bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
miR-137 Regulates the Tumorigenicity of Colon Cancer Stem Cells through the Inhibition of DCLK1
Authors: Sakaguchi Masazumi , Hisamori Shigeo , Oshima Nobu , Sato Fumiaki , Shimono Yohei , Sakai Yoshiharu
Published: January 2016

miRNAs have important roles in regulating cancer stem cell (CSC) properties and are considered to be potential therapeutic targets. However, few studies have focused on miRNAs which are specifically related to colon CSCs. Here, a PCR-based miRNA profiling analysis of normal colon stem cells (NCSC) and colon CSCs (EpCAM+/CD44+/CD66a−) identified miRNAs which regulate colon CSC properties. Interestingly, miRNA-137 (miR-137) expression was downregulated in the colon CSCs compared with NCSCs, while doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) mRNA was highly expressed in the colon CSCs but low in the NCSCs. In fact, DCLK1-positive cancer cells were widely distributed in clinically resected colon cancer specimens, while DCLK1-positve epithelial cells were rarely detected in normal colon tissues including the crypt bottoms. Luciferase assay and immunoblot analysis revealed that miR-137 regulated DCLK1 gene expression. Transduction of exogenous miR-137 suppressed the development of colon cancer organoids in vitro and the tumorigenicity of colon cancer cells in vivo without affecting the growth of normal intestinal organoids. Furthermore, the suppression of miR-137 enhanced the organoid development of normal colon cells. These data demonstrate that miR-137 has the capacity to suppress the tumorigenicity of colon CSCs and that maintained expression of miR-137 in NCSCs contributes to suppressing uncontrolled cell proliferation through the inhibition of DCLK1 expression.

Implications: The miR-137/DCLK1 axis as an important regulator in NCSCs and colon CSCs; further understanding of this axis may foster the development of potential gene therapeutic strategies targeting colon CSCs. Mol Cancer Res; 14(4); 354–62. ©2016 AACR.
Transcriptional Regulation of miR-31 by Oncogenic KRAS Mediates Metastatic Phenotypes by Repressing RASA1
Authors: Kent Oliver A. , Mendell Joshua T. , Rottapel Robert
Published: January 2016

Activating KRAS mutations are nearly ubiquitous in pancreatic cancer occurring in more than 95% of clinical cases. miRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by binding sequences within the 3′UTRs of target mRNAs. An integral role for miRNAs in cancer pathogenesis is well established; however, the role of miRNAs in KRAS-mediated tumorigenesis is poorly characterized. Here it is demonstrated that expression of miR-31 is coupled to the expression of oncogenic KRAS and activity of the MAPK pathway. miR-31 is highly expressed in patient-derived xenografts and a panel of pancreatic and colorectal cancer cells harboring activating KRAS mutations. The miR-31 host gene is a large noncoding RNA that correlates with miR-31 expression and enabled identification of the putative miR-31 promoter. Using luciferase reporters, a minimal RAS-responsive miR-31 promoter was found to drive robust luciferase activity dependent on expression of mutant KRAS and the transcription factor ELK1. Furthermore, ELK1 interacts directly with the endogenous miR-31 promoter in a MAPK-dependent manner. Expression of enforced miR-31 significantly enhanced invasion and migration of multiple pancreatic cancer cells resulting from the activation of RhoA through regulation of the miR-31 target gene RASA1. Importantly, acute knockdown of RASA1 phenocopied enforced miR-31 expression on the migratory behavior of pancreatic cancer cells through increased RhoA activation.

Implications: Oncogenic KRAS can activate Rho through the miR-31–mediated regulation of RASA1 indicating miR-31 acts as a KRAS effector to modulate invasion and migration in pancreatic cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 14(3); 267–77. ©2016 AACR.
Bivalirudin Is Associated With Improved In-Hospital Outcomes Compared With Heparin in Percutaneous Vascular Interventions
Authors: Kimmelstiel Carey , Pinto Duane , Aronow Herbert D. , Weintraub Andrew R. , Dangas George , Fan Weihong , Prats Jayne , Deliargyris Efthymios N. , Katzen Barry T.
Published: January 2016

Background—

Peripheral vascular interventions are increasingly preferred for the treatment of patients with symptomatic peripheral arterial disease because they are associated with similar clinical outcomes and lower morbidity than open surgical procedures. The objective of this study was to assess the comparative effectiveness of procedural anticoagulation with bivalirudin compared with unfractionated heparin in patients undergoing peripheral vascular interventions.

Methods and Results—

This was a retrospective, observational study using the Premier Hospital administrative database. We examined 23 934 consecutive patients undergoing lower extremity peripheral vascular interventions between January 2008 and December 2012 who were treated with either bivalirudin or unfractionated heparin. In-hospital end points included death, myocardial infarction, transfusion, stroke, amputation, and the composite end points of major adverse cardiovascular events, and net adverse clinical events. Propensity score matching was performed to control for baseline imbalances and yielded 3649 matched pairs. After propensity score matching, patients treated with bivalirudin had lower in-hospital event rates with significantly lower mortality (odds ratio, 0.40;
P
=0.017), need for blood product transfusion (odds ratio, 0.74;
P
=0.009), major adverse cardiovascular events (odds ratio, 0.64;
P
=0.003), and net adverse clinical events (odds ratio, 0.72;
P
<0.001). These associations were observed consistently across clinically relevant subgroups.

