bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Longer-term Lipid-lowering Drug Use and Risk of Incident and Fatal Prostate Cancer in Black and White Men in the ARIC Study
Authors: Mondul Alison M. , Joshu Corinne E. , Barber John R. , Prizment Anna E. , Bhavsar Nrupen A. , Selvin Elizabeth , Folsom Aaron R. , Platz Elizabeth A.
Published: October 2018

Lipid-lowering medications, particularly statins, may protect against aggressive prostate cancer. Fatal prostate cancer, the most clinically relevant outcome, remains understudied for this association. We prospectively studied lipid-lowering medication use and both incident and fatal prostate cancer in black and white men in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. A total of 6,518 men without cancer at visit 2 (1990–1992), the start of the statin era, were followed for prostate cancer incidence and death through 2012. Medication use was collected during study visits and telephone calls at up to nine time points during follow-up. Cox regression was used to estimate HR and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of total (white N = 541, black N = 259) and fatal (white N = 56, black N = 34) prostate cancer overall and by race. Lipid-lowering medication use was modeled as time-dependent current use or duration (never, <10, and ≥10 years). By visit 4 (1996–1998), 21% of white and 11% of black men had used a lipid-lowering medication, mostly statins. There was a suggestion that current users were less likely to die from prostate cancer than nonusers (HR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.42–1.07) after multivariable adjustment. We observed no statistically significant differences between black and white men. Current use was not associated with incident prostate cancer, although long-term use was statistically significantly inversely associated with incidence (HR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.50–0.92). Long-term lipid-lowering medication use was associated with lower risk of prostate cancer. Current use was possibly associated with fatal prostate cancer.
Phage-Based Anti-HER2 Vaccination Can Circumvent Immune Tolerance against Breast Cancer
Authors: Bartolacci Caterina , Andreani Cristina , Curcio Claudia , Occhipinti Sergio , Massaccesi Luca , Giovarelli Mirella , Galeazzi Roberta , Iezzi Manuela , Tilio Martina , Gambini Valentina , Wang Junbiao , Marchini Cristina , Amici Augusto
Published: October 2018

Δ16HER2 is a splice variant of HER2 and defined as the transforming isoform in HER2-positive breast cancer. It has been shown that Δ16HER2 promotes breast cancer aggressiveness and drug resistance. In the present work, we used in silico modeling to identify structural differences between Δ16HER2 and the wild-type HER2 proteins. We then developed DNA vaccines specifically against the Δ16HER2 isoform and showed that these immunotherapies hampered carcinogenesis in a breast cancer transplantable model. However, the vaccines failed to elicit immune protection in Δ16HER2 transgenic mice because of tolerogenic mechanisms toward the human HER2 self-antigen, a scenario commonly seen in HER2+ patients. Thus, we engineered bacteriophages with immunogenic epitopes of Δ16HER2 exposed on their coat for use as anticancer vaccines. These phage-based vaccines were able to break immune tolerance, triggering a protective anti-Δ16HER2 humoral response. These findings provide a rationale for the use of phage-based anti-HER2/Δ16HER2 vaccination as a safe and efficacious immunotherapy against HER2-positive breast cancers.
Bailout Strategies and Complications Associated with the Use of Flow-Diverting Stents for Treating Intracranial Aneurysms
Authors: Al-Mufti Fawaz , Cohen Eric R. , Amuluru Krishna , Patel Vikas , El-Ghanem Mohammad , Nuoman Rolla , Majmundar Neil , Dangayach Neha S. , Meyers Philip M.
Published: October 2018

Background: Flow-diverting stents (FDS) have revolutionized the endovascular management of unruptured, complex, wide-necked, and giant aneurysms. There is no consensus on management of complications associated with the placement of these devices. This review focuses on the management of complications of FDS for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Summary: We performed a systematic, qualitative review using electronic databases MEDLINE and Google Scholar. Complications of FDS placement generally occur during the perioperative period. Key Message: Complications associated with FDS may be divided into periprocedural complications, immediate postprocedural complications, and delayed complications. We sought to review these complications and novel management strategies that have been reported in the literature.
Pollenallergie gegen Ambrosia: Belastungen, Merkmale und Umgang mit einem importierten Allergieverursacher in Europa
Authors: Traidl-Hoffmann Claudia
Published: October 2018

Ambrosia artemisiifolia, also known as common or short ragweed, is an invasive annual flowering herbaceous plant that has its origin in North America. Nowadays, ragweed can be found in many areas worldwide. Ragweed pollen is known for its high potential to cause type I allergic reactions in late summer and autumn and represents a major health problem in America and several countries in Europe. Climate change and urbanization, as well as long distance transport capacity, enhance the spread of ragweed pollen. Therefore ragweed is becoming domestic in non-invaded areas which in turn will increase the sensitization rate. So far 11 ragweed allergens have been described and, according to IgE reactivity, Amb a 1 and Amb a 11 seem to be major allergens. Sensitization rates of the other allergens vary between 10 and 50%. Most of the allergens have already been recombinantly produced, but most of them have not been characterized regarding their allergenic activity, therefore no conclusion on the clinical relevance of all the allergens can be made, which is important and necessary for an accurate diagnosis. Pharmacotherapy is the most common treatment for ragweed pollen allergy but fails to impact on the course of allergy. Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only causative and disease-modifying treatment of allergy with long-lasting effects, but currently it is based on the administration of ragweed pollen extract or Amb a 1 only. In order to improve ragweed pollen AIT, new strategies are required with higher efficacy and safety.
Morbilliformes Exanthem im Kindesalter: Hinweis auf eine Antibiotika-Allergie
Authors: Fölster-Holst Regina
Published: October 2018

