bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Naturalization” of Routine Assisted Reproductive Technologies by In Vitro Culture of Embryos with Microvibration: Sex Ratio, Body Length, and Weight of 2,456 Live-Birth Deliveries after Transfer of 9,624 Embryos In Vitro Cultured in Static System and with Microvibration
Authors: Isachenko Vladimir , Sterzik Karl , Isachenko Evgenia , Maettner Robert , Todorov Plamen , Rahimi Gohar , Mallmann Peter , Strehler Erwin , Pereligin Igor , Alabart José Luis , Merzenich Markus
Published: December 2017

Aim was to determine whether there is any difference in the sex ratio, body length, and body weight of 2,456 deliveries after transfer of 9,624 embryos derived using in vitro culture under static and mechanical microvibration conditions. Pronuclear embryos from 4435 patients were cultured in vitro under two different conditions: without (n=4821) and with mechanical agitation (n=4803). Sex ratio, body length, and weight of 2,456 live-birth deliveries after transfer of 9,624 embryos were noted. The proportion of males at birth was significantly associated with mode of in vitro culture of embryos only among women aged 40 years and older. The rate “body length” was significantly associated with mode of in vitro culture of embryos only among women aged 29 and younger. In the same time, among twins, this ratio positively associated with in vitro culture of embryos under microvibration only among women aged 30–34 years as well as ≥40 years and negatively among women aged 35–39 years. It was concluded that birth weight of infants was positively associated with mode of in vitro culture of embryos under microvibration among women of all age groups. This trial registration number is ISRCTN13773904, registered 6 April 2016.
Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus following Gestational Diabetes Pregnancy in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Lo Joan C. , Yang Jingrong , Gunderson Erica P. , Hararah Mohammad K. , Gonzalez Joel R. , Ferrara Assiamira
Published: December 2017

Background. This study examines gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) following GDM pregnancy. Methods. A cohort of 988 pregnant women with PCOS who delivered during 2002–2005 was examined to determine the prevalence and predictors of GDM, with follow-up through 2010 among those with GDM to estimate the risk of DM. Results. Of the 988 pregnant women with PCOS, 192 (19%) developed GDM. Multivariable predictors of GDM included older age, Asian race, prepregnancy obesity, family history of DM, preconception metformin use, and multiple gestation. Among women with PCOS and GDM pregnancy, the incidence of DM was 2.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.9–4.2) per 100 person-years and substantially higher for those who received pharmacologic treatment for GDM (6.6 versus 1.5 per 100 person-years, p<0.01). The multivariable adjusted risk of DM was fourfold higher in women who received pharmacologic treatment for GDM (adjusted hazard ratio 4.1, 95% CI 1.8–9.6). The five-year incidence of DM was 13.1% overall and also higher in the pharmacologic treatment subgroup (27.0% versus 7.1%, p<0.01). Conclusions. The strongest predictors of GDM among women with PCOS included Asian race and prepregnancy obesity. Pharmacologic treatment of GDM is associated with fourfold higher risk of subsequent DM.
Successful Low-Cost Scaffold-Free Cartilage Tissue Engineering Using Human Cartilage Progenitor Cell Spheroids Formed by Micromolded Nonadhesive Hydrogel
Authors: Stuart Mellannie P. , Matsui Renata A. M. , Santos Matheus F. S. , Côrtes Isis , Azevedo Mayra S. , Silva Karina R. , Beatrici Anderson , Leite Paulo Emílio C. , Falagan-Lotsch Priscila , Granjeiro José M. , Mironov Vladimir , Baptista Leandra S.
Published: December 2017

