bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Current pain education within undergraduate medical studies across Europe: Advancing the Provision of Pain Education and Learning (APPEAL) study
Authors: Briggs Emma V , Battelli Daniele , Gordon David , Kopf Andreas , Ribeiro Sofia , Puig Margarita M , Kress Hans G
Published: August 2015

Objectives

Unrelieved pain is a substantial public health concern necessitating improvements in medical education. The Advancing the Provision of Pain Education and Learning (APPEAL) study aimed to determine current levels and methods of undergraduate pain medicine education in Europe.

Design and methods

Using a cross-sectional design, publicly available curriculum information was sought from all medical schools in 15 representative European countries in 2012–2013. Descriptive analyses were performed on: the provision of pain teaching in dedicated pain modules, other modules or within the broader curriculum; whether pain teaching was compulsory or elective; the number of hours/credits spent teaching pain; pain topics; and teaching and assessment methods.

Results

Curriculum elements were publicly available from 242 of 249 identified schools (97%). In 55% (133/242) of schools, pain was taught only within compulsory non-pain-specific modules. The next most common approaches were for pain teaching to be provided wholly or in part via a dedicated pain module (74/242; 31%) or via a vertical or integrated approach to teaching through the broader curriculum, rather than within any specific module (17/242; 7%). The curricula of 17/242 schools (7%) showed no evidence of any pain teaching. Dedicated pain modules were most common in France (27/31 schools; 87%). Excluding France, only 22% (47/211 schools) provided a dedicated pain module and in only 9% (18/211) was this compulsory. Overall, the median number of hours spent teaching pain was 12.0 (range 4–56.0 h; IQR: 12.0) for compulsory dedicated pain modules and 9.0 (range 1.0–60.0 h; IQR: 10.5) for other compulsory (non-pain specific) modules. Pain medicine was principally taught in classrooms and assessed by conventional examinations. There was substantial international variation throughout.

Conclusions

Documented pain teaching in many European medical schools falls far short of what might be expected given the prevalence and public health burden of pain.
IQ and alcohol-related morbidity and mortality among Swedish men and women: the importance of socioeconomic position
Authors: Sjölund Sara , Hemmingsson Tomas , Gustafsson Jan-Eric , Allebeck Peter
Published: August 2015

Aims

To investigate the association between intelligence in childhood and later risk of alcohol-related disease and death by examining (1) the mediating effect of social position as an adult and (2) gender as a possible moderator.

Design

Cohort study.

Setting and participants

21 809 Swedish men and women, born in 1948 and 1953, from the Swedish “Evaluation Through Follow-up” database were followed until 2006/2007.

Measurements

IQ was measured in school at the age of 13 and alcohol-related disease and death (International Classification of Disease codes) were followed from 1971 and onwards.

Findings

We found an increased crude HR of 1.23 (95% CI 1.18 to 1.29) for every decrease in group of IQ test results for alcohol-related admissions and 1.14 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.24) for alcohol-related death. Social position as an adult was found to mediate both outcomes. Gender was not found to moderate the association. However, adjusting for socioeconomic position lowered the risk more among men than among women.

Conclusions

There was an inverse, graded association between IQ and alcohol-related disease and death, which at least partially was mediated by social position as an adult. For alcohol-related death, complete mediation by socioeconomic position as an adult was found. Gender does not moderate this association. The role of socioeconomic position may differ between the genders.
Inequity of access to ACE inhibitors in Swedish heart failure patients: a register-based study
Authors: Ohlsson Anna , Lindahl Bertil , Hanning Marianne , Westerling Ragnar
Published: August 2015

Background

Several international studies suggest inequity in access to evidence-based heart failure (HF) care. Specifically, studies of ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) point to reduced ACEI access related to female sex, old age and socioeconomic position. Thus far, most studies have either been rather small, lacking diagnostic data, or lacking the possibility to account for several individual-based sociodemographic factors. Our aim was to investigate differences, which could reflect inequity in access to ACEIs based on sex, age, socioeconomic status or immigration status in Swedish patients with HF.

Methods

Individually linked register data for all Swedish adults hospitalised for HF in 2005–2010 (n=93 258) were analysed by multivariate regression models to assess the independent risk of female sex, high age, low employment status, low income level, low educational level or foreign country of birth, associated with lack of an ACEI dispensation within 1 year of hospitalisation. Adjustment for possible confounding was made for age, comorbidity, Angiotensin receptor blocker therapy, period and follow-up time.

Results

Analysis revealed an adjusted OR for no ACEI dispensation for women of 1.31 (95% CI 1.27 to 1.35); for the oldest patients of 2.71 (95% CI 2.53 to 2.91); and for unemployed patients of 1.59 (95% CI 1.46 to 1.73).

