bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cytoprotective Mechanisms Mediated by Polyphenols from Chilean Native Berries against Free Radical‐Induced Damage on AGS Cells
Authors: Ávila Felipe , Theoduloz Cristina , López-Alarcón Camilo , Dorta Eva , Schmeda-Hirschmann Guillermo
Published: May 2017

The prevalence of cytoprotective mechanisms induced by polyphenols such as activation of intracellular antioxidant responses (ICM) and direct free radical scavenging was investigated in native Chilean species of strawberries, raspberries, and currants. Human gastric epithelial cells were co‐ and preincubated with polyphenolic‐enriched extracts (PEEs) from Chilean raspberries (Rubus geoides), strawberries (Fragaria chiloensis ssp. chiloensis f. chiloensis), and currants (Ribes magellanicum) and challenged with peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals. Cellular protection was determined in terms of cell viability, glyoxalase I and glutathione s‐transferases activities, and carboxymethyl lysine (CML) and malondialdehyde levels. Our results indicate that cytoprotection induced by ICM was the prevalent mechanism for Rubus geoides and F. chiloensis. This agreed with increased levels of glyoxalase I and glutathione S‐transferase activities in cells preincubated with PEEs. ORAC index indicated that F. chiloensis was the most efficient peroxyl radical scavenger. Moreover, ICM mediated by F. chiloensis was effective in protecting cells from CML accumulation in contrast to the protective effects induced by free radical scavenging. Our results indicate that although both polyphenol‐mediated mechanisms can exert protective effects, ICM was the most prevalent in AGS cells. These results suggest a potential use of these native berries as functional food.
Investigation on the Transition Criterion of Smooth Stratified Flow to Other Flow Patterns for Gas-Hydrate Slurry Flow
Authors: Shi Bohui , Wang Jiaqi , Yu Yifan , Ding Lin , Liu Yang , Wu Haihao
Published: May 2017

A stability criterion for gas-hydrate slurry stratified flow was developed. The model was based on one-dimensional gas-liquid two-fluid model and perturbation method, considering unstable factors including shear stress, gravity, and surface tension. In addition, mass transfer between gas and liquid phase caused by hydrate formation was taken into account by implementing an inward and outward natural gas hydrates growth shell model for water-in-oil emulsion. A series of gas-hydrate slurry flow experiments were carried out in a high-pressure (>10 MPa) horizontal flow loop. The transition criterion of smooth stratified flow to other flow patterns for gas-hydrate slurry flow was established and validated and combined with experimental data at different water cuts. Meanwhile, parameters of this stability criterion were defined. This stability criterion was proved to be efficient for predicting the transition from smooth to nonsmooth stratified flow for gas-hydrate slurry.
Adoptive Cellular Gene Therapy for the Treatment of Experimental Autoimmune Polychondritis Ear Disease
Authors: Zhou Bin , Liao Yonggan , Guo Yunkai , Tarner Ingo H. , Liao Chunfen , Chen Sisi , Kermany Mohammad Habiby , Tu Hanjun , Zhong Sen , Chen Peijie
Published: May 2017

In the past, the clinical therapy for autoimmune diseases, such as autoimmune polychondritis ear disease, was mostly limited to nonspecific immunosuppressive agents, which could lead to variable responses. Currently, gene therapy aims at achieving higher specificity and less adverse effects. This concept utilizes the adoptive transfer of autologous T cells that have been retrovirally transduced ex vivo to express and deliver immunoregulatory gene products to sites of autoimmune inflammation. In the animal model of collagen-induced autoimmune polychondritis ear disease (CIAPED), the adoptive transfer of IL-12p40-expressing collagen type II (CII)-specific CD4+ T-cell hybridomas resulted in a significantly lower disease incidence and severity compared with untreated or vector-only-treated animals. In vivo cell detection using bioluminescent labels showed that transferred CII-reactive T-cell hybridomas accumulated in the inflamed earlobes of the mice with CIAPED. In vitro analysis demonstrated that IL-12p40-transduced T cells did not affect antigen-specific T-cell activation or systemic anti-CII Ab responses. However, IL-12p40-transduced T cells suppressed IFN-γ and augmented IL-4 production, indicating their potential to act therapeutically by interrupting Th1-mediated inflammatory responses via augmenting Th2 responses. These results indicate that the local delivery of IL-12p40 by T cells could inhibit CIAPED by suppressing autoimmune responses at the site of inflammation.
Tryptophan-Immunadsorption: Eine gute Alternative für steroidrefraktäre Multiple-Sklerose-Patienten
Authors: Göbel Katja
Published: May 2017