Conclusions—

In patients undergoing peripheral vascular interventions, procedural anticoagulation with bivalirudin may result in more favorable in-hospital outcomes compared with unfractionated heparin, the current standard of care. These observations will require prospective confirmation in a randomized, controlled trial.
Body Mass Index, Abdominal Fatness, and Heart Failure Incidence and Mortality
Authors: Aune Dagfinn , Sen Abhijit , Norat Teresa , Janszky Imre , Romundstad Pål , Tonstad Serena , Vatten Lars J.
Published: January 2016

Background—

Obesity has been associated with increased risk of heart failure, but whether overweight also increases risk is unclear. It is also unclear whether abdominal adiposity is more strongly associated with heart failure risk than general adiposity. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies to clarify the strength and shape of the dose-response relationship between general and abdominal adiposity and the risk of heart failure.

Methods and Results—

PubMed and Embase databases were searched up to October 10, 2014. Summary relative risks were calculated using random-effects models. A total of 28 studies (27 publications) were included. Twenty-three prospective studies with >15 905 incident cases among 647 388 participants were included in the analysis of body mass index and heart failure incidence, and 4 studies were included for heart failure mortality. The summary relative risk for a 5-unit increment in body mass index was 1.41 (95% confidence interval, 1.34–1.47;
I
2
=83%) for heart failure incidence and 1.26 (95% confidence interval, 0.85–1.87;
I
2
=95%) heart failure mortality. Although the test for nonlinearity was significant (
P
<0.0001), this appeared to be attributable to a threshold at a body mass index of ≈23 to 24 kg/m
2
; however, there was evidence of increased risk even in the overweight body mass index range. The summary relative risk for a 10-cm increase in waist circumference was 1.29 (95% confidence interval, 1.21–1.37;
I

2

=89%) and per 0.1-unit increase in waist-to-hip ratio was 1.29 (95% confidence interval, 1.13–1.47;
I
2
=82%).

Conclusion—

Overweight and obesity and abdominal adiposity are associated with increased risk of heart failure.
N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide and Heart Failure Risk Among Individuals With and Without Obesity
Authors: Ndumele Chiadi E. , Matsushita Kunihiro , Sang Yingying , Lazo Mariana , Agarwal Sunil K. , Nambi Vijay , Deswal Anita , Blumenthal Roger S. , Ballantyne Christie M. , Coresh Josef , Selvin Elizabeth
Published: January 2016

Background—

Obesity is a risk factor for heart failure (HF) but is associated with lower N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels. It is unclear whether the prognostic value and implications of NT-proBNP levels for HF risk differ across body mass index (BMI) categories.

Methods and Results—

We followed up 12 230 ARIC participants free of prior HF at baseline (visit 2, 1990–1992) with BMI ≥18.5 kg/m
2
. We quantified and compared the relative and absolute risk associations of NT-proBNP with incident HF across BMI categories. There were 1861 HF events during a median 20.6 years of follow-up. Despite increased HF risk in obesity, a weak inverse association was seen between baseline BMI and NT-proBNP levels (
r
=−0.10). Nevertheless, higher baseline NT-proBNP was associated with increased HF risk in all BMI categories. NT-proBNP improved HF risk prediction overall, even among those with severe obesity (BMI ≥35 kg/m
2
; improvement in C statistic, 0.032; 95% confidence interval, 0.011–0.053). However, given the higher HF rates among those with obesity, at each NT-proBNP level, higher BMI was associated with greater absolute HF risk. Indeed, among those with NT-proBNP of 100 to <200 pg/mL, the average 10-year HF risk was <5% among normal-weight individuals but >10% among the severely obese.

Conclusions—

Despite its inverse relationship with BMI, NT-proBNP provides significant prognostic information on the risk of developing HF even among individuals with obesity. Given the higher baseline HF risk among persons with obesity, even slight elevations in NT-proBNP may have implications for increased absolute HF risk in this population.
Dietary and Policy Priorities for Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, and Obesity
Authors: Mozaffarian Dariush
Published: January 2016