The scaffold-free tissue engineering using spheroids is pointed out as an approach for optimizing the delivery system of cartilage construct. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the micromolded nonadhesive hydrogel (MicroTissues®) for spheroid compaction (2-day culture) and spontaneous chondrogenesis (21-day culture) using cartilage progenitors cells (CPCs) from human nasal septum without chondrogenic stimulus. CPC spheroids showed diameter stability (486 μm ± 65), high percentage of viable cells (88.1 ± 2.1), and low percentage of apoptotic cells (2.3%). After spheroid compaction, the synthesis of TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3 was significantly higher compared to monolayer (p<0.005). Biomechanical assay revealed that the maximum forces applied to spheroids after chondrogenesis were 2.6 times higher than for those cultured for 2 days. After spontaneous chondrogenesis, CPC spheroids were entirely positive for N-cadherin, collagen type II and type VI, and aggrecan and chondroitin sulfate. Comparing to monolayer, the expression of SOX5 and SOX6 genes analyzed by qPCR was significantly upregulated (p<0.01). Finally, we observed the capacity of CPC spheroids starting to fuse. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time in the scientific literature that human CPC spheroids were formed by micromolded nonadhesive hydrogel, achieving a successful scaffold-free cartilage engineering without chondrogenic stimulus (low cost).
Neural Differentiation Is Inhibited through HIF1α/β-Catenin Signaling in Embryoid Bodies
Authors: Večeřa Josef , Kudová Jana , Kučera Jan , Kubala Lukáš , Pacherník Jiří
Published: December 2017

Extensive research in the field of stem cells and developmental biology has revealed evidence of the role of hypoxia as an important factor regulating self-renewal and differentiation. However, comprehensive information about the exact hypoxia-mediated regulatory mechanism of stem cell fate during early embryonic development is still missing. Using a model of embryoid bodies (EBs) derived from murine embryonic stem cells (ESC), we here tried to encrypt the role of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) in neural fate during spontaneous differentiation. EBs derived from ESC with the ablated gene for HIF1α had abnormally increased neuronal characteristics during differentiation. An increased neural phenotype in Hif1α−/− EBs was accompanied by the disruption of β-catenin signaling together with the increased cytoplasmic degradation of β-catenin. The knock-in of Hif1α, as well as β-catenin ectopic overexpression in Hif1α−/− EBs, induced a reduction in neural markers to the levels observed in wild-type EBs. Interestingly, direct interaction between HIF1α and β-catenin was demonstrated by immunoprecipitation analysis of the nuclear fraction of wild-type EBs. Together, these results emphasize the regulatory role of HIF1α in β-catenin stabilization during spontaneous differentiation, which seems to be a crucial mechanism for the natural inhibition of premature neural differentiation.
A Particular Use of Endobag®: Extraction of Rectal Foreign Bodies
Authors: Terrosu G. , Cherchi V. , Calandra S. , Esposito A. , Marino M. , Berretti D. , Risaliti A.
Published: December 2017

Introduction. The incidence of foreign bodies (FBs) in the rectum has recently increased. FB removal by the transanal way or by colonoscopy is generally feasible and only in few cases surgery is strictly necessary. Due to FB dimensions or rectum and colon anatomy, sometimes it may represent a challenge. Materials and Methods. Two cases of FB inserted in the rectum were treated in our institute. They underwent surgery using Endobag, a laparoscopic surgical device. The device was inserted through the anus in order to catch and remove the FB. Results. Both the procedures were easily performed, without any complication. Conclusions. The use of Endobag seems to be a good and effective way to remove FB from rectum.
A Comprehensive Study on the Effect of Roasting and Frying on Fatty Acids Profiles and Antioxidant Capacity of Almonds, Pine, Cashew, and Pistachio
Authors: Ghazzawi Hadeel Ali , Al-Ismail Khalid
Published: December 2017

The aim is to evaluate the effects of frying and roasting on nuts. Frying and roasting were performed according to the local Jordanian home-made cuisine, and the nuts under experiment were raw almonds, pine, cashew, and pistachio. Nuts samples were roasted at 110°C for 16 minutes and fried at 175°C for 2.5 minutes. The results show that both roasting and frying of nuts did not affect the flavonoids content except for roasted pistachios where significant rise of flavonoids content was detected. Total phenolic content showed no significant differences except for pine nuts in which it increased significantly in both roasting and frying. Oxidative stability, presented by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), was significantly different in all nuts except for pistachio nuts that have shown no differences. Fatty acids profile, presented by saturated fatty acids (SFA), oleic acid (OL), and essential fatty acids (EFA), was affected significantly by roasting and frying, especially for SFA in almonds and pine nuts and α-linoleic acid (ALA) contents of pine. In conclusion, the effects of roasting and frying on the aforementioned nuts species were positive for fatty acids profile and antioxidants activity.
A Regulation Model for the Solvency of Banking System: Based on the Pinning Control Theory of Complex Network
Authors: Gao Xiang , Zhou Ming , Ouyang Hongbing
Published: December 2017