Hintergrund: Bei Multipler Sklerose (MS) tritt nach einem großen Teil der Schübe keine vollständige Erholung ein. Unser Ziel war es, die Evidenzbasis für die klinische Anwendung der Immunadsorption (IA) als Eskalationstherapie für Patienten mit MS-Schub wesentlich zu erweitern. Methoden: Wir führten eine retrospektive multizentrische Studie bei Patienten mit MS durch, die bei steroidrefraktären Schüben mit Tryptophan-IA behandelt wurden. Die wichtigste Zielgröße war die Veränderung der mit dem akuten Schub assoziierten Beeinträchtigung laut Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) und die Messung der Sehschärfe (Visus) bei Patienten mit Optikusneuritis (ON). Die IA-Behandlungen erfolgten mit Tryptophan-Adsorbern zum Einmalgebrauch. Ergebnisse: Die Daten von 147 MS-Patienten und 786 einzelnen IA-Behandlungen wurden ausgewertet. Die IA-Behandlungen begannen im Mittel 32 ± 35 Tage nach Einsetzen eines Schubes. 105 der 147 Patienten (71,4%) zeigten nach einer mittleren Anzahl von 5,4 IA-Behandlungen innerhalb von 7-10 Tagen funktionelle Verbesserungen. Der EDSS-Score verbesserte sich im Median von 5 (Interquartilsabstand (IQR): 3,5) auf 4 (IQR: 2,5) (p < 0,001). Bei Patienten mit ON (n = 32) verbesserte sich der Visus nach einer IA-Behandlungsreihe in 84% der Fälle im Median von 0,2 (IQR: 0,6) auf 0,6 (IQR: 0,66) (p < 0,001). Bei 98,9% der IA-Behandlungen traten keine klinisch bedeutsamen Nebenwirkungen auf. Schlussfolgerung: Tryptophan-IA erwies sich als wirksame und gut verträgliche Eskalationstherapie bei MS-Schüben.
Schizophrenia and Human Self-Domestication: An Evolutionary Linguistics Approach
Authors: Benítez-Burraco Antonio , Di Pietro Lorena , Barba Marta , Lattanzi Wanda
Published: May 2017

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder that entails social and cognitive deficits, including marked language problems. Its complex multifactorial etiopathogenesis, including genetic and environmental factors, is still widely uncertain. SZ incidence has always been high and quite stable in human populations, across time and regardless of cultural implications, for unclear reasons. It has been hypothesized that SZ pathophysiology may involve the biological components that changed during the recent human evolutionary history, and led to our distinctive mode of cognition, which includes language skills. In this paper we explore this hypothesis, focusing on the self-domestication of the human species. This has been claimed to account for many human-specific distinctive traits, including aspects of our behavior and cognition, and to favor the emergence of complex languages through cultural evolution. The “domestication syndrome” in mammals comprises the constellation of traits exhibited by domesticated strains, seemingly resulting from the hypofunction of the neural crest. It is our intention to show that people with SZ exhibit more marked domesticated traits at the morphological, physiological, and behavioral levels. We also show that genes involved in domestication and neural crest development and function comprise nearly 20% of SZ candidates, most of which exhibit altered expression profiles in the brain of SZ patients, specifically in areas involved in language processing. Based on these observations, we conclude that SZ may represent an abnormal ontogenetic itinerary for the human faculty of language, resulting, at least in part, from changes in genes important for the domestication syndrome and primarily involving the neural crest.
Visual Outcomes of Pars Plana Vitrectomy with Epiretinal Membrane Peeling in Patients with Asteroid Hyalosis: A Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Mouna Ali , Berrod Jean-Paul , Conart Jean-Baptiste
Published: May 2017

Background: The study aimed to evaluate outcomes of epiretinal membrane (ERM) peeling in patients with asteroid hyalosis (AH) and to compare them with those from controls without AH. Methods: This is a retrospective matched cohort study of 1,104 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for ERM between January 2004 and February 2014. Patients with AH were included in the study group and were matched for preoperative visual acuity, age, gender, date of surgery, and axial length with control patients without AH selected from the same cohort. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) on optical coherence tomography were measured at baseline and postoperatively with a minimum follow-up period of 12 months. Results: A total of 44 patients were included in the AH group and 44 in the control group. The mean initial BCVA was 0.53 ± 0.21 LogMAR for the AH group vs. 0.49 ± 0.20 LogMAR for the control group, and the mean initial CMT was 419 ± 74 vs. 423 ± 75 µm, respectively. During the follow-up, no significant difference was found regarding the final BCVA at 6 months (0.23 ± 0.14 vs. 0.24 ± 0.17) LogMAR (p = 0.87) and 12 months (0.16 ± 0.09 vs. 0.17 ± 0.12) LogMAR (p = 0.92), despite a tendency toward slower visual recovery for the AH group at 1 month, with a mean BCVA of 0.36 ± 0.12 vs. 0.28 ± 0.18 LogMAR (p = 0.08). No difference was found regarding the progression of CMT at 1.6 and 12 months with a mean CMT of 396 ± 47 vs. 378 ± 55 µm (p = 0.39), 356 ± 39 vs. 365 ± 41 µm (p = 0.48), and 349 ± 68 vs. 352 ± 53 µm (p = 0.87), respectively. Conclusion: Vitrectomy with ERM peeling in patients with AH was beneficial and showed similar functional and anatomical outcomes in both groups. AH does not seem to affect visual improvement or the complication rate after ERM peeling. Therefore, the indications for vitrectomy in case of ERM should not be prompted by the presence of AH.
Prognostic Parameters for Patients with Cervical Cancer FIGO Stages IA2-IIB: A Long-Term Follow-Up
Authors: Obrzut Bogdan , Semczuk Andrzej , Naróg Maciej , Obrzut Marzanna , Król Piotr
Published: May 2017