Suboptimal nutrition is a leading cause of poor health. Nutrition and policy science have advanced rapidly, creating confusion yet also providing powerful opportunities to reduce the adverse health and economic impacts of poor diets. This review considers the history, new evidence, controversies, and corresponding lessons for modern dietary and policy priorities for cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and diabetes mellitus. Major identified themes include the importance of evaluating the full diversity of diet-related risk pathways, not only blood lipids or obesity; focusing on foods and overall diet patterns, rather than single isolated nutrients; recognizing the complex influences of different foods on long-term weight regulation, rather than simply counting calories; and characterizing and implementing evidence-based strategies, including policy approaches, for lifestyle change. Evidence-informed dietary priorities include increased fruits, nonstarchy vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, vegetable oils, yogurt, and minimally processed whole grains; and fewer red meats, processed (eg, sodium-preserved) meats, and foods rich in refined grains, starch, added sugars, salt, and trans fat. More investigation is needed on the cardiometabolic effects of phenolics, dairy fat, probiotics, fermentation, coffee, tea, cocoa, eggs, specific vegetable and tropical oils, vitamin D, individual fatty acids, and diet-microbiome interactions. Little evidence to date supports the cardiometabolic relevance of other popular priorities: eg, local, organic, grass-fed, farmed/wild, or non–genetically modified. Evidence-based personalized nutrition appears to depend more on nongenetic characteristics (eg, physical activity, abdominal adiposity, gender, socioeconomic status, culture) than genetic factors. Food choices must be strongly supported by clinical behavior change efforts, health systems reforms, novel technologies, and robust policy strategies targeting economic incentives, schools and workplaces, neighborhood environments, and the food system. Scientific advances provide crucial new insights on optimal targets and best practices to reduce the burdens of diet-related cardiometabolic diseases.
Atrial Fibrillation Begets Heart Failure and Vice Versa
Authors: Santhanakrishnan Rajalakshmi , Wang Na , Larson Martin G. , Magnani Jared W. , McManus David D. , Lubitz Steven A. , Ellinor Patrick T. , Cheng Susan , Vasan Ramachandran S. , Lee Douglas S. , Wang Thomas J. , Levy Daniel , Benjamin Emelia J. , Ho Jennifer E.
Published: January 2016

Background—

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) frequently coexist and together confer an adverse prognosis. The association of AF with HF subtypes has not been well described. We sought to examine differences in the temporal association of AF and HF with preserved versus reduced ejection fraction.

Methods and Results—

We studied Framingham Heart Study participants with new-onset AF or HF between 1980 and 2012. Among 1737 individuals with new AF (mean age, 75±12 years; 48% women), more than one third (37%) had HF. Conversely, among 1166 individuals with new HF (mean age, 79±11 years; 53% women), more than half (57%) had AF. Prevalent AF was more strongly associated with incident HF with preserved ejection fraction (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.48–3.70; no AF as referent) versus HF with reduced ejection fraction (HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 0.83–2.10), with a trend toward difference between HF subtypes (
P
for difference=0.06). Prevalent HF was associated with incident AF (HR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.26–3.76; no HF as referent). The presence of both AF and HF portended greater mortality risk compared with neither condition, particularly among individuals with new HF with reduced ejection fraction and prevalent AF (HR, 2.72; 95% CI, 2.12–3.48) compared with new HF with preserved ejection fraction and prevalent AF (HR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.41–2.37;
P
for difference=0.02).

Conclusions—

AF occurs in more than half of individuals with HF, and HF occurs in more than one third of individuals with AF. AF precedes and follows HF with both preserved and reduced ejection fraction, with some differences in temporal association and prognosis. Future studies focused on underlying mechanisms of these dual conditions are warranted.
Simple Renal Cysts as Markers of Thoracic Aortic Disease
Authors: Ziganshin Bulat A. , Theodoropoulos Panagiotis , Salloum Mohammad N. , Zaza Khaled J. , Tranquilli Maryann , Mojibian Hamid R. , Dahl Neera K. , Fang Hai , Rizzo John A. , Elefteriades John A.
Published: January 2016

Background

Thoracic aortic aneurysm is usually a clinically silent disease; timely detection is largely dependent upon identification of clinical markers of thoracic aortic disease (
TAD
); (bicuspid aortic valve, intracranial aortic aneurysm, bovine aortic arch, or positive family history). Recently, an association of simple renal cysts (
SRC
) with abdominal aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection was established. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of
SRC
in patients with
TAD
in order to assess whether the presence of
SRC
can be used as a predictor of
TAD
.

Methods and Results

We evaluated the prevalence of
SRC
in 842 patients with
TAD
(64.0% males) treated at our institution from 2004 to 2013 and compared to a control group of patients (n=543; 56.2% males). Patients were divided into 4 groups: ascending aortic aneurysm (456; 54.2%); descending aortic aneurysm (86; 10.2%); type A aortic dissection (118; 14.0%); and type B aortic dissection (182; 21.6%).
SRC
were identified by abdominal computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of these patients. Prevalence of
SRC
is 37.5%, 57.0%, 44.1%, and 47.3% for patients with ascending aneurysm, descending aneurysm, type A dissection, and type B dissection, respectively. Prevalence of
SRC
in the control group was 15.3%. Prevalence of
SRC
was not significantly different between male and female aortic disease patients, despite reported general male predominance (2:1), which was also observed in our control group (1.7:1).

Conclusions

This study establishes an increased prevalence of
SRC
in patients with
TAD
.
SRC
can potentially be used as a marker for timely detection of patients at risk of
TAD
.
Testosterone Antagonizes Doxorubicin‐Induced Senescence of Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Altieri Paola , Barisione Chiara , Lazzarini Edoardo , Garuti Anna , Bezante Gian Paolo , Canepa Marco , Spallarossa Paolo , Tocchetti Carlo Gabriele , Bollini Sveva , Brunelli Claudio , Ameri Pietro
Published: January 2016

Background

Chronic cardiotoxicity is less common in male than in female patients receiving doxorubicin and other anthracyclines at puberty and adolescence. We hypothesized that this sex difference might be secondary to distinct activities of sex hormones on cardiomyocyte senescence, which is thought to be central to the development of long‐term anthracycline cardiomyopathy.

