bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A case of recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis after kidney transplantation associated with variant conversion in the Columbia classification
Authors: Unagami Kohei , Kawanishi Kunio , Shimizu Tomokazu , Kanzawa Taichi , Toki Daisuke , Okumi Masayoshi , Omoto Kazuya , Horita Shigeru , Koike Junki , Honda Kazuho , Nagashima Yoji , Ishida Hideki , Tanabe Kazunari , Nitta Kosaku
Published: June 2015

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis commonly recurs following kidney transplantation. A 33‐year‐old man underwent living donor kidney transplantation. Proteinuria appeared two months after transplantation, and an episode biopsy on postoperative day 66 revealed recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis lesions of the cellular variant by Columbia classification. We reviewed the native kidney biopsy and confirmed collapsing variant focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Plasma exchange therapy was performed, and his proteinuria temporarily resolved. A second allograft biopsy performed on postoperative day 200 showed no evidence of focal segmental glomerurosclerosis. He experienced incomplete remission with a proteinuria of 0.5 g/day during the subsequent three years until his urinary protein level rose to 1.3 g/day. A third biopsy performed on postoperative day 1248 showed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis cellular variant lesions. Plasma exchange was resumed in combination with additional rituximab, but his proteinuria persisted. Intermittent plasma exchange was performed 42 times in total. However, his proteinuria continued, and his renal function gradually worsened. A fourth biopsy performed on postoperative day 2540 showed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis collapsing variant lesions with severe interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy. He ultimately required hemodialysis seven years after transplantation. Intensive therapy with long‐term intermittent plasma exchange and rituximab suppressed proteinuria and preserved graft function for seven years, at which time graft failure occurred. We here present the clinical course and histological findings from consecutive allograft biopsies.
Phospholipase A2 receptor positive membranous nephropathy long after living donor kidney transplantation between identical twins
Authors: Saito Hisako , Hamasaki Yoshifumi , Tojo Akihiro , Shintani Yukako , Shimizu Akira , Nangaku Masaomi
Published: June 2015

Although membranous nephropathy (MN) is a commonly observed cause of post‐transplant glomerulonephritis, distinguishing de novo from recurrent MN in kidney allograft is often difficult. Phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) staining is useful for diagnosing recurrent MN in allografts similarly to idiopathic MN in native kidney. No specific treatment strategy has been established for MN, especially when accompanied with HCV infection in kidney transplant recipients. This report describes a 66‐year‐old man who was diagnosed as having PLA2R positive membranous nephropathy accompanied with already‐known IgA nephropathy and HCV infection 26 years after kidney transplantation conducted between identical twins. PLA2R was detected along capillary loops, implying that this patient is affected by the same pathogenic mechanism as idiopathic MN, not secondary MN associated with other disorders such as HCV infection. The patient successfully achieved clinical remission after steroid therapy.
Treatment of acute antibody‐mediated rejection using bortezomib: a case report
Authors: Sin Yong‐Hun , Kim Yong‐Jin , Oh Joon Seok , Lee Jin Ho , Kim Seong Min , Kim Joong Kyung
Published: June 2015

Here we report the successful treatment of acute antibody‐mediated rejection (AMR) with bortezomib. Bortezomib rescue treatment was administered after a 42‐year‐old woman failed to respond to steroid pulse and plasmapheresis with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). The patient underwent a second renal transplantation with a deceased donor kidney. She was treated pre‐operatively with rituximab (200 mg/body) and underwent plasmapheresis twice (day‐1 and operation day) because ELISA screening revealed that her pre‐operative peak panel reactive antibody (PRA) composition was 100% class I and 100% class II and 15 times of cross‐match positive history during the waiting period for transplantation. The patients received induction therapy with Simulect (an IL‐2‐blocking agent). A 1‐hour protocol biopsy revealed C4d‐positivity and mild peritubular capillary inflammation. This was suggestive of early AMR‐associated changes. After transplantation, the patient underwent plasmaphereses (nine times) with low‐dose IVIG (2 mg/kg). Despite this treatment regimen, serum creatinine levels increased to 3.4 mg/dL on post‐transplant day 15. A second graft biopsy was performed, which showed overt AMR with glomerulitis, peritubular capillary inflammation and no C4d deposition. On post‐operative day (POD) 22, treatment with four doses of bortezomib (1.3 mg/m2) was initiated with the patient's consent. On POD 55, renal function had recovered and serum creatinine was 1.5 mg/dL. In summary, bortezomib was administered as a rescue treatment for a patient who developed AMR that was refractory to a combination of plasmaphereses with low‐dose IVIG and preemptive administration of rituximab.
Arteriosclerosis in zero‐time biopsy is a risk factor for tacrolimus‐induced chronic nephrotoxicity
Authors: Yagisawa Takafumi , Omoto Kazuya , Shimizu Tomokazu , Ishida Hideki , Tanabe Kazunari
Published: June 2015

Aim

Calcineurin inhibitors reduce the acute rejection rate and greatly improve renal allograft survival. However, they are associated with some adverse events, including nephrotoxicity, a risk factor for allograft failure. Chronic calcineurin inhibitor‐induced nephrotoxicity causes irreversible damage to renal components, such as arteriolar hyaline thickening. The aim of this study is to investigate the risk factors for tacrolimus‐induced chronic nephrotoxicity using zero‐time biopsy specimens.