Objective: We assessed the prognostic factors related to 10-year overall survival and disease-free survival in cervical cancer patients that underwent primary surgical protocols in 1 institution. Materials and Methods: A total of 102 patients with uterine cervical cancer at FIGO stages IA2-IIB that underwent a Piver type III radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy between 1998 and 2001 were included. Univariate and multivariate analyses of 10-year overall survival and 10-year disease-free survival were performed. Results: Univariate analysis revealed that only lymphovascular space invasion significantly affected 10-year overall survival (p = 0.04), but it had no effect on the 10-year disease-free survival rate. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that survival rates were significantly affected by FIGO stage (p = 0.02, 95% CI: 1.18-5.55, for 10-year overall survival; p = 0.03, 95% CI: 1.07-6.12, for 10-year disease-free survival) and metastases to the pelvic lymph nodes (p = 0.0005, 95% CI: 1.81-8.53, for 10-year overall survival; p = 0.01, 95% CI: 1.26-7.24, for 10-year disease-free survival). Conclusions: The only independent prognostic factors for 10-year survival rates in patients with cervical cancer at FIGO stages IA2-IIB were clinical stage and presence of metastases to the pelvic lymph nodes. The presence of lymphovascular space invasion adversely affected 10-year overall survival.
Anxiety, Anxiety Symptoms, and Their Correlates in Persons with Dementia in Norwegian Nursing Homes: A Cause for Concern
Authors: Goyal Alka Rani , Bergh Sverre , Engedal Knut , Kirkevold Marit , Kirkevold Øyvind
Published: May 2017

Background/Aims: Little is known about anxiety and its associations among persons with dementia in nursing homes. This study aims to examine anxiety, anxiety symptoms, and their correlates in persons with dementia in Norwegian nursing homes. Methods: In all, 298 participants with dementia ≥65 years old from 17 nursing homes were assessed with a validated Norwegian version of the Rating Anxiety in Dementia scale (RAID-N). Associations between anxiety (RAID-N score) and demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed with linear regression models. Results: Anxiety, according to a cutoff of ≥12 on the RAID-N, was found in 34.2% (n = 102) of the participants. Irritability (59.7%) and restlessness (53.0%) were the most frequent anxiety symptoms. The participants' general physical health, a wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms, and anxiolytic use were significant correlates of higher RAID-N scores. Conclusion: Knowledge about anxiety, anxiety symptoms, and their correlates may enhance early detection of anxiety and planning of necessary treatment and proactive measures among this population residing in nursing homes.
Calprotectin in Serially Collected Meconium Portions as a Biomarker for Intrauterine Fetal Environment
Authors: Lisowska-Myjak Barbara , Skarżyńska Ewa , Żytyńska-Daniluk Joanna
Published: May 2017

Objective: Understanding the pathomechanisms underlying high meconium calprotectin concentrations is the key to the potential uses of this parameter for the assessment of the intrauterine environment in which the fetus develops. The aim of this study was to measure calprotectin concentrations in serial meconium portions passed after birth and to calculate the individual variations in the total meconium calprotectin content accumulated during gestation. Methods: Calprotectin concentrations were measured using Calprotectin ELISA kit (Immundiagnostik AG) in all meconium portions (n = 81) from 20 healthy neonates. For each neonate, total meconium calprotectin was calculated, reflecting the sum of calprotectin content in all meconium portions from this neonate. Results: The calprotectin concentration in meconium was (mean ± SD) 286.5 ± 214.6 μg/g (range 34.7-1,067.1). Calprotectin concentrations in the last portions passed were nearly 3-fold higher than in the first portions (p = 0.0004). The total individual calprotectin content of (mean ± SD) 3,668.7 ± 1,819.0 μg (range 1,158.9-8,155.5) was related to the birth weight (r = 0.46, p = 0.042). Conclusions: Wide intra- and interindividual differences in calprotectin concentrations in the meconium may reflect intestinal inflammation associated with the fetal adaptation to life outside the uterus. Calprotectin may serve as a biomarker useful for the identification of endogenous and exogenous factors with impact on the intrauterine environment.
LncROR Promotes Bladder Cancer Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Chen Yi , Peng Ya , Xu Zhipeng , Ge Bo , Xiang Xuebao , Zhang Tianyu , Gao Li , Shi Hailin , Wang Chuang , Huang Jiefu
Published: May 2017

Background: LncRNA ROR, a tumor oncogene associated with various human cancers, has been reported to be involved in regulating various cellular processes, such as proliferation, apoptosis and invasion through targeting multiple genes. However, the molecular biological function in bladder cancer has not been clearly elucidated. The aim of this study is to explore ROR expression levels and evaluated its function in bladder cancer. Methods: LncRNA ROR expression levels in the 36 pairs of bladder cancer tissues (and corresponding non-tumor tissues) and bladder cancer cells were assessed by qRT-PCR. MTT assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometric analysis, wound healing assay, cell transwell assays, attachment/detachment and western blotting were performed to assess the effects of ROR on proliferation, apoptosis, migration/invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) phenotypes in BC cells in vitro. ZEB1 is target of ROR. Rescue assays were performed to further confirm that ROR contributes to the progression of BC cells through targeting ZEB1. Results: LncRNA ROR was up-regulated in bladder cancer tissues (compared to adjacent non-tumor tissues) and was almost overexpression in bladder cancer cells (compared with normal urothelial cell line SVHUC-1 cells). Increased lncRNA ROR expression significantly promoted tumor cells proliferation, inhibited cells apoptosis, facilitated cells metastasis and contributed to the formation of EMT phenotype. While down-regulated ROR could obviously inhibit cells proliferation, promote cells apoptosis, inhibit metastasis and reverse EMT to MET. ZEB1 was a target gene of ROR and was positive correlation with the level of ROR in cancer tissues. Conclusion: These results indicated that lncRNA ROR was associated with tumor progression in bladder cancer cells.
Loss of Smooth Muscle α-Actin Leads to NF-κB–Dependent Increased Sensitivity to Angiotensin II in Smooth Muscle Cells and Aortic Enlargement
Authors: Chen Jiyuan , Peters Andrew , Papke Christina L. , Villamizar Carlos , Ringuette Lea-Jeanne , Cao Jiumei , Wang Shanzhi , Ma Shuangtao , Gong Limin , Byanova Katerina L. , Xiong Jian , Zhu Michael X. , Madonna Rosalinda , Kee Patrick , Geng Yong-Jian , Brasier Allan R. , Davis Elaine C. , Prakash Siddharth , Kwartler Callie S. , Milewicz Dianna M.
Published: May 2017