Methods and Results

H9c2 cells and neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes were exposed to doxorubicin with or without prior incubation with testosterone or 17β‐estradiol, the main androgen and estrogen, respectively. Testosterone, but not 17β‐estradiol, counteracted doxorubicin‐elicited senescence. Downregulation of telomere binding factor 2, which has been pinpointed previously as being pivotal to doxorubicin‐induced senescence, was also prevented by testosterone, as were p53 phosphorylation and accumulation. Pretreatment with the androgen receptor antagonist flutamide, the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase inhibitor
LY
294002, and the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L‐
NG
‐nitroarginine methyl ester abrogated the reduction in senescence and the normalization of telomere binding factor 2 levels attained by testosterone. Consistently, testosterone enhanced the phosphorylation of
AKT
and nitric oxide synthase 3. In H9c2 cells, doxorubicin‐stimulated senescence was still observed up to 21 days after treatment and increased further when cells were rechallenged with doxorubicin 14 days after the first exposure to mimic the schedule of anthracycline‐containing chemotherapy. Remarkably, these effects were also inhibited by testosterone.

Conclusions

Testosterone protects cardiomyocytes against senescence caused by doxorubicin at least in part by modulating telomere binding factor 2 via a pathway involving the androgen receptor, phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase,
AKT
, and nitric oxide synthase 3. This is a potential mechanism by which pubescent and adolescent boys are less prone to chronic anthracycline cardiotoxicity than girls.
Interferon‐β Modulates Inflammatory Response in Cerebral Ischemia
Authors: Kuo Ping‐Chang , Scofield Barbara A. , Yu I‐Chen , Chang Fen‐Lei , Ganea Doina , Yen Jui‐Hung
Published: January 2016

Background

Stroke is a leading cause of death in the world. In >80% of strokes, the initial acute phase of ischemic injury is due to the occlusion of a blood vessel resulting in severe focal hypoperfusion, excitotoxicity, and oxidative damage. Interferon‐β (
IFN
β), a cytokine with immunomodulatory properties, was approved by the
US
Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis for more than a decade. Its anti‐inflammatory properties and well‐characterized safety profile suggest that
IFN
β has therapeutic potential for the treatment of ischemic stroke.

Methods and Results

We investigated the therapeutic effect of
IFN
β in the mouse model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion. We found that
IFN
β not only reduced infarct size in ischemic brains but also lessened neurological deficits in ischemic stroke animals. Further, multiple molecular mechanisms by which
IFN
β modulates ischemic brain inflammation were identified.
IFN
β reduced central nervous system infiltration of monocytes/macrophages, neutrophils,
CD
4
+
T cells, and γδ T cells; inhibited the production of inflammatory mediators; suppressed the expression of adhesion molecules on brain endothelial cells; and repressed microglia activation in the ischemic brain.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that
IFN
β exerts a protective effect against ischemic stroke through its anti‐inflammatory properties and suggest that
IFN
β is a potential therapeutic agent, targeting the reperfusion damage subsequent to the treatment with tissue plasminogen activator.
Globalization of the Automotive Industry: Is Indonesia Missing Out?
Authors: Soejachmoen Moekti P.
Published: January 2016

International trade in automotive and auto parts has grown rapidly during the last two decades but Southeast Asia's largest economy, Indonesia, is lagging behind in its export performance. This paper uses a comparative perspective in examining Indonesia's role in automotive production networks in the context of the contemporary debate on opportunities for reaping gains from economic globalization through engagement in global production sharing.

This research aims to answer two questions; the first addresses the determinants of a country's participation in the global production network, the second asks why Indonesia is being left behind in global production networks. Our analysis is based on the Jones and Kierzkowski fragmentation theory. The unbalanced panel trade data for 98 countries for the period 1988–2007 are estimated using the least square dummy variable method. The results show that in Asian countries, foreign direct investment openness is the most important determinant followed by trade cost, trade openness, competitiveness, and labor quality. Indonesia is being left behind for a number of reasons, such as restrictive foreign investment policies, higher trade costs and remaining high protection in the automotive sector in terms of tariff and non-tariff measure, and a low education level that hampers the absorption capacity in technology.
Exports and Employment in China, Indonesia, Japan, and Korea
Authors: Kiyota Kozo
Published: January 2016

This paper examines the effects of exports on employment in China, Indonesia, Japan, and Korea, using the World Input-Output Database for the period from 1995 to 2009. One of the major findings is that, although more than 80 percent of exports in the four study countries are from manufacturing industries, a significant number of workers in non-manufacturing industries depend upon manufacturing exports through vertical inter-industry linkages. An implication is that even in cases where an industry is not particularly export-oriented through its reliance on the export of final goods, the industry may still be subject to potential effects—positive or negative—linked to changes in export demand.
International Co-movement of Housing Price Cycles in East Asia and Greater China
Authors: Kim Kyung-Hwan , Park Young-Joon
Published: January 2016