Background: The incidence of rash after aminopenicillin treatment in children with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) infection was reported to be 80-100%. A few recent studies suggested that the incidence may be much lower during EBV infection. There are no clear data on the incidence of true drug hypersensitivity among these patients. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of rash and antibiotic allergy after antibiotic treatment in children with EBV infection. Methods: Drug hypersensitivity was investigated in antibiotic-treated patients with a positive EBV IgM who developed a rash between 2013 and 2016. Results: During the study period, 221 children were diagnosed with EBV infection, and 120 (54.3%) patients were treated with antibiotics during disease. Rash developed in 41 (41/221, 18.6%) patients, and 20 of them (total 120; 16.6%) were treated with antibiotics (most frequently aminopenicillins: 72.5%), and 21 of them (total 101, 20.8%) were not treated with antibiotics (p = 0.43). For 10 of the 20 antibiotic-treated patients with a rash, parents did not consent to an allergy workup. Three of the 10 patients who were tested for drug allergy were proven to have amoxicillin-clavulanate hypersensitivity (30%). Five of the patients without workup reacted after reuse of the suspected drug for infection treatment. Conclusion: In this study, the incidence of drug hypersensitivity was much lower than previously reported. Some of the reactions that occur during infectious mononucleosis are transient, and some are true drug hypersensitivity reactions. Thus, these patients should be evaluated with allergy tests before these drugs are used again after EBV infection.
Diabetes, but Not Hypertension and Obesity, Is Associated with Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction
Authors: Lachmann Gunnar , Feinkohl Insa , Borchers Friedrich , Ottens Thomas H. , Nathoe Hendrik M. , Sauer Anne-Mette , Dieleman Jan M. , Radtke Finn M. , van Dijk Diederik , Spies Claudia , Pischon Tobias
Published: October 2018

Background/Aims: Older people undergoing surgery are at risk of developing postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), but little is known of risk factors predisposing patients to POCD. Our objective was to estimate the risk of POCD associated with exposure to preoperative diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. Methods: Original data from 3 randomised controlled trials (OCTOPUS, DECS, SuDoCo) were obtained for secondary analysis on diabetes, hypertension, baseline blood pressure, obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2), and BMI as risk factors for POCD in multiple logistic regression models. Risk estimates were pooled across the 3 studies. Results: Analyses totalled 1,034 patients. POCD occurred in 5.2% of patients in DECS, in 9.4% in SuDoCo, and in 32.1% of patients in OCTOPUS. After adjustment for age, sex, surgery type, randomisation, obesity, and hypertension, diabetes was associated with a 1.84-fold increased risk of POCD (OR 1.84; 95% CI 1.14, 2.97; p = 0.01). Obesity, BMI, hypertension, and baseline blood pressure were each not associated with POCD in fully adjusted models (all p > 0.05). Conclusion: Diabetes, but not obesity or hypertension, is associated with increased POCD risk. Consideration of diabetes status may be helpful for risk assessment of surgical patients.
Quantification of Eccentric Fixation Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: Nakamoto Yuki  , Takada Ryota , Tanaka Minatsu , Matsumoto Fumiko , Aomatsu Keiichi , Tachibana Kuniko , Eguchi Hiroshi , Kusaka Shunji
Published: October 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the utility of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the quantification of eccentric fixation in amblyopic patients. Material and Methods: In this study, 14 amblyopic patients and 10 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Under non-mydriatic conditions, fixation tests were performed directly using a fixation ophthalmoscope and indirectly using spectral-domain OCT. For evaluations using OCT, the distance between the fovea and the fixation point, which was determined by a cross-sectional image, was measured. Results: On evaluations of healthy volunteers by OCT, the mean distance between the fixation point and the fovea was 80.4 ± 37.7 μm for the dominant eyes and 63.7 ± 36.4 μm for non-dominant eyes (p = 0.41). In amblyopic patients, on evaluation by OCT, the mean distance between the fixation point and the fovea was 193.8 ± 188.3 μm in amblyopic eyes and 83.5 ± 39.3 μm in paired fellow eyes (p = 0.02). Although OCT could detect eccentric fixation points in all the affected eyes of amblyopic patients, fixation ophthalmoscope was unable to quantify them in 2 of 14 affected eyes. Conclusions: Compared with a fixation ophthalmoscope, our method using OCT seems to be superior both in quantification and detection of eccentric fixation in amblyopic patients, without the need for mydriasis.
Safety and Utility of Hybrid Depth Electrodes for Seizure Localization and Single-Unit Neuronal Recording
Authors: Carlson April A. , Rutishauser Ueli , Mamelak Adam N.
Published: October 2018