A dynamic model is proposed based on the pinning control theory of complex network in order to simulate government bailouts against financial crisis and then is applied to a stress test of China’s interbank borrowing and lending network from 2007 to 2014. The proposed model takes many cases into account, so it is able to simulate bailout effects with different parameters, capture temporal and individual differences of banks’ spillovers effects, and reflect their sensitivity to government bailouts indirectly. This paper offers an innovative model to identify the systemic-important banks in financial crisis and construct a macroprudential regulation system based on network theory.
The Impact of Age on Clinical Outcomes of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Long-Term Results of a Real-World Registry
Authors: Nicolini Francesco , Fortuna Daniela , Contini Giovanni Andrea , Pacini Davide , Gabbieri Davide , Zussa Claudio , De Palma Rossana , Vezzani Antonella , Gherli Tiziano
Published: December 2017

The aim of this retrospective multicenter registry study was to investigate age-dependent trends in mortality, long-term survival, and comorbidity over time in patients who underwent isolated CABG from 2003 to 2015. The percentage of patients < 60 years of age was 18.9%. Female sex, chronic pulmonary disease, extracardiac arteriopathy, and neurologic dysfunction disease were significantly less frequent in this younger population. The prevalence of BMI ≥ 30, previous myocardial infarction, preoperative severe depressed left ventricular ejection fraction, and history of previous PCI were significantly higher in this population. After PS matching, at 5 years, patients < 60 years of age reported significantly lower overall mortality (p<0.0001), cardiac-related mortality (p<0.0001), incidence of acute myocardial infarction (p=0.01), and stroke rates (p<0.0001). Patients < 60 years required repeated revascularization more frequently than older patients (p=0.05). Patients < 60 who underwent CABG had a lower risk of adverse outcomes than older patients. Patients < 60 have a different clinical pattern of presentation of CAD in comparison with more elderly patients. These issues require focused attention in order to design and improve preventive strategies aiming to reduce the impact of specific cardiovascular risk factors for younger patients, such as diet, lifestyle, and weight control.
KRAS Oncogenic Signaling Extends beyond Cancer Cells to Orchestrate the Microenvironment
Authors: Dias Carvalho Patrícia , Guimarães Carlos F. , Cardoso Ana P. , Mendonça Susana , Costa Ângela M , Oliveira Maria J. , Velho Sérgia
Published: December 2017

KRAS is one of the most frequently mutated oncogenes in cancer, being a potent initiator of tumorigenesis, a strong inductor of malignancy, and a predictive biomarker of response to therapy. Despite the large investment to understand the effects of KRAS activation in cancer cells, pharmacologic targeting of KRAS or its downstream effectors has not yet been successful at the clinical level. Recent studies are now describing new mechanisms of KRAS-induced tumorigenesis by analyzing its effects on the components of the tumor microenvironment. These studies revealed that the activation of KRAS on cancer cells extends to the surrounding microenvironment, affecting the properties and functions of its constituents. Herein, we discuss the most emergent perspectives on the relationship between KRAS-mutant cancer cells and their microenvironment components. Cancer Res; 78(1); 7–14. ©2017 AACR.
Depression, Antidepressant Use, and Breast Cancer Risk in Pre- and Postmenopausal Women: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Reeves Katherine W. , Okereke Olivia I. , Qian Jing , Tamimi Rulla M. , Eliassen A. Heather , Hankinson Susan E.
Published: December 2017

Background: Depression and antidepressant use is highly prevalent among U.S. women and may be related to increased breast cancer risk. However, prior studies are not in agreement regarding an increase in risk.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study within the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and NHSII among females age 25 and older. Over more than 10 years of follow-up in each cohort, 4,014 incident invasive breast cancers were diagnosed. We used Cox proportional hazards regressions with updating of exposures and covariates throughout follow-up to estimate HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between clinical depression and antidepressant use with invasive breast cancer risk. Analyses were repeated separately for in situ disease, as well as stratified by estrogen receptor (ER) subtype and menopausal status at diagnosis.

Results: No statistically significant associations were observed between clinical depression (HR for reporting ≥3 times vs. 0, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.85–1.49) or antidepressant use (HR for reporting ≥3 times vs. 0, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.80–1.05) and invasive breast cancer risk in multivariable analyses. Likewise, we observed no significant associations between clinical depression or antidepressant use and risk of in situ, ER+, ER−, premenopausal, or postmenopausal breast cancer.