This paper examines the characteristics of housing price cycles in East Asia and Greater China for the period from 2001:Q1 to 2010:Q1. We find that housing price cycles in East Asia (China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan) are accounted for mainly by region-specific and country-specific factors. East Asia's regional housing price cycles co-move strongly with the world housing price cycle in the long run, but relatively weak co-movement is found in the short run. Housing cycles in Greater China (China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan) and Singapore co-move with Northeast Asia's regional housing price cycle in the long run, but this tendency fails to show up in the short run. Both domestic monetary and business-cycle effects are important in accounting for housing price cycles in China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan, while credit supply is crucial for Korea. Fiscal policy does not play a significant role. We find empirical evidence of a China effect in housing price cycles in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore.
The Economics of RMB Internationalization
Authors: Zhang Liqing , Tao Kunyu
Published: January 2016

The rapid internationalization of the RMB since 2009 raises many interesting questions, including: Why has this change been so fast? What is the rationality behind this new process? What economic consequences will it produce? What kinds of policies should China adopt to make the process smooth and sustainable? In this paper, we first describe the main developments of RMB internationalization and discuss the rationality of the process, by comparing its benefits and costs. Then, based on the historical experience of the main international currencies, we use a Size-Liquidity-Credibility analytical framework for understanding the determinants of being an international currency. Using this framework, we then provide some policy suggestions for making RMB internationalization a sustainable process.
Unemployment and the Speed of Transition in China
Authors: Huang Shuo , Fidrmuc Jan
Published: January 2016

We investigate the relationship between unemployment and growth in China. We find considerable differences in the nature of this relationship across Chinese regions. We argue that this may reflect the different progress in transition across regions, in line with the Aghion–Blanchard model of optimal speed of transition. When we test this model, we find strong evidence of a hump-shaped relationship between unemployment and our proxy for the speed of reform. Current unemployment in China, furthermore, appears to be close to the level associated with the optimal speed of transition.
The Distinctiveness of the Society of Jesus
Authors: O’Malley John W.
Published: January 2016

The Society of Jesus has a number of features making it distinctive among the religious orders of the Catholic Church. The ten founders all held university degrees, which meant that they established a tradition of a high regard for learning and of articulated procedures, as exemplified in the Formula instituti (the rule of the order) and in the Constitutions. The high degree of authority enjoyed by the superior general was not only itself distinctive, but it led to a distinctly international character to the Jesuit missions. Once the Society undertook the staffing and management of schools, its distinctiveness only increased and led to its having, besides its religious mission, also a cultural and a civic mission.
Suppressed Emotions: The Heroic Tristia of Portuguese (ex-)Jesuit, Emanuel de Azevedo
Authors: Haskell Yasmin
Published: January 2016

This article is a pilot for a larger project on the emotions of the suppression of the Society of Jesus, viewed through the prism of Latin writings by Jesuits of the period. It proposes a case study of Portuguese (ex-)Jesuit, Emanuel de Azevedo, who lived and suffered internal exile in Italy (from Rome to the Veneto) in the second half of the eighteenth century. Azevedo composed a large quantity of Latin verse during these unhappy years, from a four-book epic poem on the return of the Jesuits expelled from the American colonies to a twelve-book description of the city of Venice. The main focus here is Azevedo’s collection of Latin verse epistles, Epistolae ad heroas (Venice, 1781), loosely modeled on Ovid. Azevedo writes Latin verse both to temper his own sadness about the suppression and to console Spanish, Portuguese, and American confrères living in exile in the Papal States and in Russia under Catherine the Great.
Bringing Jesuit Bibliography into the Twenty-First Century: Boston College’s New Sommervogel Online
Authors: Volk Kasper , Staysniak Chris
Published: January 2016

This article introduces The Boston College Jesuit Bibliography: The New Sommervogel Online (nso), an ongoing project of the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies at Boston College in conjunction with the publisher Brill. Named for the famed nineteenth-century Jesuit bibliographer Carlos Sommervogel, the nso is the modern incarnation of a long and distinctive tradition of Jesuit bibliography. It harnesses the capabilities of the digital age to create a comprehensive, searchable, and open-access database cataloging thousands of Jesuit-themed books, book chapters, articles, and book reviews. By consolidating and organizing existing scholarship on the Society of Jesus, the new resource will provide a valuable service to scholars around the world and facilitate additional development within the already dynamic and rapidly expanding field of Jesuit studies.
Device Life of Two Generations of Provox Voice Prostheses
Authors: Thylur David S. , Villegas Brenda Capobres , Fisher Laurel M. , Sinha Uttam K. , Kokot Niels
Published: January 2016

Background:

Tracheoesophageal voice prostheses are invaluable for speech rehabilitation in patients who have received total laryngectomy, but device failure impedes communication and creates psychosocial and financial burdens. This study compares the Provox 2 and Provox Vega voice prostheses on the parameter of device life.

Methods:

This was a retrospective observational study of 21 patients with 181 device replacements at an academic tertiary care medical center. Disparity in device life and factors that may influence device life were analyzed.

Results:

The mean device life for Provox 2, at 115.6 days (SE = 5.8), was longer than for Provox Vega, at 65.1 days (SE = 7.5) ( P < .001).