Conclusions

Access to ACEI treatment was reduced in women, older patients and unemployed patients. We conclude that access to ACEIs is inequitable among Swedish patients with HF. Future studies should include clinical data, as well as mortality outcomes in different groups.
Hypocalcaemia in a six‐month‐old hand‐reared female giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)
Authors: Stegmann George Frik , Buck Roxanne , O'Dell Jaques
Published: August 2015

Radiological examination and surgical biopsy were required of a swelling in the cervical region in a healthy 200 kg, six‐month‐old hand‐reared female giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis). Induction was with intramuscular administration of medetomidine, butorphanol and ketamine and maintained with 1.5 per cent isoflurane‐in‐oxygen on a circle anaesthetic machine. Induction and maintenance were uneventful but recovery delayed and characterised by hindlimb weakness, opistotonus and torticollis of the head and neck. Atipamezole and naltrexone were administered to facilitate recovery but with minimal clinical improvement. Venous blood gas analysis indicated moderate metabolic acidosis, hypochloraemia, increased anion gap and marked hypocalcaemia (0.64 mmol/l). Intravenous administration of 60 ml calcium borogluconate resulted in a rapid improvement in muscle tone and the ability to stand. Hypocalcaemia was diagnosed in a juvenile giraffe after anaesthesia characterised by delayed recovery. Intravenous administration of calcium borogluconate resulted in rapid recovery of muscle strength and ambulance.
Impact of hatch date on early life growth and survival of Mueller’s pearlside (Maurolicus muelleri) larvae and life-history consequences
Authors: Folkvord Arild , Gundersen Geir , Albretsen Jon , Asplin Lars , Kaartvedt Stein , Giske Jarl
Published: August 2015

Growth and survival of Maurolicus muelleri larvae in Herdlefjorden, Norway, were investigated by daily otolith increment analysis. While high egg densities were generally observed throughout the spawning season, three cohorts each with a narrow window of hatching dates were identified. The first of these cohorts was characterized by low growth and poor morphometric condition and disappeared from the fjord during autumn. High-resolution drift modeling indicated that Herdlefjorden had a net export of larvae and negligible import in the period cohort 1 disappeared. Yet, the advective loss rate of larvae was not considered high enough to explain the near complete disappearance of the first cohort. An otolith-based growth chronology indicated that growth conditions in Herdlefjorden improved noticeably around mid-September and remained favorable the following month. The analysis of daily otolith increments could thus be used to document within-season variability in larval growth and survival. The low and variable survival due to short-term fluctuations in environmental conditions indicate that multiple batch spawning is an adequately evolved life-history strategy for marine planktivorous fish such as M. muelleri.
Moduli of equivariant sheaves and Kronecker–McKay modules
Authors: Amrutiya Sanjay , Dubey Umesh
Published: August 2015

We extend Álvarez-Cónsul and King description of moduli of sheaves over projective schemes to moduli of equivariant sheaves over projective Γ-schemes, for a finite group Γ. We introduce the notion of Kronecker–McKay modules and construct the moduli of equivariant sheaves using a natural functor from the category of equivariant sheaves to the category of Kronecker–McKay modules. Following Álvarez-Cónsul and King, we also study theta functions and homogeneous co-ordinates of moduli of equivariant sheaves.
Social Behavioral Biometrics: An Emerging Trend
Authors: Sultana Madeena , Paul Padma Polash , Gavrilova Marina
Published: August 2015

In todays world, identity of human beings has expanded beyond the real world to the cyber world. Virtual identity of millions of users is present at various web-based Social Networking Sites (SNSs) such as Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter. Interactions through SNSs have become a part of our daily practices, which eventually leaves a big trail of behavioral pattern in virtual domain. In this paper, the authors examined the feasibility of person identification using such social network activities as behavioral biometrics. Experimentation includes extraction of a number of idiosyncratic features from SNSs and analysis of their performance as novel social behavioral biometric features.
Coloring of the annihilator graph of a commutative ring
Authors: Nikandish R. , Nikmehr M. J. , Bakhtyiari M.
Published: August 2015

Let [Formula: see text] be a commutative ring with identity, and let [Formula: see text] be the set of zero-divisors of [Formula: see text]. The annihilator graph of [Formula: see text] is defined as the graph AG[Formula: see text] with the vertex set [Formula: see text], and two distinct vertices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are adjacent if and only if ann[Formula: see text]. In this paper, we study annihilator graphs of rings with equal clique number and chromatic number. For some classes of rings, we give an explicit formula for the clique number of annihilator graphs. Among other results, bipartite annihilator graphs of rings are characterized. Furthermore, some results on annihilator graphs with finite clique number are given.
k-Primitivity and images of primitive elements
Authors: Öğüşlü Nazar Şahin , Ekici Naime
Published: August 2015

Let [Formula: see text] be a free Lie algebra of finite rank [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]. We give another proof of the following criterion which is proven by Mikhalev and Zolotykh, using the idea of [Formula: see text]-primitivity: An endomorphism of [Formula: see text] preserving primitivity of elements is an automorphism.
Extended Case-Based Behavior Control for Multi-Humanoid Robots
Authors: Altaf Meteb M. , Elbagoury Bassant M. , Alraddady Fahad , Roushdy Mohamed
Published: August 2015

Intelligent control of multi-agent autonomous humanoid robots is a very complex problem, especially in the RoboCup domain. This is due to the dynamics of the environment and the complexity of behaviors that should be executed in real time. Moreover, the overall complexity increases since another mechanism for coordinating the robot’s behaviors should be involved. Throughout the past years, acceptable results have been obtained using different approaches to solve the behavior control problem (decision trees, fuzzy techniques, support vector machines, reinforcement learning, etc.). As case-based reasoning (CBR) is tightly related to the way humans reason, researches are now concentrated on finding the most relevant solutions that could handle behavior control problems of humanoid soccer robots using CBR techniques. This paper proposes an extended algorithm of a more complex architecture to control more complex soccer behaviors such as dribbling and goal scoring applied to multi-robot scenarios between attacker and goalie. The decomposition of features into a hierarchy of levels has led to reduced complexity of the overall behavior execution in real time. However, the average retrieval accuracy and the average performance accuracy were relatively low (70.3% and 77%, respectively). We intend to combine neural networks with CBR to learn adaptation rules for reducing the complexity of hand-coded rules and improving the overall controller performance.
Mobile Crowd Sensing and Computing
Authors: Guo Bin , Wang Zhu , Yu Zhiwen , Wang Yu , Yen Neil Y. , Huang Runhe , Zhou Xingshe
Published: August 2015