Conclusions: In the largest prospective study to date, we find no evidence that either depression or antidepressant use increase risk of breast cancer.

Impact: The results of this study are reassuring in that neither depression nor antidepressant use appear to be related to subsequent breast cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(3); 306–14. ©2017 AACR.
Downgrading of a G3 Neuroendocrine Tumor to a G2 Tumor: Can First-Line Cytotoxic Chemotherapy Change the Tumor Biology
Authors: Blesl Andreas , Krones Elisabeth , Pollheimer Marion J. , Haybaeck Johannes , Wiesspeiner Ulrike , Lipp Rainer W. , Kump Patrizia
Published: December 2017

The antiproliferative treatment options for neuroendocrine tumors (NET)/neuroendocrine carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract critically depend on the proliferation rate, evaluated by immunohistochemical staining for Ki-67. According to their grading, tumors are treated with somatostatin analogs, mTOR inhibitors, or cytotoxic substances. This case illustrates downgrading of a primarily highly proliferative NET achieved by a variation of cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens, followed by a combination therapy using everolimus together with lanreotide. The latter medication might lead to a good clinical response as far as tumor growth is concerned.
Cell Death and Induced p53 Expression in Oral Cancer, HeLa, and Bone Marrow Mesenchyme Cells under the Exposure to Noncontact Electric Fields
Authors: Mujib Sahudi Abdul , Alamsyah Firman , Taruno Warsito Purwo
Published: December 2017

Background: p53 acts as a transcription factor to regulate the expression of genes that modulate various cellular activities. The proliferation of cancer cells has been inhibited under the exposure to low-intensity (18 peak-to-peak voltage) and intermediate-frequency (100 KHz) electric fields generated between 2 capacitive electrodes. Therefore, the aims of this study were to observe the molecular mechanism of cell death caused by noncontact electric field exposure and to determine whether p53 protein can serve as a biomarker for this exposure or not. Methods: Oral squamous cell carcinoma, HeLa, and bone marrow mesenchyme cells were exposed to noncontact electric fields of Electro-Capacitive Cancer Therapy (ECCT) for 24 h. To observe the mechanism of cell death caused by ECCT, immunocytochemistry of p53 was performed, and the p53 expression was evaluated using immunoreactive score (IRS) calculation. Results: Electric field exposure by ECCT increased the percentage of dead cells in oral cancer cells (18.39%), HeLa cells (6.60%), and bone marrow mesenchyme cells (34.05%) with statistical significance using the independent t test compared to each control group. The IRS of p53 in oral cancer, HeLa, and bone marrow mesenchyme cultures were 10.50, 11.25, and 4.94, respectively. Conclusion: The high IRS shown in the treated oral cancer and HeLa culture cells may suggest that p53 expression in these culture cells is associated with the cell death mechanism induced by the exposure to noncontact electric fields, and the increased cell death in these culture cells may correlate with the IRS.
A Novel Homozygous Missense Mutation in the FU-CRD2 Domain of the R-spondin1 Gene Associated with Familial 46,XX DSD
Authors: Naasse Yassine , Bakhchane Amina , Charoute Hicham , Jennane Farida , Bignon-Topalovic Joelle , Malki Abderrahim , Bashamboo Anu , Barakat Abdelhamid , Rouba Hassan , McElreavey Ken
Published: December 2017

R-spondin proteins are secreted agonists of canonical WNT/β-catenin signaling. Homozygous RSPO1 mutations cause a syndrome of 46,XX disorder of sexual development (DSD), palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK), and predisposition to squamous cell carcinoma. We report exome sequencing data of two 46,XX siblings, one with testicular DSD and the other with suspected ovotesticular DSD. Both have PPK and hearing impairment and carried a novel homozygous mutation c.332G>A (p.Cys111Tyr) located in the highly conserved furin-like cysteine-rich domain-2 (FU-CRD2). Cysteines in the FU-CRDs are strictly conserved, indicating their functional importance in WNT signaling through interaction with the leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptors. This is the first RSPO1 missense mutation reported in association with human disease.
The Role of β-Adrenergic Overstimulation in the Early Stages of Renal Injury
Authors: de Ponte Mariana Charleaux , Casare Fernando Augusto Malavazzi , Costa-Pessoa Juliana Martins , Cardoso Vanessa Gerolde , Malnic Gerhard , Mello-Aires Margarida , Volpini Rildo Aparecido , Thieme Karina , Oliveira-Souza Maria
Published: December 2017