Methods

Between January 2001 and December 2010, 483 patients who underwent living‐related kidney transplantation and had also been placed on a tacrolimus‐based regimen were enrolled in this study. There were 1859 specimens evaluated comprising 483 zero‐time biopsy specimens and 1376 protocol and for‐cause biopsy specimens. De novo arteriolar hyaline thickening due to tacrolimus‐induced chronic nephrotoxicity was scored according to the Banff classification aah score. In this study, tacrolimus‐induced nephrotoxicity was defined as a positive aah score.

Results

Of the 483 patients, 108 patients (22.4%) had biopsy‐proven tacrolimus‐induced chronic nephrotoxicity. Multivariate analysis showed that interlobular arteriosclerosis proven by zero‐time biopsy (OR: 2.23, 95%CI: 1.38–3.58, P < 0.01) and acute rejection episodes (OR: 1.58, 95%CI: 1.00–2.47, P = 0.04) were independent risk factors for tacrolimus‐induced chronic nephrotoxicity. However, tacrolimus‐induced chronic nephrotoxicity did not affect long‐term graft survival.

Conclusion

This is the first report showing that arteriosclerosis in zero‐time biopsy specimens is a risk factor for histological tacrolimus‐induced chronic nephrotoxicity.
Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome diagnosed four years after ABO‐incompatible kidney transplantation
Authors: Kawaguchi Keiko , Kawanishi Kunio , Sato Masayo , Itabashi Mitsuyo , Fujii Akiko , Kanetsuna Yukiko , Huchinoue Shouhei , Ohashi Ryuji , Koike Junki , Honda Kazuho , Nagashima Yoji , Nitta Kosaku
Published: June 2015

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) in allograft kidney transplantation is caused by various factors including rejection, infection, and immunosuppressive drugs. We present a case of a 32 year old woman with aHUS four years after an ABO‐incompatible kidney transplantation from a living relative. The primary cause of end‐stage renal disease was unknown; however, IgA nephropathy (IgAN) was suspected from her clinical course. She underwent pre‐emptive kidney transplantation from her 60 year old mother. The allograft preserved good renal function [serum creatinine (sCr) level 110–130 μmol/L] until a sudden attack of abdominal pain four years after transplant, with acute renal failure (sCr level, 385.3 μmol/L), decreasing platelet count, and hemolytic anemia with schizocytes. On allograft biopsy, there was thrombotic microangiopathy in the glomeruli, with a cellular crescent formation and mesangial IgA and C3 deposition. Microvascular inflammation, such as glomerulitis, peritubular capillaritis, and arteriole endarteritis were also detected. A disintegrin‐like and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motifs 13 (ADAMTS13) did not decrease and Shiga toxin was not detected. Donor‐specific antibodies or autoantibodies, including anti‐neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody and anti‐glomerular basement membrane (anti‐GBM) antibody, were negative. The patient was diagnosed with aHUS and received three sessions of plasmapheresis and methylprednisolone pulse therapy, followed by oral methylprednisolone (0.25–0.5 mg/kg) instead of tacrolimus. She temporarily required hemodialysis (sCr level, 658.3 μmol/L). Thereafter, her sCr level improved to 284.5 μmol/L without dialysis therapy. This case is clinically considered as aHUS after kidney transplantation, associated with various factors, including rejection, glomerulonephritis, and toxicity from drugs such as tacrolimus.
Acute T cell‐mediated rejection accompanied by C4d‐negative acute antibody‐mediated rejection and cell debris in tubulus: A case report
Authors: Takamura Tsuyoshi , Yamamoto Izumi , Nakada Yasuyuki , Katsumata Haruki , Yamakawa Takafumi , Furuya Maiko , Mafune Aki , Kobayashi Akimitsu , Tanno Yudo , Miki Jun , Ohkido Ichiro , Tsuboi Nobuo , Yamamoto Hiroyasu , Yokoo Takashi
Published: June 2015

Herein, we report a complicated case of acute T‐cell‐mediated rejection (ACR) accompanied by C4d‐negative acute antibody‐mediated rejection (AMR) and cell debris in tubulus. A 32 year‐old male was admitted for an episode biopsy with a serum creatinine (S‐Cr) level of 1.83 mg/dL and pyuria (20–29 white blood cells per high power field) 49 days following kidney transplantation. Histological features included three distinct entities, mainly, in one of the three specimens: 1) focal aggressive tubulointerstitial inflammatory cell infiltration with moderate tubulitis, 2) inflammatory cell infiltration in peritubular capillaries (including neutrophils) and glomerular capillaries, and 3) cell debris consisting mainly of neutrophils in tubulus. Laboratory examination revealed evidence of non‐human leukocyte antigen donor‐specific antibodies. However, urinary culture and gram staining were negative. Considering both the histological and laboratory findings, the patient was diagnosed with ACR accompanied by C4d‐negative AMR and suspicion of a urinary tract infection (UTI). The patient was treated for three consecutive days with steroid pulse therapy. The patient's S‐Cr level decreased to ∼1.5 mg/dL following treatment and did not increase thereafter. A second biopsy 133 days following kidney transplantation showed an excellent response to treatment and revealed no evidence of rejection. This case report demonstrates the difficulty in the diagnosis of, and therapy for, the complicated pathological findings of ACR, AMR and suspicion of a UTI.
Banff 2013 update: Pearls and pitfalls in transplant renal pathology
Authors: Hara Shigeo
Published: June 2015