Background: Invasive electrode monitoring provides more precise localization of epileptogenic foci in patients with medically refractory epilepsy. The use of hybrid depth electrodes that include microwires for simultaneous single-neuron monitoring is becoming more widespread. Objective: To determine the safety and utility of hybrid depth electrodes for intracranial monitoring of medically refractory epilepsy. Methods: We reviewed the medical charts of 53 cases of medically refractory epilepsy operated on from 2006 to 2017, where both non-hybrid and hybrid microwire depth electrodes were used for intracranial monitoring. We assessed the localization accuracy and complications that arose to assess the relative safety and utility of hybrid depth electrodes compared with standard electrodes. Results: A total of 555 electrodes were implanted in 52 patients. The overall per-electrode complication rate was 2.3%, with a per-case complication rate of 20.8%. There were no infections or deaths. Serious or hemorrhagic complications occurred in 2 patients (0.4% per-electrode risk). Complications did not correlate with the use of any particular electrode type, and hybrids were equally as reliable as standard electrodes in localizing seizure onset zones. Conclusions: Hybrid depth electrodes appear to be as safe and effective as standard depth electrodes for intracranial monitoring and provide unique opportunities to study the human brain at single-neuron resolution.
Influence of Orexinergic System on Survival in Septic Rats
Authors: Takekawa Daiki , Kushikata Tetsuya , Akaishi Masahiro , Nikaido Yoshikazu , Hirota Kazuyoshi
Published: October 2018

Background: The orexinergic (OXergic) system contributes to the defense system. It has also been reported that the degeneration of OXergic neurons occurs during sepsis. Thus, the decline of OXergic activity may contribute to impairment of the defense system in sepsis. In this study, we determined whether: (i) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) reduces the brain orexin A (OXA) content and (ii) the OXergic system contributes to survival from sepsis in rats. Methods: With approval of our protocol by our University Animal Ethics Committee, OX neuron-ablated (OX/ataxin-3 transgenic [OX/AT3 TG]) and wild-type Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 250–350 g, were used. LPS (10 mg/kg) was administered intraperitonally to the wild-type rats (group SD, n = 26) and OX/AT3 TG rats (group TG, n = 14). Another 7 SD rats were included as a saline control (group C). Survival analysis was then performed over a period of 3 days. All surviving rats were decapitated and the brain OXA contents (from the cerebrocortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and pons) were quantified using ELISA kits. Results: In group SD, 61.5% rats survived, while in group TG, only 21.4% survived (p < 0.05). LPS significantly reduced OXA content (pg/mg of tissue) in group SD (2.92 ± 0.38) compared to in group C (4.10 ± 1.21) in the pons (p < 0.05). OXA content in group TG was substantially lower than in group C and group SD in all brain regions. Conclusions: LPS significantly reduced OXA contents in the pons which contains the locus coeruleus to regulate sympathetic activity in the defense system.
Gut Microbial Product Predicts Cardiovascular Risk in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients
Authors: Jadoon Adil , Mathew Anna V. , Byun Jaeman , Gadegbeku Crystal A. , Gipson Debbie S. , Afshinnia Farsad , Pennathur Subramaniam ,   for the Michigan Kidney Translational Core CPROBE Investigator Group
Published: October 2018

Background: The gut microbiota is altered in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and cardiovascular risk increases with progressive CKD. This study examined the potential link between short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are produced by the gut microbiota, and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with CKD. Methods: SCFAs were measured using a targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry platform in baseline plasma samples from 214 patients with CKD enrolled in the Clinical Phenotyping Resource and Biobank Core; 81 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 133 without CAD were randomly assigned to training and validation subsets. The primary outcome was a history of CAD and the secondary outcome was a composite history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) at enrollment. Results: We found significantly higher levels of the SCFA valerate among patients with CAD as compared with patients without CAD in the training set (p < 0.001). The valerate concentrations were also significantly higher among subjects with composite outcomes of CVD compared to those without CVD (p = 0.006). These results were subsequently replicated in the validation set. Logistic regression analysis revealed a strong independent association between plasma valerate levels and CVD in both training and validation sets. When valerate was added to the base clinical model comprising of diabetes, hypertension, urinary protein-creatinine ratio, and estimated glomerular filtration rate, it increased the c-statistics for predicting CVD from 0.68 to 0.79 (p = 0.02) in the training set, an observation which was confirmed in the validation set. ­Conclusion: This study provides evidence for alterations in gut-microbiota-derived SCFAs with advancing CKD, demonstrates the association of higher plasma valerate levels with pre-existing CVD, and reveals areas for future exploration of cardiovascular risk in patients with CKD.
Uterine Adenosarcoma
Authors: Ulrich Uwe A. , Denschlag Dominik
Published: October 2018

Uterine adenosarcoma is a rare malignancy. It is defined as a biphasic tumor composed of both sarcomatous stroma and benign epithelium. While the sarcomatous component usually is a low-grade homologous uterine sarcoma, the epithelium most often consists of endometrium-like cells. If the sarcomatous part occupies more than 25% of the tumor volume, the situation is referred to as sarcomatous overgrowth - accounting for about 10% of cases. While adenosarcoma usually may be considered a tumor of low malignant potential, the sarcomatous overgrowth most often presents as high-grade sarcoma and is associated with aggressive clinical behavior. Adenosarcomas stage I without sarcomatous overgrowth have a rather good prognosis, with a 5-year overall survival up to 80%. For treatment, complete surgical removal is advocated. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy are not defined. Recurrences should again be treated surgically, attempting to achieve complete tumor resection. While the optimum medical treatment for relapsed and metastasized adenosarcomas has yet to be found, chemotherapy and endocrine therapy are potential options.
Phenotypic features of Helicina variabilis (Gastropoda: Neritimorpha) from Minas Gerais, Brazil
Authors: Simone Luiz Ricardo L.
Published: October 2018