With the surging of smartphone sensing, wireless networking, and mobile social networking techniques, Mobile Crowd Sensing and Computing (MCSC) has become a promising paradigm for cross-space and large-scale sensing. MCSC extends the vision of participatory sensing by leveraging both participatory sensory data from mobile devices (offline) and user-contributed data from mobile social networking services (online). Further, it explores the complementary roles and presents the fusion/collaboration of machine and human intelligence in the crowd sensing and computing processes. This article characterizes the unique features and novel application areas of MCSC and proposes a reference framework for building human-in-the-loop MCSC systems. We further clarify the complementary nature of human and machine intelligence and envision the potential of deep-fused human--machine systems. We conclude by discussing the limitations, open issues, and research opportunities of MCSC.
Free Flaps in a Resource Constrained Environment: A Five-Year Experience—Outcomes and Lessons Learned
Authors: Nangole Wanjala F. , Khainga Stanley , Aswani Joyce , Kahoro Loise , Vilembwa Adelaine
Published: August 2015

Introduction. Free flap surgery is a routine procedure in many developed countries with good surgical outcomes. In many developing countries, however, these services are not available. In this paper, we audit free flaps done in a resource constrained hospital in Kenya. Objective. This is a five-year audit of free flaps done in a tertiary hospital in Kenya, between 2009 and 2014. Materials and Methods. This was a prospective study of patients operated on with free flaps between 2009 and 2014. Results. A total of one hundred and thirty-two free flaps in one hundred and twenty patients were performed during the five-year duration. The age range was eight to seventy-two years with a mean of 47.2. All the flaps were done under loupe magnification. The overall flap success rate was eighty-nine percent. Conclusion. Despite the many limitations, free flaps in our setup were successful in the majority of patients operated on. Flap salvage was noted to be low due to infrequent flap monitoring as well as unavailability of theatre space. One therefore has to be meticulous during surgery to reduce any possibilities of reexploration.
Parameter Identification of the 2-Chlorophenol Oxidation Model Using Improved Differential Search Algorithm
Authors: Chen Guang-zhou , Wang Jia-quan , Li Ru-zhong
Published: August 2015

Parameter identification plays a crucial role for simulating and using model. This paper firstly carried out the sensitivity analysis of the 2-chlorophenol oxidation model in supercritical water using the Monte Carlo method. Then, to address the nonlinearity of the model, two improved differential search (DS) algorithms were proposed to carry out the parameter identification of the model. One strategy is to adopt the Latin hypercube sampling method to replace the uniform distribution of initial population; the other is to combine DS with simplex method. The results of sensitivity analysis reveal the sensitivity and the degree of difficulty identified for every model parameter. Furthermore, the posteriori probability distribution of parameters and the collaborative relationship between any two parameters can be obtained. To verify the effectiveness of the improved algorithms, the optimization performance of improved DS in kinetic parameter estimation is studied and compared with that of the basic DS algorithm, differential evolution, artificial bee colony optimization, and quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization. And the experimental results demonstrate that the DS with the Latin hypercube sampling method does not present better performance, while the hybrid methods have the advantages of strong global search ability and local search ability and are more effective than the other algorithms.
Is Huachansu Beneficial in Treating Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer? Evidence from a Meta-Analysis of Its Efficacy Combined with Chemotherapy
Authors: Zhou Bingduo , Wu Fengying , Yuan Lin , Miao Zhulei , Zhu Shengliang
Published: August 2015

Background. Huachansu, the sterilized water extract ofBufo bufo gargarizanstoad skin, is used in China to alleviate the side-effects and enhance the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We conducted a meta-analysis to assess Huachansu’s efficacy.Methods. We extensively searched electronic databases (CENTRAL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, CBM, Cochrane Library, CNKI, CEBM, WFDP, CSCD, CSTD, and IPA) for randomized controlled trials containing Huachansu plus chemotherapy as the test group and chemotherapy as the control group. Seventeen trials were selected based on the selection criteria. The pooled relative ratio (RR) of indicators with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was calculated for efficacy evaluation.Results. The meta-analysis demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in objective tumor response, one-year survival, Karnofsky performance status, pain relief, and alleviation of severe side-effects (nausea and vomiting, leukocytopenia) in the test group as compared to the control group, but no significant difference in thrombocytopenia.Conclusions. This study demonstrated the efficacy of Huachansu combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced NSCLC. However, limitations exist and high-quality trials are needed for further verification.
Removal of Ethanethiol Gas by Iron Oxide Porous Ceramsite Biotrickling Filter
Authors: Wang Peipei , Peng Shuchuan , Zhu Chengzhu , Zhang Xiongjun , Teng Fei
Published: August 2015