The pathological classification of rejection in renal allografts (Banff classification) has undergone substantial evolution for more than 20 years, and has been the diagnostic gold standard in clinical practice. The 2013 updated Banff classification encompasses a revised scheme of antibody‐mediated rejection (ABMR) that consists of donor‐specific antibody (DSA) positivity, characteristic histological manifestations for both acute and chronic ABMR, and DSA‐induced endothelial cell injury which is represented by either C4d positivity, microvascular inflammation or expression of activated endothelial gene transcripts. Other modified criteria include a C4d positivity threshold, and histological definition of transplant glomerulitis and transplant glomerulopathy. Morphologically, glomerulonephritis, either recurrent or de novo, can be challenging to differentiate from ABMR‐mediated transplant glomerulitis. Endothelial arteritis by itself does not warrant the diagnosis of acute T‐cell mediated rejection; ABMR should also be considered based on the DSA test results. With regard to polyomavirus BK‐associated nephropathy, immunohistochemical examination using anti‐simian virus (SV) 40 antibody can be a promising method to assess the quantitative viral load of polyomavirus BK and graft survival. In summary, the 2013 updated Banff classification strictly defines ABMR with histopathological and serological criteria irrespective of C4d positivity. Inclusion of gene expression data relevant to ABMR highlights that the Banff criteria have entered the era of ‘Seeing the Unseen’ schemes, reflecting recent advances in understanding the molecular events in allograft injury.
Validation of chronic kidney disease risk categorization system in Chinese patients with kidney disease: A cohort study
Authors: Liu Qingyan , Lv Jicheng , Li Haixia , Jiao Lili , Yang Hongyun , Song Yinan , Xu Guobin
Published: June 2015

Aim

To validate the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines risk stratification system based on the combination of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria.

Methods

This was a cohort study. A total of 1219 study population were recruited. Estimated GFR and proteinuria measured by using 24 h urine protein excretion rate (PER) were predictors. Adverse outcomes included all‐cause mortality (ACM) and end‐stage renal disease (ESRD). Follow‐up was done by regular visit, telephone interview and electronic medical records.

Results

Over a median follow‐up of 4.6 years, 153 (12.6%) and 43 (3.5%) patients experienced ESRD and ACM, respectively. On multivariable analysis, the adjusted hazard ratio for ESRD and ACM (compared with patients with eGFR > 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2) was of 29.8 and 3.6 for those with eGFR of 15–29 mL/min per 1.73 m2, respectively. The adjusted hazard ratio for ESRD and ACM (compared with patients with PER < 150 mg/24h) was of 15.9 and 3.9 for those with PER > 500 mg/24h. Higher KDIGO guidelines risk categories (indicating lower eGFR or higher proteinuria) were associated with a graded increase in the risk for the ESRD (P < 0.001) and ACM (P < 0.001). Reclassification of KDIGO guidelines risk categories yielded net reclassification improvements for those with ESRD or ACM event (NRIevents) of 33.3% or 30.2%.

Conclusion

Lower eGFR and higher proteinuria are risk factors for ESRD and ACM in Chinese patients. The KDIGO guidelines risk categorization system assigned patients who went on to have the event to more appropriate CKD risk categories.
Phaseolin expression in tobacco chloroplast reveals an autoregulatory mechanism in heterologous protein translation
Authors: De Marchis Francesca , Bellucci Michele , Pompa Andrea
Published: June 2015

Plastid DNA engineering is a well‐established research area of plant biotechnology, and plastid transgenes often give high expression levels. However, it is still almost impossible to predict the accumulation rate of heterologous protein in transplastomic plants, and there are many cases of unsuccessful transgene expression. Chloroplasts regulate their proteome at the post‐transcriptional level, mainly through translation control. One of the mechanisms to modulate the translation has been described in plant chloroplasts for the chloroplast‐encoded subunits of multiprotein complexes, and the autoregulation of the translation initiation of these subunits depends on the availability of their assembly partners [control by epistasy of synthesis (CES)]. In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, autoregulation of endogenous proteins recruited in the assembly of functional complexes has also been reported. In this study, we revealed a self‐regulation mechanism triggered by the accumulation of a soluble recombinant protein, phaseolin, in the stroma of chloroplast‐transformed tobacco plants. Immunoblotting experiments showed that phaseolin could avoid this self‐regulation mechanism when targeted to the thylakoids in transplastomic plants. To inhibit the thylakoid‐targeted phaseolin translation as well, this protein was expressed in the presence of a nuclear version of the phaseolin gene with a transit peptide. Pulse–chase and polysome analysis revealed that phaseolin mRNA translation on plastid ribosomes was repressed due to the accumulation in the stroma of the same soluble polypeptide imported from the cytosol. We suggest that translation autoregulation in chloroplast is not limited to heteromeric protein subunits but also involves at least some of the foreign soluble recombinant proteins, leading to the inhibition of plastome‐encoded transgene expression in chloroplast.
Implicit affectivity and rapid processing of affective body language: An fMRI study
Authors: Suslow Thomas , Ihme Klas , Quirin Markus , Lichev Vladimir , Rosenberg Nicole , Bauer Jochen , Bomberg Luise , Kersting Anette , Hoffmann Karl‐Titus , Lobsien Donald
Published: June 2015