Helicina variabilis Wagner, 1827 (Neritimorpha, Helicinidae) is redescribed based on a sample collected in Nanuque, northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. The species description, previously based only on the shell, is expanded to the phenotypic features. The study revealed absorption of the internal shell whorls; a diaphragm muscle connected to the floor of the pallial cavity; a monoaulic pallial oviduct, with the female genital aperture inside the anal aperture, and the lack of a seminal receptacle and provaginal sac; and the pleural ganglia of the nerve ring connected with each other. The significance of these findings is discussed in the light of current taxonomic and phylogenetic knowledge.
Neotropical felid specimens at the Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi: species, distribution, and morphometric data
Authors: Bezerra Alexandra Maria Ramos , Bordallo Samanta Uchôa
Published: October 2018

Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi (MPEG), situated at Brazilian state of Pará, houses the third largest South-American mammal scientific collection, being a primary source of information for the study of Amazonian and Neotropical mammalians. The collection holds 245 felid specimens, comprising 210 skulls, 53 skins, 10 skeletons, and two anatomical pieces, representing 90% of wild Brazilian cat species, mainly from localities of Northern Brazil. We presented a list of this material, indexed by the genera and species. We also provided craniodental measurements of all the specimens with skull, and comment on the conservation status of the species and other remarkable data, including the first record of Leopardus tigrinus in the Brazilian state of Rondônia.
New species and synonymies in Hexoplonini Martins, 2006 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae), with notes and new records on Cerambycinae Latreille, 1802
Authors: Nascimento Francisco Eriberto De Lima , Santos-Silva Antonio
Published: October 2018

Glyptoscapus letiziae, a new species of Hexoplonini Martins, 2006, is described from Brazil (Minas Gerais). Glyptoscapus cicatricosus Aurivillius, 1899 and G. vanettii Martins, 1959 are synonymized with G. pallidulus (White, 1855). A key to species of Glyptoscapus is provided. New state records are presented for Thoracibidion io (Thomson, 1867) (Neoibidionini), Coleoxestia rafaeli Santos-Silva & Wappes, 2017 and C. denticornis (Gahan, 1892) (Cerambycini). The female of C. rafaeli is described for the first time.
A new species of Trichomyia (Diptera: Psychodidae: Trichomyiinae) and report of antennal sensilla in adult
Authors: Araújo Maíra Xavier , Bravo Freddy
Published: October 2018

This paper describes and illustrates Trichomyia muiraquita Araújo & Bravo sp. nov. from the state of Amazonas, Brazil. Furthermore, with the aid of a scanning electron microscope and light microscope, we report for the first time the presence of two small sensilla in flagellomeres of the Trichomyia species.
Global panorama of studies about freshwater oligochaetes: main trends and gaps
Authors: Rodrigues Luciana Falci Theza , Alves Roberto Da Gama
Published: October 2018

Freshwater oligochaetes have been studied over the years in a wide range of habitats around the world. To analyse the data published about freshwater oligochaetes in the 31 year period between 1985 and 2015, we searched for documents in the ISI Web of Science, Scopus and SciELO databases. A total of 979 works were evaluated from 184 periodicals. The United States is the country with the most publications about aquatic oligochaetes, followed by France, Germany and Italy. Works related to the ecology and ecotoxicology of these organisms are most abundant. Studies carried out in the laboratory are most frequent, consisting of investigations involving bioassays, morphology, genetics and molecular biology. The results also show that spring, cave water bodies and swamps have been studied less than any other aquatic habitat and that countries of the Southern Hemisphere are under-represented in the studies of aquatic oligochaetes. Hence, there is a need for increased efforts to fill in gaps in the knowledge about these oligochaetes.
Gross brain morphology of Rhamdia quelen (Quoy & Gaimard 1824) (Ostariophysi: Siluriformes: Heptapteridae)
Authors: Abrahão Vitor Pimenta , Pupo Fábio Müller dos Reis de Salles , Shibatta Oscar Akio
Published: October 2018

The brain gross morphology of Rhamdia quelen is described and compared with seven species of six genera of Heptapteridae. Interspecific variation in shape, size, and position of brain subdivisions was observed in all examined species. The posterior position of the hypophysis on the hypothalamus and presence of a lateral subdivision on the lobus facialis are shared by all examined heptapterids. Rhamdia quelen and Pimelodella gracilis, currently considered closely related within the family Heptapteridae, exhibit the anterior and posterior area of the telencephalon with equivalent widths, and the lateral line lobe reaching the anterior area of the lobus vagi. Members of the so called Nemuroglanis sub-clade (Cetopsorhamdia iheringi, Heptapterus mustelinus, Imparfinis mirini, and Phenacorhamdia tenebrosa) share the lobus vagi proportional smaller than the lobus facialis; the lateral line lobe reaching the half length of the lobus facialis; the tectum mesencephali in contact with the telencephalon, and thinner anterior area of the telencephalon. The results reveal several features that are phylogenetically informative among the heptapterids examined, and corroborate previous hypotheses based on other non-neural anatomical characters.
Description of the female of Brasineura diamantina Silva-Neto & García Aldrete (Psocodea, ‘Psocoptera’, Ptiloneuridae), with comments on variation in the wing venation
Authors: Lima Daniel Moura , Silva Neto Alberto Moreira da , García-Aldrete Alfonso Neri , Bravo Freddy
Published: October 2018