Background/Aims: To assess the possible contribution of the β-adrenergic overstimulation in early stages of renal injury, the present study evaluated, in rats, the effects of the β-adrenoceptor agonist isoproterenol (ISO) on renal function and morphology, as well as the renal mRNA and protein expression of the NADPH oxidase isoform 4 (Nox 4) and subunit p22phox, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, pro-inflammatory, pro-apoptotic and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) components. Methods: Wistar rats received ISO (0.3 mg.kg-1.day-1 s.c.) or vehicle (control) for eight days. At the end of the treatment, food and water intake, urine output and body weight gain were evaluated and renal function studies were performed. Renal tissue was used for the morphological, quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical studies. Results: ISO did not change metabolic parameters or urine output. However it induced a decrease in renal blood flow and an increase in the filtration fraction. These changes were accompanied by increased cortical mRNA and protein expression for the renal oxidative stress components including Nox 4 and p22phox; ER stress, pro-inflamatory, pro-apoptotic as well as RAS components. ISO also induced a significant increase in medullar renin protein expression. Conclusion: These findings support relevant information regarding the contribution of specific β-adrenergic hyperactivity in early stage of renal injury, indicating the reactive oxygen species, ER stress and intrarenal RAS as important factors in this process.
Protease-Activated Receptor PAR-4: An Inducible Switch between Thrombosis and Vascular Inflammation?
Authors: Fender Anke , Rauch Bernhard , Geisler Tobias , Schrör Karsten
Published: December 2017

Thrombin triggers activation of platelets through protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1) and PAR-4. Both receptors are widely expressed and exert multiple platelet-independent functions. PAR signalling contributes to healing responses after injury, by promoting cytokine activity and cellular growth and mobility. Uncontrolled PAR activation, however, can prevent timely resolution of inflammation, enhance thrombogenic endothelial function and drive adverse remodelling. The specific role of PAR-4 in thromboinflammatory vascular disease has been largely underestimated, given the relatively limited expression of PAR-4 in non-platelet cells under healthy conditions. However, unlike PAR-1, PAR-4 expression adapts dynamically to numerous stimuli associated with thromboinflammation, including thrombin, angiotensin II, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), high glucose and redox stress, suggesting expression is switched on ‘at need’. Prostacyclin negatively regulates PAR-4 expression at the post-transcriptional level, which may serve to fine-tune thrombin responses and limit these to the injury site. PAR-4 elicits inflammatory, mitogenic and proliferative actions not only in response to thrombin but also to numerous other inflammatory proteases, and can cross-talk with other receptor systems such as S1P and adenosine receptors. Accordingly, PAR-4 has emerged as a candidate player in vessel disease and cardiac post-infarction remodelling. Currently, PAR-4 is a particularly promising target for safer anti-thrombotic therapies. Recent studies with the PAR-4 antagonist BMS-986120 lend support to the concept that selective antagonism of PAR-4 may offer both an effective and safe anti-thrombotic therapy in the acute thrombotic setting as well as an anti-inflammatory strategy to prevent long-term progressive atherosclerotic disease in high-risk cardiovascular patients.
The Performance of CRUSADE and ACUITY Bleeding Risk Scores in Ticagrelor-Treated ACS Patients Who Underwent PCI
Authors: Xi Shaozhi , Zhou Shanshan , Wang Xuyun , Liu Jia , Qin Liuan , Liu Jun , Yin Tong , Chen Yundai
Published: December 2017