Previous research has revealed affect‐congruity effects for the recognition of affects from faces. Little is known about the impact of affect on the perception of body language. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship of implicit (versus explicit) affectivity with the recognition of briefly presented affective body expressions. Implicit affectivity, which can be measured using indirect assessment methods, has been found to be more predictive of spontaneous physiological reactions than explicit (self‐reported) affect. Thirty‐four healthy women had to label the expression of body postures (angry, fearful, happy, or neutral) presented for 66 ms and masked by a neutral body posture in a forced‐choice format while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants' implicit affectivity was assessed using the Implicit Positive and Negative Affect Test. Measures of explicit state and trait affectivity were also administered. Analysis of the fMRI data was focused on a subcortical network involved in the rapid perception of affective body expressions. Only implicit negative affect (but not explicit affect) was correlated with correct labeling performance for angry body posture. As expected, implicit negative affect was positively associated with activation of the subcortical network in response to fearful and angry expression (compared to neutral expression). Responses of the caudate nucleus to affective body expression were especially associated with its recognition. It appears that processes of rapid recognition of affects from body postures could be facilitated by an individual's implicit negative affect.
The mental health of children of migrant workers in Beijing: The protective role of public school attendance
Authors: Gao Qin , Li Hong , Zou Hong , Cross Wendi , Bian Ran , Liu Yan
Published: June 2015

The present study aims to understand the mental health status of an understudied group of migrant children – children of migrant workers in China. A total of 1,466 children from Beijing participated in the study that compared migrant children (n = 1,019) to their local peers (n = 447) in public and private school settings. Results showed that overall, migrant children reported more internalizing and externalizing mental health problems and lower life satisfaction than local peers. However, public school attendance served as a protective factor for migrant children's mental health. The mental health status of migrant children attending public schools, including externalizing problems as well as friend and school satisfaction, was not different from local children. In addition, our data indicates that the protective effect of public school attendance for migrant children may be even more salient among girls than boys, and for younger children than older children.
Consumer Culture, Taste Preferences, and Social Network Formation
Authors: Puetz Kyle
Published: June 2015

One of the most important and consistent findings in the social networks literature is that individuals are socially connected to people who resemble themselves. This finding extends to preferences for consumer culture. Whereas network theorists previously had presumed that social networks generated this outcome through a process of social influence, this traditional conception of the relationship between culture and social networks has been challenged by new theoretical perspectives and novel methodological techniques that enable researchers to empirically test the causal direction of the relationship. In this article, I first discuss how theorists have adjudicated between competing explanations of the relationship of taste preferences and social network structure. Second, I discuss how sociologists have theorized that tastes contribute to variation in network structure. Third, I examine survey and ethnographic research that discusses interactional mechanisms by which people actively mobilize culture to form social relationships. Fourth and finally, I discuss research that explores how consumer culture constitutes the meaning of social relationships and how relationship category affects theorizing of network formation.
Arguing for a Generous Identity
Authors: Gur Shahar , Olien Jessie Lynn
Published: June 2015

A generous person is one who freely gives assistance to others. In this article, we provide evidence in support of the existence of a generous identity. To do this, we first outline ways in which generosity relates to other constructs such as altruism, helping behavior, volunteerism, and philanthropy and offer explanations as to why it is important to study generous identity both alone and in tandem with these related constructs. Next, we briefly discuss how generosity can be conceptualized as a person identity. We then recommend best practices for developing and implementing a measure for generous identity. Lastly, we discuss the implications of a generous identity and ways in which its salience can play a role in different contexts.
Social Isolation Among Racial/Ethnic Minority Immigrant Youth
Authors: Cherng Hua‐Yu Sebastian
Published: June 2015

Despite the long sociological tradition that focuses on the social adaptation of racial/ethnic minority immigrant youth, little work investigates whether these groups are socially isolated. However, existing research provides a strong foundation from which researchers can further explore this important topic. This article begins by discussing relevant theories and ongoing debates regarding minority immigrant youth's social relationships. Next, the article surveys literature across social science disciplines that describes relationships minority immigrant youth have (or in some cases, do not have) with three important social actors: their peers, teachers, and parents. The article concludes by providing recommendations for future research.
Path-Tracking Control of Stochastic Quadrotor Aircraft in Three-Dimensional Space
Authors: Do K. D.
Published: June 2015