The performance of ethanethiol removal in biotrickling filter was investigated by microorganisms fixed on iron oxide-based porous ceramsite (IPC) under different operating parameters conditions. Ethanethiol removal efficiency was examined as a function of inlet concentration, empty bed residence time (EBRT), and spray density of nutrient solution. The results showed that the optimized operation conditions and operation characteristics of biotrickling filter for this study were at the inlet concentration of less than 250 mg·m−3, the spray density of 0.24 m3·m−2 h−1, and the EBRT of 68.7 s. The variation of the EBRT of about 100 s and the spray density of about 0.24 m3·m−2 h−1did not change the ethanethiol removal efficiencies at certain ethanethiol concentrations of less than about 300 mg/m3, respectively. The main metabolic product was sulfate such asSO42-under continuous long-running regime in filter. The ethanethiol desulfurization process better meets the Michaelis-Menien model with calculated kinetic degradation parametersKs=7.96 mg·m−3andVm=221.73 g·m−3 h−1.
A New Method of Blind Source Separation Using Single-Channel ICA Based on Higher-Order Statistics
Authors: Lu Guangkuo , Xiao Manlin , Wei Ping , Zhang Huaguo
Published: August 2015

Methods of utilizing independent component analysis (ICA) give little guidance about practical considerations for separating single-channel real-world data, in which most of them are nonlinear, nonstationary, and even chaotic in many fields. To solve this problem, a three-step method is provided in this paper. In the first step, the measured signal which is assumed to be piecewise higher order stationary time series is introduced and divided into a series of higher order stationary segments by applying a modified segmentation algorithm. Then the state space is reconstructed and the single-channel signal is transformed into a pseudo multiple input multiple output (MIMO) mode using a method of nonlinear analysis based on the high order statistics (HOS). In the last step, ICA is performed on the pseudo MIMO data to decompose the single channel recording into its underlying independent components (ICs) and the interested ICs are then extracted. Finally, the effectiveness and excellence of the higher order single-channel ICA (SCICA) method are validated with measured data throughout experiments. Also, the proposed method in this paper is proved to be more robust under different SNR and/or embedding dimension via explicit formulae and simulations.
Characterization of Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance Genes on an Ecological Farm System
Authors: Zhang Songhe , Gu Ju , Wang Chao , Wang Peifang , Jiao Shaojun , He ZhenLi , Han Bing
Published: August 2015

There is a growing concern worldwide about the prevalence of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) on the farm. In this study, we investigated the distribution of seven antibiotics and ten ARGs in fresh and dried pig feces, in biogas slurry, and in grape-planting soil from an ecological farm. Antibiotics including sulfamethazine, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and chlortetracycline were detected in these samples (except for sulfamethoxazole) in dried feces. In general, antibiotics levels in samples were in the sequence: biogas slurry > fresh feces > soil or dried feces. Results of ecological risk assessments revealed that among the seven antibiotics chlortetracycline showed the highest ecological risk. Among the ten ARGs,sulI andtetO were the most prevalent on this ecological farm. There were positive correlations between certain ARGs and the corresponding antibiotics on this ecological farm. Therefore, continuous monitoring of antibiotics and their corresponding ARGs should be conducted in the agroecosystem near the concentrated animal farming operation systems.
Heavy Metal Residues in Soil and Accumulation in Maize at Long-Term Wastewater Irrigation Area in Tongliao, China
Authors: Lu Yintao , Yao Hong , Shan Dan , Jiang Yichen , Zhang Shichao , Yang Jun
Published: August 2015

Soil and plant samples were collected from Tongliao, China, during the maize growth cycle between May and October 2010. Heavy metals, such as Cr, Pb, Ni, and Zn, were analyzed. The concentrations of Cr, Pb, Ni, and Zn in the wastewater-irrigated area were higher than those in the topsoil from the groundwater-irrigated area. The concentrations of metals in the maize increased as follows: Pb < Ni < Zn < Cr. In addition, Cr, Pb, and Ni mainly accumulated in the maize roots, and Zn mainly accumulated in the maize fruit. The results of translocation factors (TF) and bioconcentration factors (BCF) of maize for heavy metals revealed that maize is an excluder plant and a potential accumulator plant and can serve as an ideal slope remediation plant. In addition, the increasing heavy metal contents in soils that have been polluted by wastewater irrigation must result in the accumulation of Cr, Pb, Ni, and Zn in maize. Thus, the pollution level can be decreased by harvesting and disposing of and recovering the plant material.
Antifungal Properties of Crude Extracts, Fractions, and Purified Compounds from Bark ofCuratella americanaL. (Dilleniaceae) againstCandidaSpecies
Authors: Mendes de Toledo Cleyton Eduardo , Santos Patrícia Regina , Palazzo de Mello João Carlos , Dias Filho Benedito Prado , Nakamura Celso Vataru , Ueda-Nakamura Tânia
Published: August 2015