Conclusions:

Device longevity was greater for Provox 2 over Provox Vega. These results will facilitate the design of prospective studies to assess reasons for variations in device life between patients and device types.
Myeloperoxidase-Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody–Positive Otitis Media and Rhinosinusitis With Pathological Features of Immunoglobulin G4-Related Disease
Authors: Ohno Keiko , Matsuda Yoko , Arai Tomio , Sugihara Takahiko , Iga Shoko , Kimura Yurika
Published: January 2016

Background:

Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) have different clinical and pathological features. However, differentiation between these 2 disorders is sometimes difficult.

Objective:

To report a case involving a patient with characteristics of both IgG4-RD and AAV.

Methods:

Case report with literature review.

Results:

We report a case of myeloperoxidase-ANCA–positive otitis media and rhinosinusitis with pathological features of IgG4-RD in a 73-year-old man. The patient was first clinically suspected to have granulomatosis with polyangiitis. All of the main characteristic pathological features of IgG4-RD were present: dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration, increased numbers of IgG4-positive plasma cells, storiform-type fibrosis, and obliterative phlebitis.

Conclusions:

The simultaneous presence of the characteristics of both IgG4-RD and AAV makes diagnosis and treatment difficult.
Clinical need-directed blood tests: a step in saving the NHS?
Authors: Mughal Zahir , Narayanan Aravindan , Gupta Vivek , Reay-Jones Nick
Published: January 2016

Background

Unnecessary blood tests are estimated to contribute to 25% of wastage in the National Health Service. The aim of this study was to assess the financial implication of clinical need-focused blood tests guided by a senior clinician in a district general hospital.

Methods

We conducted an observational longitudinal study over six months with pre- and postanalysis of a vetting intervention. A colorectal firm (Team A) implemented a vetting system that required a registrar or consultant to discuss which blood tests needed to be requested for each in-patient with junior doctors. Another colorectal firm (Team B) with a similar caseload was blinded to the study and was used as a control.

Results

The vetting initiative demonstrated a reduction of 33% of blood test requests, translating to a cost-saving of £2406 over three months. Following the intervention, the median number of tests requested per patient per day by Team A for C-reactive protein reduced from 0.8 to 0.63 ( P = 0.0074), full blood counts reduced from 0.8 to 0.67 ( P = 0.0138), liver function tests decreased from 0.8 to 0.6 ( P = 0.0021) and urea and electrolytes fell from 0.8 to 0.63 ( P = 0.0083). The number of tests per patient per day after the intervention was significantly less than the control group ( P < 0.001). The length of hospital stay and admission to critical care were not adversely affected in the group that had less blood tests, P = 0.808 and P = 0.58, respectively.

Conclusion

The direction, by a senior clinician, of the requesting of blood tests by junior doctors to ensure that requests were based on clinical need, reduced the number of inappropriate blood tests and resulted in some reduction in laboratory costs.
The Logistics and Coordination of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Immunoprophylaxis Use Among US Pediatric Specialists
Authors: Wong Pierre C. , Parimi Prabhu S. , Domachowske Joseph B. , Friedman Deborah M. , Marcus Michael G. , Garcia Daniel F. , La Via William V. , Syed Iqra A. , Szabo Shelagh M. , McLaurin Kimmie K. , Kumar Veena R.
Published: January 2016

This study was conducted to survey US pediatric specialists about administration of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunoprophylaxis, communication patterns among physicians and parents, and barriers to access. Separate surveys were sent to neonatologists, pediatricians, pediatric pulmonologists, and pediatric cardiologists. Most physicians (≥93.5%) routinely recommended immunoprophylaxis to high-risk children. Most respondents (≥71.8%) reported that >50.0% of eligible infants and young children received each monthly dose throughout the RSV season, with the first dose most commonly administered before discharge from the birth hospitalization. To ensure receipt of subsequent doses, specialists frequently scheduled a follow-up visit at the end of the current appointment. All specialists reported insurance denials as the biggest obstacle to the administration of immunoprophylaxis to high-risk children. These findings may be used to improve adherence to immunoprophylaxis by enhancing education and physician-parent communications about severe RSV disease prevention, and by reducing known barriers to use of this preventive therapy.
An experimental and numerical investigation on low velocity impact behavior of composite plates
Authors: Berk Bulut , Karakuzu Ramazan , Murat Icten Bulent , Arikan Volkan , Arman Yusuf , Atas Cesim , Goren Aytac
Published: January 2016

This paper presents an experimental and numerical investigation on low velocity impact response of S2 glass/epoxy and aramid/epoxy composite plates. Two different impact energy levels, 20 J and 30 J, were considered for impact tests. The commercial software called LS-DYNA was used in order to perform numerical simulations. The experimental and numerical results were found to be in good agreement.
Theme and Variations
Authors: Jenke Libby , Gelpi Christopher
Published: January 2016