The unknown female of Brasineura diamantina Silva-Neto & García Aldrete, is described and illustrated, with new records and comments on variation in the fore-hindwing venation, based on 27 females and 113 males collected in five localities in the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil. Thirty four types of variation and anomalies in the fore-hindwing veins were found. A revised diagnosis of B. diamantina is also presented.
Recombinase polymerase amplification assay for rapid detection of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne enterolobii
Authors: Subbotin Sergei A.
Published: October 2018

Rapid diagnosis tools for detection of root-knot nematodes play an important role in the disease control and eradication programme. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assays were developed targeting the IGS rRNA gene of the pacara earpod tree root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne enterolobii. The RPA assays using TwistAmp® Basic and TwistAmp® exo kits allowed detection of M. enterolobii from gall tissues and crude nematode extracts of all stages of target species without a DNA extraction step. The results of real-time RPA assays using a real-time fluorescent detection of a series of crude nematode extracts showed reliable detection with sensitivity of 1/10 of a second-stage juvenile in a RPA reaction tube after 15-20 min. The RPA assay provides affordable, simple, fast and sensitive detection of M. enterolobii.
Pneumatological Considerations for Christian-Muslim Peacebuilding Engagement
Authors: Anyanwu Uchenna D.
Published: October 2018

This essay explores the understanding of the Holy Spirit in Islam and his role in missio Dei from a Christian missiological perspective, and then argues for pneumatological considerations that Jesus’s followers can employ to promote Christian-Muslim peacebuilding engagement. It asserts that the task of reconciling all things belongs primarily to the domain of missio Dei and, consequently, that the Holy Spirit is the One who initiates and creates occasions and circumstances that birth enduring, holistic, and true peace. Armed with such understanding, peacebuilding enthusiasts who follow Jesus can engage in christo-pneumatological peacebuilding that entails the practice of faithful presence—dwelling with the “other” as the temple of the Holy Spirit, who glorifies the Son and the Father through the human participant in the missio Dei.
The Changing Landscape of (Political) Islam in Azerbaijan: Its Contextual Underpinnings and Future Prospects
Authors: Ismayilov Murad
Published: October 2018

By the time Azerbaijan became independent in 1991, it had spent seven decades subsumed into the militant atheism of the Soviet modernization project. Moreover, it emerged into the staunchly secular international context of Western modernity. These two factors combined with the tough reality of the country’s precarious geography to promise a sustained indigenous effort to desacralize the country’s political space and exclude religion from politics, a blueprint common to the modern world and one which Azerbaijani state and society have united to pursue over the course of the country’s independent existence. Yet the specific dynamics facing the country in the third decade of independence and the changing contours of its international engagements have been working to loosen up the latter formula, laying the groundwork for a quintessentially Azerbaijani pathway of statehood that will combine the nation’s historical embeddedness in an Islamic milieu with its century-old practical experience of modern policymaking.
Phylloporus pruinatus, a new lamellate bolete from subtropical China
Authors: ZHAO KUAN , ZENG NIAN-KAI , HAN LI-HONG , GAO XIAO-YE , LIU JIAN-TAO , WANG SONG-HUA , GU BING
Published: October 2018

Phylloporus pruinatus is described as a new species characterized by its small basidiomata about 2–3 cm diam, a yellowish brown to reddish brown pileal surface covered with a thin white pruina, white to cream yellow context, whitish basal mycelium and small spores. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on three gene makers (ITS, nrLSU and tef1-α) also confirmed it belongs to the genus Phylloporus and that it is distinct from any known species. Morphological illustrations and descriptions are provided.
Five new Lathys species (Araneae: Dictynidae) from South China and the first description of the male of Lathys spiralis Zhang, Hu & Zhang, 2012
Authors: LIU KEKE , MENG ZEYUAN , XIAO YONGHONG , XU XIANG
Published: October 2018

Dictynidae spiders were collected from Jinggang Mountain National Nature Reserve, Jiangxi Province, China in the past four years. Five new species are described and illustrated with photographs, SEMs and line drawings: Lathys adunca Liu spec. nov. (male), L. deltoidea Liu spec. nov. (female), L. fibulata Liu spec. nov. (female), L. huangyangjieensis Liu spec. nov. (male, female) and L. zhanfengi Liu spec. nov. (female). Both sexes of the species L. spiralis Zhang, Hu & Zhang, 2012 were collected from leaf litter in Jinggangshan University and the male is described for the first time. All specimens are deposited in the Animal Specimen Museum, Life Science College, at the Jinggangshan University (ASM-JGSU).
New species of genus Mudaria Moore, 1893 and the first record of Mudaria cornifrons Moore, 1893 from Thailand (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae)
Authors: PELLINEN MARKKU , MUTANEN MARKO , SIHVONEN PASI
Published: October 2018