The ethnomedicinal plantCuratella americanaL. (Dilleniaceae) is a common shrub in the Brazilian cerrado, in which crude extract showed antifungal activity in a preliminary study. In this work, the antifungal and cytotoxic properties of the crude extract, fractions, and isolated compounds fromC. americanawere evaluated against the standard yeast strainsCandida albicans,C. tropicalis, andC. parapsilosis, clinical isolates, and fluconazole-resistant strains. The combinatory effects between subfractions and isolated compounds and effects on cell morphology, virulence factors, and exogenous ergosterol were also evaluated. The MIC obtained against theCandidaspecies including fluconazole-resistant strain ranged from 15.3 to 31.3 µg/mL for crude extract, 3.9 to 15.6 µg/mL for ethyl acetate fraction, and 7.8 to 31.3 µg/mL for subfractions. The isolated compounds identified as 4′-O-methyl-catechin, epicatechin-3-O-gallate, and 4′-O-methyl-catechin-3-O-gallate showed lower antifungal activity than the crude extract and fractions (MIC ranging from 31.3 to 125.0 µg/mL). The addition of exogenous ergosterol to yeast culture did not interfere in the antifungal activity of the extract and its fractions. Synergistic antifungal activity was observed between subfractions and isolated compounds. The effects on virulence factors and the different mechanisms of action compared to fluconazole and nystatin suggest that this ethnomedicinal plant may be an effective alternative treatment for candidiasis.
Current Status of Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy
Authors: Obi Shuntaro , Sato Shinpei , Kawai Toshihiro
Published: August 2015

Background: Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) is frequently used to treat advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Asian countries. However, there is a lack of evidence supporting the use of HAIC. Summary: Many studies report high response rates in patients with advanced HCC receiving HAIC, and clinical responses translate to survival benefits. Therefore, prediction of an antitumor response is important in selecting appropriate treatments. There are no proven post-sorafenib therapeutic measures or procedures for HCC patients with poor liver function, and HAIC is one of the few options for patients in these situations. Despite studies showing its effectiveness, the use of HAIC for treatment of advanced HCC is unclear because convincing data from large-scale randomized clinical trials are lacking. For HAIC to become a standard treatment for HCC, such trials must establish its efficacy compared with other HCC therapies; prediction of antitumor response in HAIC may aid trial design, and a multi-center, open-labelled, randomized clinical trial of HAIC in advanced HCC is currently in progress. Optimization of HCC treatment protocols and regimens is also required. Key message: We think that both HAIC and sorafenib are effective treatments for advanced HCC, and this review presents evidence supporting this contention.
Disappearance of Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma after Treatment of a Borderline Brenner Tumor: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Aoun Fouad , Kourie Hampig Raphael , Sirtaine Nicolas , Hawaux Eric
Published: August 2015

Background: Brenner tumors are relatively rare ovarian neoplasms with very few reported cases associating these tumors and urothelial carcinomas with different characteristics and particularities. Case Report: We report an unusual clinical case of borderline unilateral Brenner tumor of the ovary associated with a highly recurrent diffuse low-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma of the upper and lower urinary tract. The patient received a total cystectomy and resection of the Brenner tumor. Her clinical response was marked by the absence of recurrence of the urothelial carcinoma and the disappearance of an untreated tumor of the upper urinary tract. The available literature on the association between these tumors was reviewed and their histologic appearance analyzed. Conclusion: The good prognosis of urothelial carcinoma in patients with Brenner tumors suggests different risk factors, physiopathologic features, and carcinogenesis than with typical urothelial carcinoma.
Independent Predictors of Major Adverse Events following Coronary Stenting over 28 Months of Follow-Up
Authors: Golukhova Elena Z. , Grigorian Marina V. , Ryabinina Mariya N. , Bulaeva Naida I. , Fortmann Seth , Serebruany Victor L.
Published: August 2015

Background: Despite recent advances in stent design and constantly improving protective pharmacological strategies, complications and adverse events following percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) are still major factors influencing morbidity and mortality. Therefore, predicting secondary vascular occlusions represents an unmet medical need. Objective: The aim of our study was to triage clinical and laboratory predictors of major adverse clinical events (MACE) following coronary stenting. Methods: This was a prospective, case-controlled, single-center study, which included 94 consecutive patients with documented coronary disease who underwent PCI with drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. All patients received dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel. Numerous clinical characteristics and laboratory biomarkers were assessed before stenting and were correlated with poststenting MACE over the mean follow-up of 28 months. MACE included death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularisation, stroke, stent thrombosis, angina recurrence and instent restenosis. Results: Twenty-three patients experienced MACE. Independent MACE predictors after PCI with DES implantation were antecedent diabetes mellitus (RR = 0.45; 95% CI 0.20-0.97; p = 0.045), prior thrombolytic therapy (RR = 0.42; 95% CI 0.27-0.83; p = 0.039), baseline plasminogen activator inhibitor -1 (PAI-1; p = 0.008) and plasma von Willebrand factor (vWF) activity (p = 0.007). Other clinical characteristics and laboratory indices showed no correlation with MACE. Conclusions: Background diabetes mellitus, prior thrombolytic therapy, PAI-1 and vWF prestenting activity may be useful for MACE prediction over 28 months of follow-up.
Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder Predispose Youth to Accelerated Atherosclerosis and Early Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Goldstein Benjamin I. , Carnethon Mercedes R. , Matthews Karen A. , McIntyre Roger S. , Miller Gregory E. , Raghuveer Geetha , Stoney Catherine M. , Wasiak Hank , McCrindle Brian W.
Published: August 2015