Rationale:

Mutations in
ACTA2
, encoding the smooth muscle isoform of α-actin, cause thoracic aortic aneurysms, acute aortic dissections, and occlusive vascular diseases.

Objective:

We sought to identify the mechanism by which loss of smooth muscle α-actin causes aortic disease.

Methods and Results:

Acta2
−/−
mice have an increased number of elastic lamellae in the ascending aorta and progressive aortic root dilation as assessed by echocardiography that can be attenuated by treatment with losartan, an angiotensin II (AngII) type 1 receptor blocker. AngII levels are not increased in
Acta2
−/−
aortas or kidneys. Aortic tissue and explanted smooth muscle cells from
Acta2
−/−
aortas show increased production of reactive oxygen species and increased basal nuclear factor κB signaling, leading to an increase in the expression of the AngII receptor type I a and activation of signaling at 100-fold lower levels of AngII in the mutant compared with wild-type cells. Furthermore, disruption of smooth muscle α-actin filaments in wild-type smooth muscle cells by various mechanisms activates nuclear factor κB signaling and increases expression of AngII receptor type I a.

Conclusions:

These findings reveal that disruption of smooth muscle α-actin filaments in smooth muscle cells increases reactive oxygen species levels, activates nuclear factor κB signaling, and increases AngII receptor type I a expression, thus potentiating AngII signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells without an increase in the exogenous levels of AngII.
Myeloperoxidase in Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and Its Relation With Nitric Oxide
Authors: Rocha-Penha Lilliam , Caldeira-Dias Mayara , Tanus-Santos José Eduardo , de Carvalho Cavalli Ricardo , Sandrim Valéria Cristina
Published: May 2017

Elevated levels of myeloperoxidase have been demonstrated in women with preeclampsia where it may contribute to endothelial dysfunction mediated, in part, by nitric oxide impairment. In this study, we investigated myeloperoxidase in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and its contribution to the impairment of the vasodilator nitric oxide. We found higher levels of myeloperoxidase in supernatant from human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultures incubated with plasma from preeclampsia group compared with healthy pregnant women. Further, we measured plasma concentration and activity of myeloperoxidase in 219 healthy pregnant women, 130 gestational hypertension (on antihypertensive therapy or not), and 143 preeclampsia patients (on antihypertensive therapy or not). We found that patients with preeclampsia and gestational hypertension without antihypertensive treatment showed higher levels and activity of this enzyme, respectively. Moreover, the inhibition of myeloperoxidase activity in vitro improved nitric oxide bioavailability. Our results indicate a higher cardiovascular risk in pregnant women with hypertensive disorders, and that active myeloperoxidase may play a role in endothelial dysfunction in these conditions by impairment of nitric oxide availability. Besides, the use of antihypertensive drugs seems to decrease enzyme levels suggesting a new protective feature for these drugs.
Selective
Nrf2
Gene Deletion in the Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla Evokes Hypertension and Sympathoexcitation in Mice
Authors: Gao Lie , Zimmerman Matthew C. , Biswal Shyam , Zucker Irving H.
Published: May 2017

Nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a master transcriptional regulator of redox homeostasis that impacts antioxidant gene expression. Central oxidative stress and reduced antioxidant enzyme expression in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) contributed to sympathoexcitation in chronic heart failure. In the current study, we hypothesized that deletion of Nrf2 in the RVLM would increase sympathetic drive and blood pressure. Experiments were performed in Nrf2-floxed mice treated with microinjection of lentiviral-Cre-GFP or lentiviral-GFP into the RVLM. Two weeks after viral administration, Nrf2 message, protein, oxidative stress, cardiovascular function, and sympathetic outflow were evaluated. We found that (1) Nrf2 mRNA and protein in the RVLM were significantly lower in Cre mice compared with control GFP mice. Nrf2-targeted antioxidant enzymes were downregulated, whereas reactive oxygen species were elevated. (2) Blood pressure measurements indicated that Cre mice displayed a significant increase in blood pressure (mean arterial pressure, 123.7±3.8 versus 100.2±2.2 mm Hg;
P
<0.05, n=6), elevated urinary norepinephrine (NE) concentration (456.4±16.9 versus 356.5±19.9 ng/mL;
P
<0.05, n=6), and decreased spontaneous baroreflex gain (up sequences, 1.66±0.17 versus 3.61±0.22 ms/mm Hg;
P
<0.05, n=6; down sequences, 1.89±0.12 versus 2.98±0.19 ms/mm Hg;
P
<0.05, n=6). (3) Cre mice displayed elevated baseline renal sympathetic nerve activity and impaired inducible baroreflex function. These data suggest that
Nrf2
gene deletion in the RVLM elevates blood pressure, increases sympathetic outflow, and impairs baroreflex function potentially by impaired antioxidant enzyme expression.
Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Deficiency Leads to Hypersensitivity of the Pressor Response Against Angiotensin II
Authors: Ueki Norikazu , Kanasaki Keizo , Kanasaki Megumi , Takeda Satoru , Koya Daisuke
Published: May 2017