Since its establishment in 1963, the Correlates of War (COW) project has sought to build cumulative knowledge about international conflict through the application of the scientific method to the study of militarized interstate behavior. Early analyses from the COW project found substantial variation in the causal model of war across the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, but COW scholars later sought to develop a general model of war that avoided post hoc historical periodization. We use out of sample cross validation to evaluate the plausibility of assuming temporal homogeneity for statistical models of international conflict that span the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Our results suggest that the causal model of war changes substantially across historical eras. In particular, great care should be taken in generalizing Cold War findings to other historical eras. Our findings demonstrate the importance of exploring temporal variation in the causal model of war.
A House Divided
Authors: Hendrix Cullen S. , Salehyan Idean
Published: January 2016

Why do African regimes repress certain contentious challenges but not others? We argue that in addition to opposition claims and tactics, African regimes are especially likely to view challenges expressing ethnic and/or religious claims as threatening. However, in theorizing the decision to use repression, we relax the assumption that the state is a unitary actor. Leaders with a history of factionalism in their security forces face a delegation problem: orders to repress may not be followed or could even cause intraregime violence and/or defections. For this reason, states with divided security forces are less likely to enact repression. This potential for fracturing the regime will be greatest when the challenge has ethnic or religious claims and targets the state, implying an interactive effect. Using the Social Conflict in Africa Database, we find that regimes with a history of past military factionalism are generally less likely to use repression and are especially less likely to repress contentious challenges making ethnic or religious claims.
Probiotic Compared with Standard Milk for High-caries Children
Authors: Rodríguez G. , Ruiz B. , Faleiros S. , Vistoso A. , Marró M.L. , Sánchez J. , Urzúa I. , Cabello R.
Published: January 2016

The aim of this study was to compare milk supplemented with probiotic lactobacilli with standard milk for the increment of caries in preschool children after 10 mo of intervention. The study was a triple-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial. Participants were children aged 2 and 3 y ( n = 261) attending 16 nursery schools in a metropolitan region in Chile. Nursery schools were randomly assigned to 2 parallel groups: children in the intervention group were given 150 mL of milk supplemented with Lactobacillus rhamnosus SP1 (107 CFU/mL), while children in the control group were given standard milk. Interventions took place on weekdays for 10 mo. Data were collected through a clinical examination of participants. The primary outcome measure was the increment of caries in preschool children. This was assessed using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS). The dropout rate was 21%. No differences in caries prevalence were detected between the groups at baseline ( P = 0.68). After 10 mo of probiotic intake, the caries prevalence was 54.4% in the probiotic group and 65.8% in the control group. The percentage of new individuals who developed cavitated lesions (ICDAS 5-6) in the control group (24.3%) was significantly higher than that in the probiotic group (9.7%). The increment of dental caries showed an odds ratio of 0.35 ( P < 0.05) in favor of the probiotic group. At the cavitated lesion level, the increment of new caries lesions within the groups showed 1.13 new lesions per child in the probiotic group compared with 1.75 lesions in the control group ( P < 0.05). The probiotic group showed an increment of 0.58 ± 1.17 new lesions compared with 1.08 ± 1.70 new lesions observed in the control group. The difference in caries increment was significant at the cavitated lesion level ( P < 0.01). In conclusion, the regular long-term intake of probiotic-supplemented milk may reduce caries development in high-caries preschool children (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01648075).
Innate Immunity and Saliva in Candida albicans–mediated Oral Diseases
Authors: Salvatori O. , Puri S. , Tati S. , Edgerton M.
Published: January 2016

The oral cavity is a unique niche where Candida albicans infections occur in immunocompetent as well as immunosuppressed individuals. Here we critically review the significance of human innate immune response in preventing oral candidiasis. One important line of defense against oropharyngeal candidiasis is the oral microbiota that prevents infection by competing for space and nutrients as well as by secreting antagonistic molecules and triggering local inflammatory responses. C. albicans is able to induce mucosal defenses through activation of immune cells and production of cytokines. Also, saliva contains various proteins that affect C. albicans growth positively by promoting mucosal adherence and negatively through immune exclusion and direct fungicidal activity. We further discuss the role of saliva in unifying host innate immune defenses against C. albicans as a communicating medium and how C. albicans overgrowth in the oral cavity may be a result of aberrations ranging from microbial dysbiosis and salivary dysfunction to epithelial damage. Last we underscore select oral diseases in which C. albicans is a contributory microorganism in immune-competent individuals.
Association between Bone Mass and Dental Hypomineralization
Authors: van der Tas J.T. , Elfrink M.E.C. , Vucic S. , Heppe D.H.M. , Veerkamp J.S.J. , Jaddoe V.W.V. , Rivadeneira F. , Hofman A. , Moll H.A. , Wolvius E.B.
Published: January 2016