The performance of the CRUSADE (Can Rapid risk stratification of Unstable angina patients Suppress ADverse outcomes with Early implementation of the ACC/AHA guidelines) and ACUITY (Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage strategy) risk scores for the prediction of major bleeding in ticagrelor-treated acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unknown. The aim of the present study is to validate the performance of both scores in a contemporary Chinese cohort of ACS patients hospitalized for PCI and administrated with ticagrelor. From January 2013 to December 2014, a total of 629 ticagrelor-treated ACS patients who underwent PCI were recruited consecutively. The overall rate of major bleeding defined by the BARC (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium) criteria was 1.7%. This incidence increased with the risk category of both the CRUSADE (very low, 0.6%; low, 1.3%; moderate, 1.1%; high, 7.0%; and very high, 13.0%; p = 0.001) and the ACUITY score (low, 0.6%; moderate, 1.4%; high, 4.9%; and very high, 7.0%; p = 0.003). The CRUSADE score demonstrated adequate calibration and discriminatory capacity for the patients as a whole (HL-p [Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test p-value] >0.3; AUC [area under the curve]: 0.78), with the excellent performance in the subgroups of acute myocardial infarction, men, diabetes and those implanted with more than two DESs (AUC: 0.85, 0.80, 0.93 and 0.93, respectively). For the ACUITY score, adequate calibration and discriminatory capacity could be observed for the whole patients (HL-p > 0.3; AUC: 0.78), with excellent performance for the patients with diabetes or those implanted with more than two DESs (AUC: 0.90 and 0.97, respectively). In conclusion, both CRUSADE and ACUITY risk scores performed adequate discriminatory power for the prediction of major bleeding within 30 days in ticagrelor-treated ACS patients who underwent PCI.
Differential Effects on Haemostatic Markers by Metformin and the Contraceptive Pill: A Randomized Comparative Trial in PCOS
Authors: Burchall Genia , Piva Terrence , Ranasinha Sanjeeva , Teede Helena
Published: December 2017

Background Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects up to 18% of reproductive-aged women with increased risks of cardiovascular disease and venous thromboembolic disease, related to metabolic and hormonal features, obesity and an apparent hypofibrinolytic state, possibly exacerbated by current PCOS treatments.

Objective To investigate and compare haemostatic impacts of common pharmacological treatments and explore relationships with hormonal and metabolic variables in PCOS.

Patients/Methods This mechanistic sub-study using biobanked samples from a 6-month randomized comparative trial of pharmacological treatments assessed pro- and anti-thrombotic markers and overall haemostatic activity. Overweight women of mean age 33.9 ± 6.7 years and mean BMI (body mass index) of 36.5 ± 7.0 kg/m2 with PCOS (n = 60) were randomized to either metformin, higher-dose oral contraceptive pill (OCP) or low-dose OCP + spironolactone (OCP + S). Primary outcome measures included changes in plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), prothrombin fragments 1 and 2 (PF1 and 2), plasminogen, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) and thrombin generation (TG).

Results PAI-1 activity fell in all groups, ADMA fell in higher-dose OCP, PF1 and 2 increased with metformin and higher-dose OCP, TG rose and tPA fell in both OCP groups, plasminogen increased in all and TAFI increased after higher-dose OCP.

Conclusion Endothelial function (primary haemostasis) improved with higher dose with some improvement in low-dose OCP + S and metformin. Aberrant coagulation was noted in both OCP groups, but not with metformin. Fibrinolysis was reduced with higher-dose OCP. Our work suggests an additional dimension of treatment (haemostatic system effects) that favours metformin treatment over the OCP in PCOS.
Preprocedural Leucocyte Count Predicts Risk in Patients with Coronary Chronic Total Occlusion
Authors: Gebhard Catherine , Toma Aurel , Min Zhao , Stähli Barbara , Mashayekhi Kambis , Gick Michael , Ferenc Miroslaw , Büttner Heinz , Neumann Franz-Josef
Published: December 2017

Background As technologies of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO) have improved, great uncertainty exists regarding patient selection and long-term benefit of CTO-PCI. Given that white blood cell (WBC) count has been associated with cardiovascular risk, we hypothesized that the latter might provide incremental prognostic value in patients undergoing CTO-PCI.

Methods and Results Our study population consisted of 1,262 consecutive patients (76.3% males, mean age of 67.7 ± 10.3 years) who underwent elective PCI at our centre between January 2002 and December 2008. Four hundred seventy-five patients had at least one CTO, while 787 patients with non-occlusive coronary lesions served as controls. Baseline WBC count was higher in CTO patients as compared with controls (8,072 ± 3,459/μL vs. 7,469 ± 2,668/μL, p = 0.001) and independently predicted the occurrence of a CTO lesion (odds ratio: 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3–2.4; p < 0.001). After a median follow-up of 3.1 years (interquartile range: 2.1–4.2 years), CTO patients with WBC counts ranging in the highest tertile had significantly worse outcomes than CTO patients with lower WBC counts (log-rank = 0.009 for all-cause mortality and log-rank = 0.01 for major adverse cardiac events). These associations were not seen in controls. Accordingly, elevated WBC count was identified as a significant predictor for all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 3.1; 95% CI: 1.6–6.2; p = 0.001) in CTO patients but not in patients with non-occlusive coronary artery disease (p
int = 0.088).