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) metabolizes 2-hydroxyestradiol into 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME); COMT deficiency has shown to be associated with hypertension in men and preeclampsia, the disease associated with hypersensitivity of pressor response against angiotensin II (Ang II). Here, we found that COMT deficiency could explain the hypersensitivity of pressor response against Ang II in mice because of the lack of 2-ME–dependent suppression of angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1R). Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to COMT inhibitor (COMTi: 25 mg/kg per day) or oil (control) for 4 weeks, with or without low-dose Ang II infusion (ANGII: 70 ng/kg per minute) for the last 3 weeks. The Ang II–infused mice were treated with 2-ME (10 ng/d) or vehicle for the last 1 week. We obtained the following experimental groups: control, ANGII, COMTi, COMTi+ANGII, and COMTi+ANGII+2-ME. We performed similar experiments using the in vivo administration of small interfering RNA of COMT instead of COMTi. Neither ANGII nor COMTi exhibited significant alterations in systolic blood pressure. Compared with ANGII or COMTi, COMTi+ANGII displayed significantly higher systolic blood pressure, albuminuria, and glomerular endotheliosis; 2-ME normalized such alterations. Similar phenotypes were observed in COMT small interfering RNA–treated mice. In the aorta of COMT-deficient mice, AT1R expression was increased; 2-ME suppressed AT1R expression. The 2-ME exhibited peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ agonistic activity in vitro and ex vivo plasma from pregnant female mice as well. In vitro, 2-ME suppressed both basal and Ang II–induced AT1R levels in a peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ–dependent manner. The 2-ME is relevant to combat COMT deficiency–associated hypertensive disorders via suppression of AT1R by its peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor γ activity.
Further records on the plant bug tribe Hallodapini (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae) in Asia, with proposition of two new species and a new synonymy
Authors: DUWAL RAM KESHARI , YASUNAGA TOMOHIDE , TOMOKUNI MASAAKI , NAKATANI YUKINOBU , HIROWATARI TOSHIYA
Published: May 2017

A total of twelve species in five genera belonging to the phyline plant bug tribe Hallodapini are treated. Two new species are described from Indochina: Cleotomiris inthanon Duwal & Yasunaga sp. nov. (Thailand) and Cleotomiroides vietnamensis Duwal & Yasunaga sp. nov. (Vietnam). New distributional records are also presented for some known species of Hallodapus Fieber and Wygomiris Schuh. Hallodapus persimilis (Poppius) is proposed as a junior synonym of H. ravenar (Poppius). Illustrations of the endosoma for four species, including the new species, are presented. Digital images of the male genitalic structures are shown for nine species, including the two new species, and also female genitalic structures of the species of Cleotomiris Schuh, Cleotomiroides Schuh and Wygomiris Schuh, are provided. The immature forms are documented for the first time for Acrorrhinium inexpectatum (Josifov) and Wygomiris kaliyahae Yasunaga.
Morphology variation of Lutzomyia cruciata eggs (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) in southern Mexico
Authors: OCA-AGUILAR ANA CELIA MONTES DE , MIKERY-PACHECO OSCAR , CASTILLO ALFREDO , REBOLLAR-TÉLLEZ EDUARDO A. , PIERMARINI PETER M. , IBÁÑEZ-BERNAL SERGIO
Published: May 2017

The sand fly Lutzomyia cruciata has been associated with the transmission of Leishmania mexicana to humans in Mexico. This species has a wide distribution in Mexico occupying different microhabitats and environments. In this work comparisons of the egg exochorion of Lu. cruciata from different physiographic areas are presented. Study sites are from different states of southern Mexico. Exochorion analysis was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results show differences in the exochorionic pattern among samples from Veracruz (AVER), Yucatán (HOYU) and Chiapas (TACH). The morphotype “Chiapas” has a polygonal crest pattern, the morphotype “Veracruz” shows parallel and longitudinal crests with some or few connections, and the morphotype “Yucatán” has weak connections between crest ridges. These morphological differences could be the result of local adaptations or evidence of divergence within the nominal unit Lutzomyia cruciata.
Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) on sugarcane in Colombia, with description of a new species of Tillancoccus Ben-Dov (Coccidae)
Authors: CABALLERO ALEJANDRO , RAMOS-PORTILLA ANDREA AMALIA , KONDO TAKUMASA
Published: May 2017