Despite the fact that environmental loads (forces and moments) induced by wind on quadrotor vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft consist of both deterministic and stochastic components, all existing works on controlling the aircraft either ignore these loads or treat them as deterministic. This ignorance or treatment deteriorates the control performance in a practical implementation. This paper presents a constructive design of controllers for a quadrotor aircraft to track a reference path in three-dimensional (3D) space under both deterministic and stochastic disturbances. A combination of Euler angles and unit-quaternion for the attitude representation of the aircraft is used to result in an effective control design, and to achieve path-tracking control results. Weak and strong nonlinear Lyapunov functions are introduced to overcome difficulties caused by underactuation and Hessian terms induced by stochastic differentiation rule. To overcome the inherent underactuation of the aircraft, the roll and pitch angles of the aircraft are considered as immediate controls. Potential projection functions are introduced to design estimates of the deterministic components and covariances of the stochastic components. Simulations illustrate the results.
Influence of Striker Shape on the Crack Initiation and Propagation on Laterally Impacted Thin Aluminum Plates
Authors: Liu B. , Villavicencio R. , Guedes Soares C.
Published: June 2015

Experimental and numerical results of drop weight impact tests are presented, examining the plastic response and the crack initiation and propagation of small-scale clamped rectangular aluminum plates laterally impacted by different indenter shapes. The experiments are conducted using a fully instrumented impact testing machine. The shape of the deformation of the specimens and the process of initiation and propagation of the material fracture are presented. The obtained force–displacement responses show a good agreement with the simulations performed by the ls-dyna finite element solver. The strain hardening of the material is defined using experimental data of quasi-static tensile tests and the critical failure strain is evaluated by measuring the thickness and the width at fracture of the tensile test pieces. The results show that the absorbed energy to perforate the specimens is highly sensitive to the shape of the striker. Thus, the crack propagation for each striker type is analyzed in terms of the force–displacement response. The failure modes are described by the matrix of the infinitesimal strain tensors and the shape of the deformation of the failing elements.
A new sign in the standard hip ultrasound image of the Graf method.
Authors: Vasilescu Dan , Cosma Dan , Vasilescu Dana Elena , Botar Jid Carolina , Gersak Mirela , Lenghel Manuela , Dudea Sorin Marian
Published: June 2015

Aim:    The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of obtaining a 900 angle between the plane of the osteochondral plate and the surface of the transducer during standard hip ultrasonography according to Graf method. Material and methods: In this retrospective study 1078 patients (2156 hips) were included examined between 2008 and 2014 for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) ultrasound screening. The patients were divided in two groups. Group I consisted of 402 patients examined between January 2008 and December 2011 using the standard Graf method. Group II consisted of 676 patients examined from January 2012 to December 2014 using the Graf method with an additional criterion: 900 angle between the plane of the osteochondral plate and the surface of the transducer. Results: We found more dysplastic patients in group I comparing to group II: 55 (13.7%) and 38 (5.6%) respectively. The difference in the incidence of patients diagnosed with DDH was highly significant (p<0.001). The mean alpha angle value in group I was 65.310, respectively 67.520 for group II (p<0.001). Conclusion: The new osteochondral plate sign has the potential to reduce the overdiagnosis of DDH and provide a better tailored approach to borderline hips.
One or more elastographic methods for liver fibrosis assessment?
Authors: Sporea Ioan
Published: June 2015

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Clinical utility of echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging for detecting cardiac complications in Systemic Sclerosis. A case report.
Authors: Cojan Minzat Bianca Olivia , Cionca Carmen , Mihalcea Isabella , Lupu Silvia , Agoston-Coldea Lucia
Published: June 2015

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease that, beside skin involvement, may affect peripheral vessels and several organs, such as the lungs, kidneys or heart. Cardiac impairment usually becomes symptomatic in the late stages of the disease and is associated with poor prognosis. We report the case of a 80-year-old woman presenting with symptoms of heart failure, subsequently diagnosed with limited SSc. Cardiac function was evaluated using a combined approach based on echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with late gadolinium enhancement. This case shows that the late diagnosis of SSc may have fatal consequences.
Ultrasonographic evaluation of the posterolateral radiohumeral plica in asymptomatic subjects and patients with osteoarthritis.
Authors: Celikyay Fatih , Inanir Ahmet , Bilgic Erkal , Ozmen Zafer
Published: June 2015

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe the morphological features of posterolateral radiohumeral (RH) plica in asymptomatic subjects and in patients with elbow osteoarthritis using ultrasonography (US). Material and methods: The control group included a total of 100 healthy elbows (51 subjects) and the study group consisted of 22 elbows (22 patients) with osteoarthritis confirmed clinically and by imaging methods. The presence, length, height, thickness, cross sectional area, shape, and echogenicity of the posterolateral RH plica were evaluated in both groups. In addition, humeral and radial cartilage thicknesses were also measured. The clinical characteristics and radiographic findings of the study group were evaluated. Results: The posterolateral RH plica was present in all elbows of the control group (100%) and in 15 (68%) of elbows in the study group (p0.05). Conclusions: The posterolateral RH plica can be successfully evaluated using US. Based on these findings, it appears that osteoarthritis can result in a reduction of sizes of the RH plica and affect its morphological appearance.
Improvement of drain breakdown voltage with a back-side gate on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors
Authors: Hwang Ya-Hsi , Dong Chen , Hsieh Yue-Ling , Zhu Weidi , Ahn Shihyun , Ren Fan , Pearton Stephen J. , Kravchenko Ivan I.
Published: June 2015