The Noctuidae genus Mudaria Moore, 1893, as treated in this paper, comprises 20 species distributed in the Oriental region from India to Fiji, with its centre of diversity in the Sundaland. The biology of the genus is unusual, in that the larvae bore into the fruits or pods of plants in family Bombacaceae (Holloway 1989) and Sterculiaceae (Robinson et al. 2001). Larvae of M. cornifrons have been recorded in the pods of silk-cotton tree (Bombax), in pods of kapok (Ceiba pentandra), in durian fruits (Durio) (Roepke 1916, Holloway 1989, Tan & Tan 1991 [1992], Kuroko & Lewvanich 1993) and in Pterospermum fruit (Robinson et al. 2001). On Bombax mature larvae emerge from fallen pods and tunnel into the soil to pupate in an earthen cocoon lined with silk (Holloway, 1989). Adult emergence is timed to coincide with the flowering of the host.
A review of the beaded lacewings (Neuroptera: Berothidae) from China
Authors: LI DI , ASPöCK HORST , ASPÖCK ULRIKE , LIU XINGYUE
Published: October 2018

The lacewing family Berothidae (beaded lacewings) of China is a poorly known group. It consists of two genera and 11 previously described species. In this paper, we provide a revision of the beaded lacewings from China. The genus Berotha Walker, 1860, in China contains seven species including one new species: Berotha guangdongana sp. nov. The second genus, Isoscelipteron Costa, 1863, comprises six species from China, including one new species, namely Isoscelipteron acuticaudatum sp. nov. Descriptions and re-descriptions of the species are provided as well as an identification key to the species of Berothidae from China.
Elevation to species level and redescription of Xysticus alpinus Kulczyński, 1887 stat. n. (Araneae, Thomisidae)
Authors: BALLARIN FRANCESCO , PANTINI PAOLO , GOBBI MAURO
Published: October 2018

Xysticus alpinus Kulczyński, 1887 stat. n. from Central-Eastern Alps, previously considered a subspecies of X. lanio C. L. Koch, 1835, is analyzed in detail. Redescription of both sexes and illustrations of habitus and genitalia are provided. A careful comparison with the nominal species is carried out revealing clear differences in morphology and habitat preferences. In light of this evidence, its elevation to species level is proposed.
“We Shall Be Outspoken”: Student Political Activism in Post-Independence Ghana, c.1957–1966
Authors: Asiedu-Acquah Emmanuel
Published: October 2018

This paper looks at student political activism in Ghana in the late 1950s and 1960s. Using Ghanaian and British archives, it examines how students of Ghana’s universities politically engaged with the government of Kwame Nkrumah and his ruling Convention People’s Party (CPP). Student activism manifested most in the conflict between the Nkrumah government, on one hand, and university authorities and students, on the other hand, over the purpose of higher education, university autonomy, and nationalism. The conflict coalesced around the idea of educated youth as model citizens. Contrary to the denial in existing literature, the paper argues that a nascent student movement and tradition of student political activism had emerged since the late 1950s. University student activism established itself as a fulcrum of the country’s evolving postcolonial political order and a bulwark against governmental authoritarianism. In the larger context of the global 1960s, Ghanaian student activism belonged to the wave of youth protests against governments that favored stability and opposed all dissent.
Responding to sexual violence: Women’s mobilization in war
Authors: Kreft Anne-Kathrin
Published: October 2018

Gender scholars show that women in situations of civil war have an impressive record of agency in the social and political spheres. Civilian women’s political mobilization during conflict includes active involvement in civil society organizations, such as nongovernmental organizations or social movements, and public articulation of grievances – in political protest, for example. Existing explanations of women’s political mobilization during conflict emphasize the role of demographic imbalances opening up spaces for women. This article proposes a complementary driving factor: women mobilize politically in response to the collective threat that conflict-related sexual violence constitutes to women as a group. Coming to understand sexual violence as a violent manifestation of a patriarchal culture and gender inequalities, women mobilize in response to this violence and around a broader range of women’s issues with the goal of transforming sociopolitical conditions. A case study of Colombia drawing on qualitative interviews illustrates the causal mechanism of collective threat framing in women’s collective mobilization around conflict-related sexual violence. Cross-national statistical analyses lend support to the macro-level implications of the theoretical framework and reveal a positive association between high prevalence of conflict-related rape on the one hand and women’s protest activity and linkages to international women’s nongovernmental organizations on the other.
Shifting Influences of Pregnancy on Union Formation Across Age and Union Stability Across Cohabitation Duration
Authors: Thorsen Maggie L.
Published: October 2018

Nonmarital pregnancy increases the likelihood of entering a marital or cohabiting union. The timing of a pregnancy within the life course of an individual or relationship duration may also affect the likelihood of forming coresidential unions and their stability. This study examines the association between nonmarital pregnancy and first union formation and how this varies across age. It also considers whether the influence of pregnancy on the stability of cohabitations shifts across their duration. Using data on young adults in the United States (Add Health), competing-risk event-history models examine the time-varying influence of pregnancy on union formation and stability. Findings suggest that pregnancy is more strongly associated with union formation during adolescence, becoming less influential as women age. Within cohabitations, pregnancy had a bigger impact on increasing the likelihood of marriage early within unions, but the longer a couple cohabited the less likely they were to transition to marriage when pregnant.
Insurance Status and Survival of Patients with Salivary Gland Cancer
Authors: Saraswathula Anirudh , Megwalu Uchechukwu C.
Published: October 2018

Objectives

To evaluate the impact of insurance status on survival among patients with major salivary gland cancer.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

SEER program.