The aim of this study was to examine the association between the bone mass (bone mineral content [BMC]) and hypomineralized second primary molars (HSPMs)/molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) in 6-y-old children. This cross-sectional study was embedded in the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study, starting from fetal life until adulthood in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry criteria were used to score the intraoral photographs on the presence or absence of HSPMs and MIH. Bone mass was measured with a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan. Intraoral photographs and DXA scans were available in 6,510 6-y-old children. Binary logistic regression models were used to study the association between the bone mass and HSPMs/MIH. In total, 5,586 children had their second primary molars assessed and a DXA scan made; 507 children were diagnosed with HSPM. Of 2,370 children with data on their permanent first molars, 203 were diagnosed with MIH. In the fully adjusted model, children with lower BMC (corrected for bone area) were more likely to have HSPMs (odds ratio, 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 1.26 per 1–standard deviation decrease). A lower BMC (corrected for bone area) was not associated with MIH (odds ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.87 to 1.20 per 1–standard deviation decrease). We observed a negative association between BMC (corrected for bone area) and HSPMs. No association was found between BMC (corrected for bone area) and MIH. Future research should focus on investigating the mechanism underlying the negative association between the bone mass and HSPMs. Our study, in a large population of 6-y-old children, adds the finding that BMC (corrected for bone size) is associated with HSPMs but not with MIH in childhood.
Relationships of Attention and Executive Functions to Oral Language, Reading, and Writing Skills and Systems in Middle Childhood and Early Adolescence
Authors: Berninger Virginia , Abbott Robert , Cook Clayton R. , Nagy William
Published: January 2016

Relationships between attention/executive functions and language learning were investigated in students in Grades 4 to 9 ( N = 88) with and without specific learning disabilities (SLDs) in multiword syntax in oral and written language (OWL LD), word reading and spelling (dyslexia), and subword letter writing (dysgraphia). Prior attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis was correlated only with impaired handwriting. Parental ratings of inattention, but not hyperactivity, correlated with measures of written language but not oral language. Sustaining switching attention correlated with writing the alphabet from memory in manuscript or by keyboard and fast copying of a sentence with all the letters of the alphabet. Multiple regressions based on a principal component for composites of multiple levels of language (subword, word, and syntax/text) showed that measures of attention and executive function involving language processing rather than ratings of attention and executive function not specifically related to language accounted for more variance and identified more unique predictors in the composite outcomes for oral language, reading, and writing systems. Inhibition related to focused attention uniquely predicted outcomes for the oral language system. Findings are discussed in reference to implications for assessing and teaching students who are still learning to pay attention to heard and written language and self-regulate their language learning during middle childhood and adolescence.
The Interaction of Learning Disability Status and Student Demographic Characteristics on Mathematics Growth
Authors: Stevens Joseph J. , Schulte Ann C.
Published: January 2016

This study examined mathematics achievement growth of students without disabilities (SWoD) and students with learning disabilities (LD) and tested whether growth and LD status interacted with student demographic characteristics. Growth was estimated in a statewide sample of 79,554 students over Grades 3 to 7. The LD group was significantly lower in achievement in each grade and had less growth than the SWoD group. We also found that student demographic characteristics were significantly related to mathematics growth, but only three demographic characteristics were statistically significant as interactions. We found that LD-SWoD differences at Grade 3 were moderated by student sex, while Black race/ethnicity and free or reduced lunch (FRL) status moderated LD-SWoD differences at all grades. These results provide practitioners and policy makers with more specific information about which particular LD students show faster or slower growth in mathematics. Our results show that simply including predictors in a regression equation may produce different results than direct testing of interactions and achievement gaps may be larger for some LD subgroups of students than previously reported.
Executive Function, Self-Regulated Learning, and Reading Comprehension: A Training Study
Authors: Cirino Paul T. , Miciak Jeremy , Gerst Elyssa , Barnes Marcia A. , Vaughn Sharon , Child Amanda , Huston-Warren Emily
Published: January 2016

The goal of this study was to evaluate the extent to which training that emphasizes the process of executive function (EF) and self-regulated learning (SRL) would result in increased reading comprehension; we also evaluated interrelationships of EF, SRL, and reading. We report an experiment ( N = 75 fourth graders) that contrasted two researcher-implemented conditions (text-based reading [TB] and text-based reading plus executive function [TB+EF]) to a control. We also evaluated relationships among measures of SRL, EF, and reading. Both the TB and TB+EF groups outperformed the control group for proximal text comprehension (where the topic was similar to that covered in training) and background knowledge related to it, but the two researcher-led groups performed similarly. There were no significant differences for less proximal text, and again similar performance for both TB and TB+EF. Correlations among measures were weak in general, although the pattern was similar to that found in the extant literature. The findings speak to the difficulty in separating these components from those of strong instruction more generally. The relationships of these constructs to reading comprehension will likely be enhanced by more sensitive measurement of EF and reading comprehension, particularly where tied to active treatment components.
Childhood Placement in Special Education and Adult Well-Being
Authors: Chesmore Ashley A. , Ou Suh-Ruu , Reynolds Arthur J.
Published: January 2016

The present study investigates the relationship between childhood placement in special education and adult well-being among 1,377 low-income, minority children participating in the Chicago Longitudinal Study. Roughly 16% of the sample received special education services in Grades 1 to 8. After accounting for sociodemographic factors and early academic achievement, children receiving special education services tended to have lower rates of high school completion and fewer years of education, as well as greater rates of incarceration, substance misuse, and depression. Eighth-grade academic achievement significantly mediated the association between childhood placement in special education and adult well-being outcomes. The study contributes to the literature by providing support for a pathway from childhood special education placement to adult outcomes among an inner-city minority cohort.