In the 2011 “Expert Panel on Integrated Guidelines for Cardiovascular Health and Risk Reduction in Children and Adolescents,” several medical conditions among youth were identified that predispose to accelerated atherosclerosis and early cardiovascular disease (CVD), and risk stratification and management strategies for youth with these conditions were elaborated. Major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) among youth satisfy the criteria set for, and therefore merit inclusion among, Expert Panel tier II moderate-risk conditions. The combined prevalence of MDD and BD among adolescents in the United States is ≈10%, at least 10 times greater than the prevalence of the existing moderate-risk conditions combined. The high prevalence of MDD and BD underscores the importance of positioning these diseases alongside other pediatric diseases previously identified as moderate risk for CVD. The overall objective of this statement is to increase awareness and recognition of MDD and BD among youth as moderate-risk conditions for early CVD. To achieve this objective, the primary specific aims of this statement are to (1) summarize evidence that MDD and BD are tier II moderate-risk conditions associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and early CVD and (2) position MDD and BD as tier II moderate-risk conditions that require the application of risk stratification and management strategies in accordance with Expert Panel recommendations. In this scientific statement, there is an integration of the various factors that putatively underlie the association of MDD and BD with CVD, including pathophysiological mechanisms, traditional CVD risk factors, behavioral and environmental factors, and psychiatric medications.
Left Ventricular Myocardial Function in Children With Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Burkett Dale A. , Slorach Cameron , Patel Sonali S. , Redington Andrew N. , Ivy D. Dunbar , Mertens Luc , Younoszai Adel K. , Friedberg Mark K.
Published: August 2015

Background—

Through ventricular interdependence, pulmonary hypertension (PH) induces left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. We hypothesized that LV strain/strain rate, surrogate measures of myocardial contractility, are reduced in pediatric PH and relate to invasive hemodynamics, right ventricular strain, and functional measures of PH.

Methods and Results—

At 2 institutions, echocardiography was prospectively performed in 54 pediatric PH patients during cardiac catheterization, and in 54 matched controls. Patients with PH had reduced LV global longitudinal strain (LS; −18.8 [−17.3 to −20.4]% versus −20.2 [−19.0 to −20.9]%;
P
=0.0046) predominantly because of reduced basal (−12.9 [−10.8 to −16.3]% versus −17.9 [−14.5 to −20.7]%;
P
<0.0001) and mid (−17.5 [−15.5 to −19.0]% versus −21.1 [−19.1 to −23.0]%;
P
<0.0001) septal strain. Basal global circumferential strain was reduced (−18.7 [−15.7 to −22.1]% versus −20.6 [−19.0 to −22.5]%;
P
=0.0098), as were septal and free-wall segments. Mid circumferential strain was reduced within the free-wall. Strain rates were reduced in similar patterns. Basal septum LS, the combined average LS of basal and mid interventricular septal segments, correlated strongly with degree of PH (
r
=0.66;
P
<0.0001), pulmonary vascular resistance (
r
=0.60;
P
<0.0001), and right ventricular free-wall LS (
r
=0.64;
P
<0.0001). Brain natriuretic peptide levels correlated moderately with septal LS (
r
=0.48;
P
=0.0038). PH functional class correlated moderately with LV free-wall LS (
r
=−0.48;
P
=0.0051). The septum, shared between ventricles and affected by septal shift, was the most affected LV region in PH.

Conclusions—

Pediatric PH patients demonstrate reduced LV strain/strain rate, predominantly within the septum, with relationships to invasive hemodynamics, right ventricular strain, and functional PH measures.
Iron-Sensitive Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Prediction of Ventricular Arrhythmia Risk in Patients With Chronic Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Cokic Ivan , Kali Avinash , Yang Hsin-Jung , Yee Raymond , Tang Richard , Tighiouart Mourad , Wang Xunzhang , Jackman Warren S. , Chugh Sumeet S. , White James A. , Dharmakumar Rohan
Published: August 2015

Background—

Recent canines studies have shown that iron deposition within chronic myocardial infarction (CMI) influences the electric behavior of the heart. To date, the link between the iron deposition and malignant ventricular arrhythmias in humans with CMI is unknown.

Methods and Results—

Patients with CMI (n=94) who underwent late-gadolinium-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging before implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation for primary and secondary preventions were retrospectively analyzed. The predictive values of hypointense cores (HIC) in balanced steady-state free precession images and conventional cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and ECG malignant ventricular arrhythmia parameters for the prediction of primary combined outcome (appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy, survived cardiac arrest, or sudden cardiac death) were studied. The use of HIC within CMI on balanced steady-state free precession as a marker of iron deposition was validated in a canine MI model (n=18). Nineteen patients met the study criteria with events occurring at a median of 249 (interquartile range of 540) days after implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement. Of the 19 patients meeting the primary end point, 18 were classified as HIC+, whereas only 1 was HIC−. Among the cohort in whom the primary end point was not met, there were 28 HIC+ and 47 HIC− patients. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated an additive predictive value of HIC for malignant ventricular arrhythmias with an increased area under the curve of 0.87 when added to left ventricular ejection fraction (left ventricular ejection fraction alone, 0.68). Both cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and histological validation studies performed in canines demonstrated that HIC regions in balanced steady-state free precession images within CMI likely result from iron depositions.