Herein we describe a new species, Tillancoccus koreguajae Caballero & Ramos, sp. n. (Hemiptera: Coccidae) from Colombia collected on sugarcane. Pinnaspis strachani (Cooley) is also recorded on sugarcane for the first time worldwide. An updated list of seven species of Coccomorpha on sugarcane in Colombia is provided, including information on its distribution, biology, and mutualistic ants for each species. Seven species of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) have been recorded previously on sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum L. (Poaceae) in Colombia: Pseudococcidae: Dysmicoccus boninsis (Kuwana), D. brevipes (Cockerell), Pseudococcus calceolariae (Maskell), Saccharicoccus sacchari (Cockerell); Coccidae: Pulvinaria elongata Newstead; Diaspididae: Duplachionaspis divergens (Green) and Serenaspis minima (Maskell). However, the record of S. minima in Colombia is considered doubtful as there are no voucher specimens from Colombia and because the distribution of this species is currently limited to the Australasian region. Pseudococcus calceolariae is present in Colombia but its record on sugarcane is also doubtful. A taxonomic key for the identification of scale insects on sugarcane in Colombia is provided.
Late Twenty-First-Century Changes in the Midlatitude Atmospheric Circulation in the CESM Large Ensemble
Authors: Peings Y. , Cattiaux J. , Vavrus S. , Magnusdottir Gudrun
Published: May 2017

Projected changes in the midlatitude atmospheric circulation at the end of the twenty-first century are investigated using coupled ocean–atmosphere simulations from the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble (CESM-LENS). Different metrics are used to describe the response of the midlatitude atmospheric dynamics in 40 ensemble members covering the 1920–2100 period. Contrasted responses are identified depending on the season and longitudinal sector that are considered. In winter, a slowdown of the zonal flow and an increase in waviness is found over North America, while the European sector exhibits a reinforced westerly flow and decreased waviness. Extreme temperature events in midlatitudes are more sensitive to thermodynamical than dynamical changes, and a general decrease in the intensity of wintertime cold spells is found. Analyses of individual ensemble members reveal a large spread in circulation changes due to internal variability. Causes for this spread are found to be tied to the Arctic amplification in the Pacific–North American sector and to the polar stratosphere in the North Atlantic. A competition mechanism is also discussed between the midlatitude response to polar versus tropical changes. While the upper-tropospheric tropical warming pushes the jet stream poleward, in winter, Arctic amplification and the weaker polar vortex exert an opposite effect. This competition results in a narrowing of the jet path in the midlatitudes, leading to decreased/unchanged waviness/blockings. This interpretation somewhat reconciles conflicting results between the hypothesized effect of Arctic amplification and projected changes in midlatitude flow characteristics. This study also illustrates that further understanding of regional processes is critical for anticipating changes in the midlatitude dynamics.
Evolution of Mesoscale Convective System Organizational Structure and Convective Line Propagation
Authors: Bodine David J. , Rasmussen Kristen L.
Published: May 2017

This study examines organizational changes and periods of rapid forward propagation in an MCS on 6 July 2015 in South Dakota. The MCS case was the focus of a Plains Elevated Convection at Night (PECAN) IOP. Data from the Sioux Falls WSR-88D and a high-resolution WRF simulation are analyzed to examine two periods of rapid forward propagation (or surges) and organizational changes. During the first surge (surge A), the northern portion of the convective line propagates eastward faster than the southern portion, and the northern portion of the leading line transitions from a single convective core to a multicellular structure as it merges with convection initiation. Radar reflectivity factor Z and graupel concentrations decrease above the melting layer, while at lower altitudes Z increases. The MCS cold pool also intensifies and deepens beneath an expanded region of high rainwater content and subsaturated air. Throughout surge A, a mesoscale circulation with strong rear-to-front near-surface flow and front-to-rear midlevel flow is also evident. By the end of surge A, the leading edge of the MCS cold pool is beneath developing convection initiation ahead of the original convective line while the original convective updraft weakened and moved rearward. This MCS evolution is similar to discrete propagation events discussed in past studies, except with new convection developing along an intersecting convective band. During surge B, the MCS transitions from a multicellular structure to a single, intense updraft. Smaller microphysical and thermodynamic changes are observed within the MCS during surge B compared to surge A, and the mesoscale circulation continues to develop.
A 5-yr Climatology of Severe Convective Wind Events over China
Authors: Yang Xinlin , Sun Jianhua , Zheng Yongguang
Published: May 2017

A method using cloud-to-ground lightning was developed to retrieve severe convective wind (SCW) events from significant weather report data over China during the period 2010–14. The results showed that SCW events were a feature of local weather activity, and their distribution showed clear seasonal and diurnal variations. The SCW events mainly occurred over eastern China during the midafternoon in the warm season and rarely occurred over western China. The highest frequency of SCW events was recorded in north China and Guangdong Province. There was also a high frequency of SCW events in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The most frequent occurrence of SCW events was in Guangdong Province in spring, while a high frequency of SCW events was observed in both north China and Guangdong Province during the summer months. The peak month for SCW events was July over the whole of China and June in north China. The pattern in Guangdong Province had a bimodal distribution, with the peak months being May and August. The majority of SCW events occurred between 1200 and 2000 local time.
An Evaluation of WRF Rainfall Forecasts in Taiwan during Three Mei-Yu Seasons from 2008 to 2010
Authors: Wang Chung-Chieh , Chien Fang-Ching , Paul Sahana , Lee Dong-In , Chuang Pi-Yu
Published: May 2017