The effect of a back gate on the dc performance of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor was investigated. The back gate was fabricated directly under the device active area by etching off the Si substrate, AlN nucleation layer, and graded AlGaN transition layer and depositing Ni/Au-based gate metal on the exposed GaN buffer layer. The reverse bias gate leakage current decreased from 3.9 × 10−5 to 1.2 × 10−5 mA/mm by applying −10 V at the back gate. Because of the suppression of gate leakage current by the back gate, the drain on/off ratio improved from 1.8 × 105 to 1.2 × 106 and the subthreshold swing from 204 to 137 mV/dec. Moreover, the drain breakdown voltage could be improved by 40% when the back gate was biased at −25 V.
Correlates of Physical Activity in Latino Preschool Children Attending Head Start
Authors: Dawson-Hahn Elizabeth E. , Fesinmeyer Megan D. , Mendoza Jason A.
Published: June 2015

Background:

Physical activity is associated with long-term benefits for health and tracks from early childhood into later adolescence. Limited information exists about factors influencing physical activity among Latino preschoolers. We aimed to identify correlates of objectively measured light-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity as a proportion of wear time (% PA) in Latino 3–5 year olds.

Methods:

Latino preschoolers (n = 96) were recruited from Head Start centers in Houston, TX, USA, from 2009 to 2010. Sociodemographics, anthropometrics, acculturation, neighborhood disorder, and TV viewing were measured. Actigraph GT1M accelerometers measured physical activity. Block linear regression was used with % PA as the dependent variable.

Results:

Children achieved 285.7 ± 58.0 min/day of PA. In the final adjusted-model, child age, parental education and neighborhood disorder were positively associated with % PA (beta = 0.33, p = .002; beta = 0.25, p = .038; beta = 0.22, p = .039, respectively). TV viewing was inversely associated with % PA (beta=-0.23, p = .027).

Conclusion:

The majority of Latino preschoolers in our study exceeded US national and international guidelines of physical activity duration. Future interventions to sustain physical activity should focus on the influence of age, socioeconomic status, neighborhood disorder, and TV viewing on Latino preschoolers’ attainment of physical activity.
Feminist Cultural Studies: Uncertainties and Possibilities
Authors: Adams Mary Louise , Helstein Michelle T. , Kim Kyoung-yim , McDonald Mary G. , Davidson Judy , Jamieson Katherine M. , King Samantha , Rail Geneviéve
Published: June 2015

This collection of commentaries emerged from ongoing conversations among the contributors about our varied understandings of and desires for the sport studies field. One of our initial concerns was with the absence/presence of feminist thought within sport studies. Despite a rich history of feminist scholarship in sport studies, we have questioned the extent to which feminism is currently being engaged or acknowledged as having shaped the field. Our concerns crystallized during the spirited feminist responses to a fiery roundtable debate on Physical Cultural Studies (PCS) at the annual conference of the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS) in New Orleans in November 2012. At that session, one audience member after another spoke to what they saw as the unacknowledged appropriation by PCS proponents of longstanding feminist—and feminist cultural studies—approaches to scholarship and writing. These critiques focused not just on the intellectual moves that PCS scholars claim to be making but on how they are made, with several audience members and some panelists expressing their concerns about the territorializing effects of some strains of PCS discourse.
Bearing Bodies: Physical Activity, Obesity Stigma, and Sexuality in the Bear Community
Authors: Edmonds Shaun E. , Zieff Susan G.
Published: June 2015

In recent years, individuals who do not conform to healthist body shape and weight norms are the target of an increasingly fervent moral panic about “obesity” (Gard & Wright, 2005). As a subculture within the gay male community (Wright, 1997a), the “Bear” community offers a site for examining biopolitical resistance to the pervasive body ideals (and associated fat stigma) embedded within, and perpetuated by, mainstream gay values. Utilizing in-depth interviews and participant observation, this study explores the ways in which Bears negotiate physical activity and body image within the ostensibly fat-positive Bear community. In analyzing the stories and spaces of the Bear community, I find diverse experiences that reveal a complex relationship between sexuality, body image, and engagement in physical activity.
Numerical analysis of the order Scorzoneretalia villosae
Authors: Terzi Massimo
Published: June 2015

The Scorzoneretalia villosae (= Scorzonero-Chrysopogonetalia) order was originally defined to describe the sub-Mediterranean grasslands of western Croatia, but its distribution range has since been extended to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Italy, Kosovo, Montenegro,
Slovenia and Serbia. Major syntaxonomic revisions of the order have been performed at the regional or national scale and show inconsistencies both for the syntaxonomic schemes and relative diagnostic taxa. This situation presents some difficulties in comparing or transferring findings between
regions or when using syntaxonomic information for practical purposes. To tackle these inconsistencies, nearly nine hundred relevés already assigned to the Scorzoneretalia villosae were classified with the goal of establishing syntaxonomic relationships among associations. Diagnostic
taxa of the main clusters of relevés were identified via Indicator Species Analysis (ISA). Results of statistical analyses were then interpreted from a syntaxonomic standpoint. Associations were ordinated (non-metric multidimensional scaling) on the basis of taxa frequencies in order
to visualise their floristic and chorological relationships. Based on the results, associations were grouped within four alliances: Scorzonerion villosae, Chrysopogono-Saturejion subspicatae, Saturejion subspicatae and Centaureion dichroanthae were assigned to two
new suborders, the meso-xerophytic Scorzonerenalia villosae and the xerophytic Koelerienalia splendentis, classified within the Scorzoneretalia villosae of the Festuco-Brometea. The order covers the western part of the Balkan Peninsula and, in the northern part
of its range, the southeastern portion of the pre-Alpine sectors. Floristic similarities between the Scorzonerenalia villosae and other eastern meso-xerophytic syntaxa of the class have been highlighted. I review the nomenclature for the order, describing or validating two suborders
and four associations for the first time, and lectotypifying three syntaxa.
Vegetation cover at the Maguntan mud volcano (Sakhalin Island, Russia): species composition and spatial distribution
Authors: Korznikov Kirill
Published: June 2015