Subjects and Methods

We included patients aged <65 years diagnosed with major salivary gland cancers from 2007 to 2013. Those aged ≥65 years were excluded due to issues ascertaining insurance status. The independent variable was insurance status (insured, uninsured, or Medicaid); the primary outcome measure was overall survival (OS); and the secondary outcome measure was disease‐specific survival (DSS).

Results

Compared with insured patients, uninsured and Medicaid patients were more likely to present with stage III‐IV disease (uninsured: odds ratio [OR], 1.57; 95% CI, 1.09‐2.27; Medicaid: OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.27‐2.20) and with distant metastasis (uninsured: OR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.18‐3.57; Medicaid: OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.25‐3.01) after adjusting for demographic and tumor variables. Uninsured and Medicaid patients also had worse OS (uninsured: hazard ratio [HR], 1.62; 95% CI, 1.14‐2.29; Medicaid: HR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.33‐2.38) and DSS (uninsured: HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.08‐2.29; Medicaid: HR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.25‐2.25) after adjusting for demographic and tumor variables. After further adjusting for treatment variables, only Medicaid status was significantly associated with worse OS (HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.30‐2.26) and DSS (HR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.23‐2.23).

Conclusions

Insurance status is associated with stage at presentation and survival among patients with salivary gland cancer.
Hypopharyngeal Cancer Treatment Delays: Benchmarks and Survival Association
Authors: Morse Elliot , Berson Elisa , Fujiwara Rance , Judson Benjamin , Mehra Saral
Published: October 2018

Objective

To characterize treatment delays in hypopharyngeal cancer, identify factors associated with delays, and associate delays with overall survival.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort.

Setting

Commission on Cancer hospitals nationwide.

Subjects and Methods

We included patients in the National Cancer Database who were treated for hypopharyngeal cancer with primary radiation, concurrent chemoradiation, or induction chemotherapy and radiation. We identified median durations of diagnosis to treatment initiation (DTI), radiation treatment duration (RTD), and diagnosis to treatment end (DTE). We associated delays with patient, tumor, and treatment factors and overall survival via multivariable logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression, respectively.

Results

A total of 3850 patients treated with primary radiation or concurrent chemoradiation were included. Median durations of DTI, RTD, and DTE were 37, 52, and 92 days, respectively. Nonwhite race was associated with delays in DTI (odds ratio [OR] = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.51‐0.80; P <. 001) and DTE (OR = 0.60; 95% CI, 0.49‐0.75; P <. 001). Medicaid insurance was associated with delays in DTI (OR = 1.43; 95% CI, 1.07‐1.90; P =. 015), RTD (OR = 1.39; 95% CI, 1.06‐1.83; P =. 018), and DTE (OR = 1.48; 95% CI, 1.12‐1.97; P =. 007). Delays in RTD (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.11‐1.37; P <. 001), not DTI (HR = 0.92; 95% CI, 0.82‐1.03; P =. 150) or DTE (HR = 1.01; 95% CI, 0.90‐1.15; P =. 825), were associated with impaired overall survival. We identified 922 patients who received induction chemotherapy. Delays in DTI, RTD, and DTE were not associated with overall survival in this cohort (HR = 1.10; 95% CI, 0.87‐1.39; P = 0.435; HR = 1.05; 95% CI, 0.83‐1.32; P = 0.686; HR = 1.11; 95% CI, 0.88‐1.41; P = 0.377, respectively).

Conclusions

The median durations identified can serve as national benchmarks. Delays during radiation are associated with impaired overall survival among patients treated with primary radiation or chemoradiation but not patients treated with induction chemotherapy.
Impact of Delay in Treatment Initiation on Overall Survival in Laryngeal Cancers
Authors: Kompelli Anvesh Reddy , Li Hong , Neskey David Michael
Published: October 2018

Objective

Delayed treatment significantly affects survival in head and neck cancer, but defining delays for specific subsites remains controversial. The purpose of this study is to elicit the time point for delay in treatment initiation in all laryngeal cancers using a large cohort of patients within the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Study Design

A retrospective cohort study.

Setting

NCDB.

Subjects and Methods

Patients with laryngeal cancer within the NCDB from 2006 to 2014 were identified. A recursive partition analysis (RPA) was performed to identify the time point at which delay contributed to increased hazard. Patients were stratified into 3 groups: no delay, at risk, and overtly delayed. Kaplan‐Meier method was used to compare overall survival of these cohorts. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of delay. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to identify the final covariates that significantly affect overall survival.

Results

RPA identified the threshold for delay becomes significant at 46 days and exceeds baseline hazard at 73 days. Delay beyond 73 days is associated with a 16.1‐month decrease in median survival (P <. 001). To ensure this was not due to any confounding variables, a subsequent Cox multivariate regression confirmed a significantly increased adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for patients who were at risk or delayed (adjusted HR [confidence interval], 1.09 [1.04‐1.15] and 1.26 [1.18‐1.35], respectively).

