parameters such as amplitude, dominant frequency, and velocity were analyzed. At the initial loading stage, the ultrasonic amplitude, amplitude of the dominant frequency, and wave velocity slightly decrease as the loading process progresses, and these three ultrasonic parameters gradually increase to their maxima when the stress level reaches approximately 46%. When it progresses from the linear elastic stage to the elastic plastic stage, the material inside the coal distorts and fractures more drastically, the inner defects are fully developed, and the acoustic parameters decrease significantly. Therefore, the corresponding measures should be adapted to reduce the loading stress before the coal is loaded to its critical stress level.
Exponential Self-Organization and Moore’s Law: Measures and Mechanisms
Authors: Georgiev Georgi Yordanov , Chatterjee Atanu , Iannacchione Germano
Published: January 2017

The question of how complex systems become more organized and efficient with time is open. Examples are the formation of elementary particles from pure energy, the formation of atoms from particles, the formation of stars and galaxies, and the formation of molecules from atoms, of organisms, and of the society. In this sequence, order appears inside complex systems and randomness (entropy) is expelled to their surroundings. Key features of self-organizing systems are that they are open and they are far away from equilibrium, with increasing energy flows through them. This work searches for global measures of such self-organizing systems, which are predictable and do not depend on the substrate of the system studied. Our results will help to understand the existence of complex systems and mechanisms of self-organization. In part we also provide insights, in this work, about the underlying physical essence of Moore’s law and the multiple logistic growth observed in technological progress.
Evaluating Complications of Chronic Sinusitis
Authors: Hong Phillip , Pereyra Charles A. , Guo Uta , Breslin Adam , Melville Laura
Published: January 2017

Chronic sinusitis is a relatively common diagnosis throughout the US. In patients with an otherwise unremarkable medical history the treatment is typically supportive, requiring only clinical evaluation. We present the case of a 25-year-old male with a history of chronic sinusitis that was brought to our emergency department with new-onset seizure. Three days before he had presented to his usual care facility with two days of headache and fever and was discharged stating headache, subjective fever, and neck stiffness. After further investigation he was diagnosed with a mixed anaerobic epidural abscess. The evaluation and management of chronic sinusitis are based on the presence of symptoms concerning for complication. Prompt investigation of complicated sinusitis is essential in preventing debilitating and fatal sequelae. Our case study underscores the importance of early diagnosis and appropriate management.
Tacrolimus Toxicity due to Biliary Obstruction in a Combined Kidney and Liver Transplant Recipient
Authors: Chan Samuel , Burke Michael T. , Johnson David W. , Francis Ross S. , Mudge David W.
Published: January 2017

The immunosuppressant tacrolimus has a narrow therapeutic window, necessitating therapeutic drug monitoring to maintain efficacy and minimise toxicity. There are very few reports examining the impact of impaired biliary excretion on tacrolimus blood levels or toxicity. We report the case of a 26-year-old combined liver and kidney transplant recipient, who developed acute biliary obstruction leading to tacrolimus toxicity with very high blood tacrolimus levels. Despite a careful evaluation, no alternative cause was found for her acute kidney injury, and her kidney function returned to previous baseline within several days following treatment of the biliary obstruction and temporary withdrawal of tacrolimus.
Primary Retinal Detachment Surgery: Changes in Treatment and Outcome in an Austrian Tertiary Eye Center
Authors: Smretschnig Eva , Falkner-Radler Christiane Isolde , Spörl Jessica , Kivaranovic Danijel , Binder Susanne , Krepler Katharina
Published: January 2017

Purpose: The surgery of choice for primary retinal detachment (RD) has shifted towards primary vitrectomy (PPV) in recent years. In this study, 2 cohorts of consecutive patients, treated by 8 retinal surgeons within a 7-year time span were compared. Methods: Baseline demographic data, surgical procedure, and outcome of patients with primary RD surgery between January 2007 and December 2008 (group 1, G1) and January 2012 and December 2013 (group 2, G2) were compared. Statistical analysis included univariate comparisons (Wilcoxon rank-sum test and χ2 test) and ANCOVA (analysis of covariance) models. Results: The most common primary procedure was scleral buckling (n = 92, 66%) in G1 and PPV (n = 252, 85%) in G2 (p < 0.0001). Primary anatomical success rates were comparable (89%). The percentage of eyes with best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) equal or better than 0.3 logMAR (6/12) at final follow-up was significantly higher in G2 (61%, n = 156) compared to 49% (n = 68) in G1 (p = 0.0223). Conclusions: Within 7 years, a complete trend reversal could be observed shifting the primary surgical approach for RD towards PPV. Primary and final anatomical success rates were comparable, yet the later group experienced a significantly higher gain in BCVA, which approves the change in treatment regimen.