The performance of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model in quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPFs) across Taiwan during three mei-yu seasons between 2008 and 2010 is evaluated using observations from about 400 rain gauges. The QPFs, spanning a range of 12–36 h and run for two nested domains at grid sizes of 15 and 5 km, are verified. Both visual and statistical-based verification methods are used to provide complementary results. More emphasis is placed on intraseasonal variation and the diurnal cycle of mei-yu rainfall, as these aspects have been less well explored previously. While the categorical statistics indicate skill levels comparable to past studies, the model performs better for frontal rainfall in May than monsoon rainfall in June. The two WRF domains are found to capture the overall rainfall amount, its general spatial pattern, the increased rain from May to June, and the basic diurnal cycle to a reasonable extent. However, both domains exhibit a persistent eastward shift in rainfall areas throughout the season, from the upwind slope to near the ridge, mainly because of excessive daytime rainfall over the mountains that starts and ends too early (more so in June), combined with insufficient rainfall upstream (in plains and slopes) since the morning. Also, the 15-km domain has total rainfall amounts closer to the observations, but the 5-km domain suffers a larger underforecast with rainfall only at the resolvable scale. Despite this, the finer mesh is more capable of predicting the peak values and local variations in rainfall and, thus, has the same skill with higher hit percentages, especially toward the high thresholds.
Communication skills in the training of psychiatrists: A systematic review of current approaches
Authors: Ditton-Phare Philippa , Loughland Carmel , Duvivier Robbert , Kelly Brian
Published: May 2017

Objectives:

A range of communication skills training programmes have been developed targeting trainees in various medical specialties, predominantly in oncology but to a lesser extent in psychiatry. Effective communication is fundamental to the assessment and treatment of psychiatric conditions, but there has been less attention to this in clinical practice for psychiatrists in training. This review examines the outcomes of communication skills training interventions in psychiatric specialty training.

Methods:

The published English-language literature was examined using multiple online databases, grey literature and hand searches. The review was conducted and reported using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. Studies examining the efficacy of communication skills training were included. Randomised controlled trials, pseudo-randomised studies and quasi-experimental studies, as well as observational analytical studies and qualitative studies that met criteria, were selected and critically appraised. No limits were applied for date of publication up until 16 July 2016.

Results:

Total search results yielded 2574 records. Of these, 12 studies were identified and reviewed. Two were randomised controlled trials and the remaining 10 were one-group pretest/posttest designs or posttest-only designs, including self-report evaluations of communication skills training and objective evaluations of trainee skills. There were no studies with outcomes related to behaviour change or patient outcomes. Two randomised controlled trials reported an improvement in clinician empathy and psychotherapeutic interviewing skills due to specific training protocols focused on those areas. Non-randomised studies showed varying levels of skills gains and self-reported trainee satisfaction ratings with programmes, with the intervention being some form of communication skills training.

Conclusion:

The heterogeneity of communication skills training is a barrier to evaluating the efficacy of different communication skills training programmes. Further validation studies examining specific models and frameworks would support a stronger evidence base for communication skills training in psychiatry. It remains a challenge to develop research to investigate behaviour change over time in clinical practice or to measure patient outcomes due to the effects of communication skills training.
Mesoscopic simulation of the electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube reinforced polymers regarding atomistic results
Authors: Bartels Julian , Kuhn Eduard , Jürgens Jan-Patrick , Ploshikhin Vasily
Published: May 2017

Carbon nanotube reinforced polymers belong to a class of composite materials, which have been largely investigated due to their specific electrical, thermal and mechanical properties. In the case of electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube reinforced polymers, a critical amount of filler material ensures a sharp increase of conductivity. The material forms a percolation pathway and instantly turns the composite into a conductor. Mesoscopic simulations of these materials were carried out to predict electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube reinforced polymers and their critical amounts. This research work deals with percolation thresholds, converging representative volume elements and the effect of the discontinuous behaviour of conductivity considering tunnelling effects found in atomistic approaches on mesoscopic simulation models.
The Johnstone Affair and Anti-Communism in Interwar India
Authors: Louro Michele
Published: May 2017

In 1928, British colonial authorities in India detained and held J.W. Johnstone, a US citizen, for nearly a month before deporting him first to Europe and then back to the USA. Johnstone’s eventual arrest and deportation became a major ‘affair’ with far-reaching implications for India, the British Empire and even the USA. In the weeks after Johnstone’s arrival, the colonial state launched an extensive and worldwide investigation into his identity and potential ties to communism. In analyzing the story of the Johnstone affair, this article highlights British colonial anxieties and preoccupations with the spread of international communism in interwar India. Moreover, this article also argues that the response to the Johnstone arrest – in India and the United States of America especially – produced a number of unintended consequences. Both the American working class movement and the Indian trade unionist movement appropriated the Johnstone affair to call for global solidarities against the oppression of British and US imperialism worldwide.
The Impact of Smartphones on the Family Vacation Experience
Authors: Yu Xi , Anaya Gerardo Joel , Miao Li , Lehto Xinran , Wong IpKin Anthony
Published: May 2017

Families seek vacations as a means to improve family interaction and cohesion. Research on the effects of smartphones and other technology on the tourist experience has gained traction in recent years. Unfortunately, there still remains a void in understanding the role smartphones have on interaction and relationship dynamics during family vacations. Therefore, a qualitative research approach was employed to understand the extent to which smartphone usage influences the family vacation experience. The findings revealed that families relied on smartphones to foster a sense of family unity and retain a sense of individuality. Second, smartphones mediated families’ experience of a destination. Third, smartphones altered the traditional internalization and recollection process of family vacation memories.
Obstacles on the Path to Urban Greatness: Competing Plans for the Creation of Greater Lviv (“Wielki Lwów”)
Authors: Weck Nadja
Published: May 2017