Conclusions—

Hypointense cores within CMI on balanced steady-state free precession cardiac magnetic resonance imaging can be used as a marker of iron deposition and yields incremental information toward improved prediction of malignant ventricular arrhythmias.
MicroRNA Let-7i Negatively Regulates Cardiac Inflammation and Fibrosis
Authors: Wang Xia , Wang Hong-Xia , Li Yu-Lin , Zhang Cong-Cong , Zhou Chun-Yu , Wang Lei , Xia Yun-Long , Du Jie , Li Hui-Hua
Published: August 2015

Angiotensin II stimulates fibroblast proliferation and substantially alters gene expression patterns leading to cardiac remodeling, but the mechanisms for such differences are unknown. MicroRNAs are a novel mechanism for gene expression regulation. Herein, we tested the miRNA and mRNA expression patterns in mouse heart using microarray assay and investigated their role in angiotensin II–induced cardiac remodeling. We found that let-7i was dynamically downregulated in angiotensin II–infused heart at day 3 and 7 and had the most targets that were mainly associated with cardiac inflammation and fibrosis. Overexpression or knockdown of let-7i in cultured cardiac fibroblasts demonstrated that let-7i played an inhibitory effect on the expression of its targets interleukin-6 and collagens. Furthermore, delivery of let-7i to mouse significantly inhibited angiotensin II–induced cardiac inflammation and fibrosis in a dose-dependent manner. Conversely, knockdown of let-7i aggravated this effect. Together, our results clearly demonstrate that let-7i acts as a novel negative regulator of angiotensin II–induced cardiac inflammation and fibrosis by suppressing the expression of interleukin-6 and multiple collagens in the heart and may represent a new potential therapeutic target for treating hypertensive cardiac fibrosis.
Regulation of Sympathetic Nerve Activity During the Cold Pressor Test in Normotensive Pregnant and Nonpregnant Women
Authors: Usselman Charlotte W. , Wakefield Paige K. , Skow Rachel J. , Stickland Michael K. , Chari Radha S. , Julian Colleen G. , Steinback Craig D. , Davenport Margie H.
Published: August 2015

Baseline neurovascular transduction is reduced in normotensive pregnancy; however, little is known about changes to neurovascular transduction during periods of heightened sympathetic activation. We tested the hypothesis that, despite an exacerbated muscle sympathetic nerve activity (microneurography) response to cold pressor stimulation, the blunting of neurovascular transduction in normotensive pregnant women would result in similar changes in vascular resistance and mean arterial pressure (Finometer) relative to nonpregnant controls. Baseline neurovascular transduction was reduced in pregnant women relative to controls when expressed as the quotient of both total resistance and mean arterial pressure and sympathetic burst frequency (0.32±0.07 versus 0.58±0.16 mm Hg/L/min/bursts/min,
P
<0.001 and 2.4±0.7 versus 3.6±0.8 mm Hg/bursts/min,
P
=0.001). Sympathetic activation was greater across all 3 minutes of cold pressor stimulation in the pregnant women relative to the nonpregnant controls. Peak sympathoexcitation was also greater in pregnant than in nonpregnant women, whether expressed as sympathetic burst frequency (+17±13 versus +7±8 bursts/min,
P
=0.049), burst incidence (+17±9 versus +6±11 bursts/100 hb,
P
=0.03), or total activity (+950±660 versus +363±414 arbitrary units,
P
=0.04). However, neurovascular transduction during peak cold pressor–induced sympathoexcitation remained blunted in pregnant women (0.25±0.11 versus 0.45±0.08 mm Hg/L/min/bursts/min,
P
<0.001 and 1.9±1.0 versus 3.2±0.9 mm Hg/bursts/min,
P
=0.006). Therefore, mean arterial pressure (93±21 versus 99±6 mm Hg,
P
=0.4) and total peripheral resistance (12±3 versus 14±3 mm Hg/L/min) were not different between pregnant and nonpregnant women during peak sympathoexcitation. These data indicate that the third trimester of normotensive pregnancy is associated with reductions in neurovascular transduction, which result in the dissociation of sympathetic outflow from hemodynamic outcomes, even during cold pressor–induced sympathoexcitation.
A Bryophyte Checklist of the Ecological Reserve of Gurjaú, Pernambuco, Brazil

Authors: Germano Shirley Rangel , Pôrto Kátia Cavalcanti
Published: August 2015

A bryophyte checklist of the Ecological Reserve of Gurjaú (08º10’00’’-08º15’00”S; 35º02’30”- 35º05’00”W), a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in the State of Pernambuco, has been compiled. The Reserve covers an area of approximately 1362 ha, including several forest fragments of diverse sizes and stages of conservation. Specimens collected during the years 2000 and 2001, and voucher specimens from the UFP Herbarium at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) were analyzed. Bryophytes were collected on live and dead trunks, rocks, leaves and soil. The studied bryoflora is composed of 53 species of liverworts, 37 species of mosses and one hornwort. Among the twenty-three registered families, Lejeuneaceae (41 spp.) was the most representative one with the highest generic and specific richness, which confirms its status as predominant in tropical rain forests. Fissidens (7 spp.), Lejeunea and Cheilolejeunea (6 spp.), and Calymperes (4 spp.) were the most representative genera. The studied bryoflora is predominantly composed of species of neotropical distribution, widely spread throughout Brazil. The presence of an endemic species of the Atlantic Forest, Vitalianthus bichlerianus (Pôrto & Grolle) Schust. & Giancotti, and some other exclusively Brazilian species, e.g., Riccardia regnellii (Ängstr.) Hell have been recorded from the site.
New records of Thailand mosses collected from Chiang Mai Province