Mud volcano vegetation is not well-studied even in comparison with that of geothermal areas. Mud volcanoes provide opportunities to study the formation of the spatial and species structure of vegetation cover in distinct conditions, showing the trends in vegetation succession. The mud
fields of the Maguntan mud volcano (Sakhalin, Russia) are cool, not warm, and their mud fluids have high salinity and alkalinity. In the 20th century some local endemic taxa were found at this place: Artemisia limosa, Gentianella sugawarae, Primula sachalinensis and Deschampsia tzvelevii.
I identified nine plant communities and analyzed floristic richness, vegetation cover and endemism rate using data from 185 1 m × 1 m quadrats. The salinity decreases with distance from the volcano's main eruptive center. The total plant cover, number of plant species, and floristic
richness increase with the distance from the volcano's center. Endemic taxa including the local endemic grass species Deschampsia tzvelevii are located in young mud substrates. Detrended correspondence analysis showed that the plant communities are arranged along a stress gradient.
The spatial distribution of plant communities may be interpreted via succession dynamics.
Lack of Artemisinin Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum in Uganda Based on Parasitological and Molecular Assays
Authors: Cooper Roland A. , Conrad Melissa D. , Watson Quentin D. , Huezo Stephanie J. , Ninsiima Harriet , Tumwebaze Patrick , Nsobya Samuel L. , Rosenthal Philip J.
Published: June 2015

We evaluated markers of artemisinin resistance in
Plasmodium falciparum
isolated in Kampala in 2014. By standard
in vitro
assays, all isolates were highly sensitive to dihydroartemisinin (DHA). By the ring-stage survival assay, after a 6-h DHA pulse, parasitemia was undetectable in 40 of 43 cultures at 72 h. Two of 53 isolates had nonsynonymous K13-propeller gene polymorphisms but did not have the mutations associated with resistance in Asia. Thus, we did not see evidence for artemisinin resistance in Uganda.
Upregulation of Cysteine Synthase and Cystathionine β-Synthase Contributes to Leishmania braziliensis Survival under Oxidative Stress
Authors: Romero Ibeth , Téllez Jair , Romanha Alvaro José , Steindel Mario , Grisard Edmundo Carlos
Published: June 2015

Cysteine metabolism is considered essential for the crucial maintenance of a reducing environment in trypanosomatids due to its importance as a precursor of trypanothione biosynthesis. Expression, activity, functional rescue, and overexpression of cysteine synthase (CS) and cystathionine β-synthase (CβS) were evaluated in
Leishmania braziliensis
promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes under
in vitro
stress conditions induced by hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
),
S
-nitroso-
N
-acetylpenicillamine, or antimonial compounds. Our results demonstrate a stage-specific increase in the levels of protein expression and activity of
L. braziliensis
CS (LbrCS) and
L. braziliensis
CβS (LbrCβS), resulting in an increment of total thiol levels in response to both oxidative and nitrosative stress. The rescue of the CS activity in
Trypanosoma rangeli
, a trypanosome that does not perform cysteine biosynthesis
de novo
, resulted in increased rates of survival of epimastigotes expressing the LbrCS under stress conditions compared to those of wild-type parasites. We also found that the ability of
L. braziliensis
promastigotes and amastigotes overexpressing LbrCS and LbrCβS to resist oxidative stress was significantly enhanced compared to that of nontransfected cells, resulting in a phenotype far more resistant to treatment with the pentavalent form of Sb
in vitro
. In conclusion, the upregulation of protein expression and increment of the levels of LbrCS and LbrCβS activity alter parasite resistance to antimonials and may influence the efficacy of antimony treatment of New World leishmaniasis.
Full-Genome Sequence of Pantropic Canine Coronavirus
Authors: Decaro Nicola , Mari Viviana , Dowgier Giulia , Elia Gabriella , Lanave Gianvito , Colaianni Maria Loredana , Buonavoglia Canio
Published: June 2015

Pantropic canine coronavirus (CCoV) was first detected in young dogs in Italy in 2005, but the complete genome sequence of this virus had not yet been determined. Here, we report the full-length genome sequence of the prototype strain CB/05, which showed that this virus is genetically similar to CCoV-IIa viruses.
Genome Sequence of
Halomonas
sp. Strain KO116, an Ionic Liquid-Tolerant Marine Bacterium Isolated from a Lignin-Enriched Seawater Microcosm
Authors: O’Dell Kaela B. , Woo Hannah L. , Utturkar Sagar , Klingeman Dawn , Brown Steven D. , Hazen Terry C.
Published: June 2015