Like in many other provinces, during the Habsburg period, the main point of orientation for Galicia was Vienna. This also applies to architecture and urban development. Galicia’s technical elite applied the theoretical and practical experience it gathered in Vienna to the towns and cities of this northeastern Crown land. Ignacy Drexler, born in 1878 in the Austro-Hungarian Lemberg, was a representative of a new generation of engineers and architects who did not necessarily have to spend time in the imperial capital to earn their spurs. Increasingly, besides the more or less obligatory stay in Vienna, other European countries became points of reference. Drexler did not live to see the realization of important aspects of his comprehensive plan for the city, but his ideas and the data he compiled were indispensable for the future development of his hometown. They shape urban planning in Lviv to this day.
Dirty Work: Police and Community Relations and the Limits of Liberalism in Postwar Philadelphia
Authors: Schneider Eric C. , Agee Christopher , Chronopoulos Themis
Published: May 2017

Police abuse of African Americans was an immediate trigger for the urban uprisings of the 1960s, and civilian review of police actions became a central tenet of civil rights liberalism. The failure of Philadelphia’s Police Advisory Board (PAB), the nation’s first independent civilian review board (1958), to meliorate police–community tensions suggests the limitations of civil rights liberalism: an inability to confront the role of police as “dirty workers,” who performed the unacknowledged but widely demanded function of maintaining racial hierarchy in the postwar city. Working-class African Americans, the most frequent victims of police brutality, came to see civilian review as a charade and rejected the limited vision of civil rights liberals. The PAB’s failure shows that police reform is impossible without a broader commitment to overturning racial hierarchy.
Voice in French corporate training: A critical issue in developing employee capability
Authors: Subramanian Dilip , Zimmermann Bénédicte
Published: May 2017

The article discusses the impact of organizational configurations on employees’ training capabilities. Inspired by the capability approach, it uses qualitative data to question under what organizational conditions firms in France provide their employees with the opportunities and means to participate not just in training programmes, but in those programmes they have reason to value. The results suggest the existence of three different training models – skill-updating, skill-developing and capability-enhancing – depending on the choice processes involved, the importance they accord to employee agency, and the training outcomes. While human resource policies offering training opportunities are important in French organizations, enabling individual capability ultimately depends on employee participation schemes. The article further argues that this goal cannot be achieved through collective voice alone; in vocational training, individual voice plays an equally central role.
Early and Late Recurrent Epistaxis Admissions: Patterns of Incidence and Risk Factors
Authors: Cohen Oded , Shoffel‐Havakuk Hagit , Warman Meir , Tzelnick Sharon , Haimovich Yaara , Kohlberg Gavriel D. , Halperin Doron , Lahav Yonatan
Published: May 2017

Objective

Epistaxis is a common complaint, yet few studies have focused on the incidence and risk factors of recurrent epistaxis. Our objective was to determine the patterns of incidence and risk factors for recurrent epistaxis admission (REA).

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Settings

Single academic center.

Subjects and Methods

The medical records of patients admitted for epistaxis between 1999 and 2015 were reviewed. The follow‐up period was defined as 3 years following initial admission. REAs were categorized as early (30 days) and late (31 days to 3 years) following initial admission. Logistic regression was used to identify potential predictors of REAs.

Results

A total of 653 patients were included. Eighty‐six patients (14%) had REAs: 48 (7.5%) early and 38 (6.5%) late. Nonlinear incidence curve was demonstrated for both early and late REAs. Based on logistic regression, prior nasal surgery and anemia were independent risk factors for early REAs. According to multivariate analysis, thrombocytopenia was significantly associated with late REAs.

Conclusion

Early and late REAs demonstrate different risk predictors. Knowledge of such risk factors may help in risk stratification for this selected group of patients. All patients at risk should be advised on possible preventive measures. Patients at risk for early REA may benefit from a more proactive approach.
Declining Otolaryngology Resident Training Experience in Tracheostomies: Case Log Trends from 2005 to 2015
Authors: Lesko David , Showmaker Jason , Ukatu Ceisha , Wu Qiwei , Chang C. W. David
Published: May 2017

Objective

To evaluate recent tracheostomy surgical experience among otolaryngology residents and general surgery residents.

Study Design

Retrospective database review.

Setting

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education otolaryngology and general surgery programs.

Subjects and Methods

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case log data from 2005 to 2015 for resident graduates in otolaryngology and general surgery were used to obtain mean graduate tracheostomy numbers, mean graduate composite case numbers, and number of graduating residents. Market share for each specialty was estimated through the derived metric of nationwide total tracheostomy graduate experience, calculated by multiplying the number of graduating residents by the mean number of graduate tracheostomies. Linear regression analysis was used to calculate trends. Multiple linear regression analysis was used for pairwise comparison of trends.

Results

From 2005 to 2015, mean graduate tracheostomy numbers for otolaryngology residents declined 2.3% per year, while those for general surgery residents increased 1.8% per year. Accounting for changes in number of resident graduates, market share of tracheostomy decreased 1.0% per year for otolaryngology and increased 3.0% per year for general surgery. Mean graduate composite case numbers increased significantly by 1.8% and 1.0% per year for otolaryngology and general surgery residents, respectively.

Conclusion

Tracheostomy case volume in otolaryngology residency has decreased steadily in comparison with general surgery residency. However, current otolaryngology graduates have more experience in tracheostomy when compared with general surgery graduates. While otolaryngology residents have excellent exposure to tracheostomy, otolaryngology programs should be made aware of this declining trend as well as changing procedural trends, which may affect training needs.