Conclusion Assessment of the inflammatory status of CTO patients may be an important element in selecting CTO patients at low risk who may be referred to CTO-PCI.
Anuros del norte de los andes: patrones de riqueza de especies y estado de conservación
Authors: Armesto Luis Orlando , Señaris Josefa Celsa
Published: December 2017

Knowledge of Andean anurans is constantly increasing; for this reason, it needs an update. We reviewed scientific literature and museum records to determine the species richness of anurans in the northern Andes and their conservation status based on the IUCN categories. The northern Andes harbor 740 species of anurans, belonging to 13 families and 63 genera. The family with the highest species number was Craugastoridae (334 spp.), followed by Bufonidae (92 spp.), and Centrolenidae (81 spp.). The Cordillera Central of Colombia harbors the highest species richness (199 spp.), while the Cordillera de la Costa Oriental de Venezuela contains the lowest species number (17 spp.). Most species (74%) is endemic to the northern Andes, but no family is endemic to the northern Andes. About 50% species is threatened and 20% is included in the category of deficient data. The species richness patterns in northern Andes might be caused, among other reasons, by historical factors, but also result of sampling lack in some areas.
“Ask me to send these photos to you”: a producao artistica de Alair Gomes nos Estados Unidos
Authors: Pitol André Luís Castilho
Published: December 2017

Antes de ser conhecida no Brasil, a produção fotográfica de Alair Gomes circulou nos anos 1970 e 1980 nos Estados Unidos, em publicações tanto do meio das artes quanto ligadas a uma homossociabilidade estadunidense, como são os casos das revistas Performance, Gay Sunshine, The Advocate e Advocate MEN, e do Artists Almanac. Este artigo analisa tal conjunto de trabalhos, apontando seus principais elementos visuais, como a montagem de múltiplas fotografias, e sinalizando o suporte impresso como um elemento-chave para a compreensão da poética do artista, especialmente a materialidade e a sequencialidade da imagem fotográfica na página impressa. Objetiva-se nesta análise incrementar as possibilidades interpretativas entre o fotógrafo e o cenário artístico contemporâneo, que até o momento permanece restrita ao aspecto homoerótico de sua obra.
Crônica de Anna Magdalena Bach: amor, trabalho e morte no cinema de Danièle Huillet e Jean-Marie Straub
Authors: Martins Dalila Camargo
Published: December 2017

Este artigo analisa o filme Crônica de Anna Magdalena Bach (1968), de Danièle Huillet e Jean-Marie Straub, de modo a mostrar como, analogamente, ao tratar de modos de produção artística, desmitifica-se o gênio de Johann Sebastian Bach, contextualizando sua obra na ordem eclesiástica do século XVIII, e se faz uma crítica dos preceitos do Autorenfilm do novo cinema alemão, dependente de um sistema de financiamento estatal, do qual ele faz parte. Ademais, busca-se indicar a possibilidade de formas alternativas de produção artística e percepção sensível engendradas cinematograficamente que se contraponham ao trabalho alienado.
A imagem científica no filme Interestelar
Authors: Gomes Edison
Published: December 2017

A produção de imagens é regida por práticas de construção de sentido entendidas como científicas ou artísticas e envolvem campos de um saber-fazer aparentemente distintos. Neste artigo, discutimos, a partir da semiótica discursiva, como esses dois estatutos da imagem se relacionam e se interpenetram, criando a figuração científica e mitopoética dos fenômenos astrofísicos exibidos no filme norte-americano de ficção científica Interestelar.
Trânsito de memórias: tomada e retomada de imagens do exílio durante a ditadura militar brasileira
Authors: Machado Patrícia Furtado Mendes
Published: December 2017