Halomonas
sp. strain KO116 was isolated from Nile Delta Mediterranean Sea surface water enriched with insoluble organosolv lignin. It was further screened for growth on alkali lignin minimal salts medium agar. The strain tolerates the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate. Its complete genome sequence is presented in this report.
Genome Sequence of
Rhodococcus
sp. Strain PML026, a Trehalolipid Biosurfactant Producer and Biodegrader of Oil and Alkanes
Authors: Sambles C. M. , White D. A.
Published: June 2015

Rhodococcus
sp. strain PML026 produces an array of trehalolipid biosurfactant compounds in order to utilize hydrophobic carbon sources, such as oils and alkanes. Here, we report the high-quality draft genome sequence of this strain, which has a total length of 5,168,404 bp containing 4,835 protein-coding sequences, 12 rRNAs, and 45 tRNAs.
Patients’ experience of portacaths in cystic fibrosis: questionnaire-based study
Authors: McIntosh Lynne A , Walker Gregor M
Published: June 2015

Backgrounds and aims

Portacaths are regularly used in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). We aimed to assess patient satisfaction with lateral chest wall portacaths in children with CF.

Methods

All children in a geographical region with CF and portacath in situ were identified. Site of chest wall placement was identified on X-ray; only children with lateral chest wall portacaths were sent questionnaires. Data collected included preoperative information, cosmesis and interference with activities.

Results

Of the 46 patients identified, 42 had lateral chest wall ports. 25 of this 42(60%) submitted their questionnaires. 22(88%) were happy with preoperative information although only 8(32%) recall being offered choice of position. 23(92%) were satisfied with cosmesis. 2 patients reported problems with physiotherapy only with indwelling needles. 6(24%) patients had problems with clothing, 7(32%) with sports and 3(12%) with seatbelts.

Conclusions

Lateral chest wall portacaths are cosmetically acceptable. Impact on daily activities is less common than that reported with anterior chest wall placement.
Acute cervical artery dissection after a dental procedure due to a second inferior molar infection
Authors: Delgado Montserrat G , Riesco Nuria , Murias Eduardo , Calleja Sergio
Published: June 2015

Periodontal infections might represent one of the causative factors for cervical artery dissection. We present a case of a 49-year-old woman admitted due to headache. The patient had been suffering from a right second inferior molar infection with a cervical phlegmon for 1 week prior to admission. On 2 October 2014, the patient went to the dentist and a molar extraction was performed in the morning. In the afternoon, the patient began to experience right hemifacial pain that progressed towards an intense and bilateral headache. Neurological status at the time of admission revealed right miosis, ptosis and conjuntival hyperaemia. A CT angiography showed a right internal carotid artery dissection provoking a high-degree stenosis. The relationship between periodontal infection and vascular disease has been previously presented. Microbial agents may directly, and inflammatory and immunological host response indirectly, influence inflammatory changes in cervical arteries favouring dissections with minor traumas.
The association of comorbid diabetes mellitus and symptoms of depression with all-cause mortality and cardiac rehospitalization in patients with heart failure
Authors: Reeves Geri C , Alhurani Abdullah S , Frazier Susan K , Watkins John F , Lennie Terry A , Moser Debra K
Published: June 2015

Background

More than 22% of individuals with diabetes mellitus have concomitant heart failure (HF), and the prevalence of diabetes in those with HF is nearly triple that of individuals without HF. Comorbid depressive symptoms are common in diabetes and HF. Depressive symptoms are an independent predictor of mortality in individuals with diabetes alone, as well as those with HF alone and are a predictor of rehospitalization in those with HF. However, the association of comorbid HF, diabetes and depressive symptoms with all-cause mortality and rehospitalization for cardiac causes has not been determined.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of comorbid HF, diabetes and depression with all-cause mortality and rehospitalization for cardiac cause.

Method

Patients provided data at baseline about demographic and clinical variables and depressive symptoms; patients were followed for at least 2 years. Participants were divided into four groups based on the presence and absence of diabetes and depressive symptoms. Cox regression analysis was used to determine whether comorbid diabetes and depressive symptoms independently predicted all-cause mortality and cardiac rehospitalization in these patients with HF.

Results

Patients (n=663) were primarily male (69%), white (76%), and aged 61±13 years. All-cause mortality was independently predicted by the presence of concomitant diabetes and depressive symptoms (HR 3.71; 95% CI 1.49 to 9.25; p=0.005), and depressive symptoms alone (HR 2.29; 95% CI 0.94 to 5.40; p=0.05). The presence of comorbid diabetes and depressive symptoms was also an independent predictor of cardiac rehospitalization (HR 2.36; 95% CI 1.27 to 4.39; p=0.007).

Conclusions

Comorbid diabetes and depressive symptoms are associated with poorer survival and rehospitalization in patients with HF; effective strategies to regularly evaluate and effectively manage these comorbid conditions are necessary to improve survival and reduce rehospitalization rates.