Authors: Tan Benito C. , Vongkuna Kanjana , Manachit Sudchit , Santanachote Kanya
Published: August 2015

Seven new moss records are reported for Thailand moss flora, namely Anacamptodon latidens, Fissidens beckettii, Fissidens bryoides var. esquirolii, Fissidens bryoides var. schmidii, Fissidens flabellulus, Fissidens guangdongensis, and Weissia platystegia. Anacamptodon is a new generic record for Indochina. Anacamptodon latidens, Fissidens bryoides var. esquirolii, Fissidens bryoides var. schmidii, Fissidens flabellulus, and Fissidens guangdongensis are also new records for the Indochinese moss flora.
A new species of Lamiogethes and a new species of Meligethes from China (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Meligethinae)
Authors: CHEN YING , LIN XIAOLI , HUANG MIN , YANG XING KE
Published: August 2015

A new species of Lamiogethes Audisio & Cline, 2009, L. nyingchiensis sp. nov., and a new species of Meligethes Stephens, 1830, M. (Odontogethes) scrobescens sp. nov. are described and illustrated from China. The differences between these new species and closely related species are discussed. The materials examined are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China (IZAS).
Leafhopper genus Kolla Distant (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellinae) with descriptions of four new species from China
Authors: FENG LING , ZHANG YALIN
Published: August 2015

Four new species of the genus Kolla from China, Kolla emphysematosa, K. prolongata, K. procerula and K. petalina spp. nov. are described and illustrated. A key to the males of Chinese species and a checklist of the known species worldwide are provided.
A revised subgeneric position for Polypedilum (Probolum) simantokeleum, with description of a new Uresipedilum species in Japan (Diptera: Chironomidae)
Authors: Yamamoto NAO , Yamamoto MASARU
Published: August 2015

Two Japanese Polypedilum species including a new species are redescribed and described based on the males. Polypedilum (Probolum) simantokeleum, Sasa, Suzuki et Sakai, 1998, is transferred to the subgenus Uresipedilum. Polypedilum (Uresipedilum) dissimilum sp. nov. is easily distinguished from other members of Uresipedilum by having a T-shaped tergal band. Definition of the subgenus Probolum is briefly discussed: we suggest Probolum should be defined as the species with the superior volsella bearing inner lobe pending adequate larval information.
Ultimate Attribution in the Genetic Era
Authors: Byrd W. Carson , Ray Victor E.
Published: August 2015

This study uses a nationally representative survey to examine the relationship between attitudes about genetics and race. We focus on the ways in which negative out-group behavior can be explained as innate and genetic (Pettigrew’s “ultimate attribution error”), and how this may underlie racial prejudice and racial individualism—the notion that individual capabilities, not structural inequality or discrimination, drive racial stratification. We examine the relationship between attitudes about genetics and racially ameliorative policies. We find whites are more accepting of genetic explanations for blacks’ traits and behaviors. Our analyses show that racialized genetic attribution, among other factors, increases opposition to racial policies. When linked with racial individualism, though, genetic attribution can actually reduce opposition to racial policies—a finding that paints a disconcerting picture of how biological determinism is embedded in white racial ideology. Findings are discussed in relation to efforts to reduce racial inequality.
Alleanze, antagonismi e avanguardie (Lacerba, L’Italia futurista e altro)
Authors: Sica Paola
Published: August 2015

L’avanguardia è stata spesso descritta come un’alleanza di scrittori, artisti e teorici accomunati dal desiderio di contravvenire le regole della cultura dominante: una cultura concepita come antagonistica. Tuttavia, se si osserva la storia delle avanguardie soffermandoci su casi specifici – qui soprattutto Lacerba e L’Italia futurista – possiamo renderci conto che tali alleanze non furono sempre pacifiche. Nell’ambito di uno stesso contingente certe direttive spesso assunsero accenti diversi e provocarono la formazione di sottogruppi. Fra i tratti che contraddistinsero il futurismo toscano vi furono il comune intento di rinnovare la tradizione e l’italianità, e anche il disprezzo nei confronti di ciò che era concepito “altro” dal gruppo. L’ “altro” era costituito dai nemici della nazione, dai borghesi passatisti e dalle donne e uomini con un lato femminile “troppo” sviluppato, e per questo concepiti come “deboli” e “inferiori”. Da un lato, i motivi che sottesero la formazione del futurismo toscano si riconducono a un rifiuto della vecchia autorità culturale. Dall’altro lato, però, tali motivi non escludono il recupero di alcuni elementi tradizionali in chiave utopica – e questo al fine di celare un’ambivalenza verso quello che molti percepivano come l’inquietante avanzare della diversità nella società italiana primonovecentesca.
Donor Fragmentation, Aid Shocks, and Violent Political Conflict
Authors: Gutting Raynee , Steinwand Martin C.
Published: August 2015

Recent debates have focused on the negative role of the proliferation of foreign aid facilities and donor fragmentation for development outcomes and recipient country institutions. This article investigates an overlooked positive side effect of donor proliferation. With an increasing number of donors, exposure to negative aid shocks decreases, as well as the impact of such shocks on violent political conflict. Using data on 106 recipient countries for the years 1970 to 2008 and employing event history and mediation analysis, we find strong evidence that fragmentation significantly reduces the risk for political destabilization associated with aid shocks.