Conclusion

Treatment of laryngeal cancer requires a multidisciplinary approach, and coordinating this care can take time. Our study highlights that delay beyond 46 to 73 days significantly affects survival and identifies patients experiencing these delays.
Quantifying the angiogenesis of C6 glioma in rats based on CT quantitative parameters
Authors: Huang Xiaoyu , Liang Xiaohong , Zhang Qiaoying , Wang Dan , Liu Jianli , Zhang Lingyan , Zhou Junlin
Published: October 2018

Background

Glioma is the most common neoplasm that is neuroepithelial in nature. However, Spectral computed tomography (CT) has rarely been reported to detect angiogenesis in tumors.

Purpose

To investigate the value of multi-parameter spectral CT for the detection of angiogenesis in C6 glioma in rats.

Material and Methods

Fifteen male Wistar rats were seeded with C6 glioma cells in the right basal ganglia and spectral CT-enhanced scanning was performed at days 7, 10, and 14 after the C6 glioma cells were seeded. The spectral CT parameters were measured in three areas: the solid tumor; the peritumoral area; and the contralateral mirror area. After different periods of scanning, the rats’ brain tissue was stained with HE and CD105 immunohistochemical staining. Different periods of spectral CT quantitative parameters and pathological images were analyzed.

Results

The spectral CT parameter and CD105 among the solid tumor, peritumoral area, and contralateral mirror area were significantly different: monochromatic CT value (211.30 ± 34.67 HU, 119.16 ± 13.31 HU, and 55.59 ± 7.87 HU, P < 0.001); CD105 (16.14 ± 1.91, 6.79 ± 1.31, and 2.50 ± 0.51, P < 0.001); spectral curve slope (10.35 ± 1.89, 5.33 ± 0.87, 0.88 ± 0.26, P < 0.001); iodine (water) value (49.75 ± 9.02, 26.04 ± 4.32, 4.36 ± 1.18, P < 0.001). CD105 correlated strongly with the CT value at 65 keV (correlation coefficient r = 0.98, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Multi-parameter spectral CT can reflect the formation of tumor angiogenesis in rat C6 glioma to a certain extent and can be used as an effective means to evaluate glioma.
Interferon in Breast Cancer
Authors: De Lustig Eugenia S. , De De La Peña Nuria Cortada , Canonico Abel
Published: October 2018

The interferon production ability by leukocytes in vitro from 37 patients with mammary cancer was studied. The leukocytes were derived from patients between 27 and 80 years of age, 6 months and up to 28 years after removal of the primary tumor. The interferon titer of 34/37 human breast cancer leukocytes was 2–8 times lower than that of 35 normal donor leukocytes and 3 non-neoplastic diseases. No correlation between interferon titers, the patient's age, and the histologic tumor features was observed; however, interferon production was observed to return to normal in those patients who had a long remission period or whose tumors were locally confined. Interferon response of patients under different therapy was modified: radiotherapy affected interferon production more severely than chemotherapy. A tendency for association between the skin DNCB test and interferon response was found. An inverse correlation was observed between interferon titers and the PHA-induced transformation index.
Serum Copper and Ceruloplasmin Levels in Patients with Neoplasias Localized in the Stomach, Large Intestine or Lung
Authors: Scanni Alberto , Licciardello Luciano , Trovato Marinella , Tomirotti Maurizio , Biraghi Maurizio
Published: October 2018

Serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels were determined in patients with solid neoplasias in different sites (stomach, large intestine, lung). Statistical analysis showed that serum copper levels increased significantly in all the forms studied. The serum ceruloplasmin level, on the contrary, was high in gastric and pulmonary cancer, while in tumors localised in the large intestine the increase was not significant. In 58 cases, there was a correlation between copper and ceruloplasmin levels in the same subject; this correlation proved significant solely in gastric forms. Moreover, statistical analysis of the two parameters in question did not reveal any significant differences between localized and metastasized forms.
Long Survival in Philadelphia-Chromosome-Positive Acute Leukemia
Authors: Sahdev Indira , Verma Ram S. , Dosik Harvey
Published: October 2018

A case of Philadelphia (Ph')-chromosome-positive acute leukemia (AL) is presented who went into remission with disappearance of the Ph1 chromosome and later on developed the chronic phase of chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL) with reappearance of the Ph1 chromosome. The patient is alive 6+ years following the diagnosis. The entity of Ph1-positive AL is discussed. It is suggested that the patients with Ph1-positive AL who develop CGL have a better prognosis than previously described.
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Fatal Pulmonary Toxicity to Combination Chemotherapy Containing Bleomycin: A Case Report
Authors: Giaccone Giuseppe , Risio Mauro , Bonardi Gianmaria , Calciati Alessandro
Published: October 2018

Bleomycin is a commonly used anticancer agent; in particular, it is an important component of multidrug regimens for germ cell tumors. The limiting toxicity of bleomycin is represented by pulmonary interstitial fibrosis; mucocutaneous side effects are common, but usually harmless. We describe a case of a young girl who developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome following the administration of bleomycin in a three-drug regimen containing vinblastine and cisplatin, for an ovarian immature teratoma. The severe dermatologic toxicity was kept under control, but a rapidly evolving respiratory insufficiency due to lung fibrosis developed soon thereafter and caused the patient's death.