Neste artigo propomos analisar a origem de arquivos audiovisuais usados no documentário Retratos de identificação, de 2014, de Anita Leandro, que reconstitui a história de quatro militantes políticos durante a ditadura militar brasileira. O interesse pelo gesto da tomada, pelo olhar de quem segurou a câmera para produzir os testemunhos no exílio, nos levou ao cineasta Luiz Alberto Sanz, também militante político, preso, torturado e exilado. Fomos aos arquivos da polícia política buscar vestígios da história do cineasta para melhor compreender o que guardam essas imagens do olhar de quem as enquadra. Por fim, que novos sentidos ganham essas imagens e sons produzidos no exílio quando remontados no cinema documentário contemporâneo?
Quantas salas de cinema existiram no Brasil? Reflexões sobre a dimensão e características do circuito exibidor brasileiro
Authors: Freire Rafael de Luna , Zapata Natasha Hernandez Almeida
Published: December 2017

Diante da escassez de estudos sobre a história da exibição cinematográfica no Brasil, permanece uma lacuna relacionada às mudanças na dimensão do circuito exibidor brasileiro ao longo de grande parte do século XX. Este artigo tem como objetivo suprir essa lacuna, buscando construir um panorama mais concreto desse circuito através de dados que permitem criar uma estimativa do número de salas de cinema que já estiveram em funcionamento no Brasil. Buscando fontes inéditas ou pouco utilizadas pelos estudiosos do cinema brasileiro, foram alinhados dados diversos e, muitas vezes, conflitantes, que conduziram uma reflexão sobre suas origens, seu contexto, sua confiabilidade e suas limitações.
Ficção seriada televisiva, jornalismo político e construção do real: hipóteses a partir de Greimas
Authors: Demuru Paolo
Published: December 2017

O objetivo deste artigo é refletir, com base nos pilares epistemológicos da semiótica de Greimas, sobre o papel das relações entre seriados televisivos e jornalismo político no processo de formação daquilo que, em uma dada esfera sociocultural, é percebido como “mundo real”. Em particular, foca-se nos elos entre o drama House of Cards e a cobertura dos eventos que antecederam e seguiram o impeachment da ex-presidente do Brasil, Dilma Rousseff, a fim de mostrar como a interseção entre os dois universos discursivos contribui, hoje, para forjar a percepção de uma realidade política e cotidiana cada vez mais serializada e dramatizada, construída e fruída nos moldes da ficção seriada televisiva.
Modalizações do fazer no episódio “Hino Nacional”, do seriado Black Mirror
Authors: Mendes Conrado Moreira
Published: December 2017

Este artigo se propõe a analisar as modalizações do fazer no episódio “Hino Nacional” do seriado britânico Black Mirror. As modalizações do fazer, de Greimas, se referem à manipulação, quando um destinador age sobre um destinatário, doando-lhe valores modais, e à competência, ou seja, às qualificações ou aos pré-requisitos de um sujeito para que, uma vez competente para realizar uma ação, possa fazê-lo. Com base nesse percurso teórico-analítico, procura-se compreender como se estabelecem as relações intersubjetivas no texto em análise e demonstrar que a semiótica greimasiana apresenta-se como um vigoroso instrumento de análise de textos audiovisuais.
Red alert: Marxist approaches to science fiction cinema – Aproximações entre ficção científica e marxismo
Authors: Carneiro Gabriel
Published: December 2017

O texto aponta os principais aspectos e abordagens do livro de ensaios Red alert: Marxist approaches to science fiction cinema, organizado por Alfredo Suppia e Ewa Mazierska, que busca relacionar filmes de ficção científica e a filosofia marxista.
Análise da percepção ambiental dos moradores de área de várzea urbana de uma pequena cidade do estuário do Rio Amazonas
Authors: Oliveira Ivan Gomes , Costa Sandra Maria Fonseca da
Published: December 2017

O processo de urbanização da Amazônia se intensificou principalmente a partir da década de 1960. Nesse processo de crescimento urbano, áreas ambientalmente frágeis foram ocupadas, entre elas, a várzea, ambiente usualmente encontrado nas cidades amazônicas ribeirinhas. Este artigo visa à análise da percepção dos moradores que vivem em uma área de várzea numa pequena cidade tipicamente amazônica: Ponta de Pedras, no estado do Pará. Os resultados demostraram que mais de 70% dos entrevistados nasceram na região e apresentam forte identidade com o local onde vivem (topofilia). Observou-se também que mais de 78% dos entrevistados descartam esgotos sanitários diretamente nos rios, não considerando tal prática um problema ambiental.
Construindo para a (Bio)Diversidade: o planejamento ecológico da paisagem urbana
Authors: Freitas Juliana Maria de Souza
Published: December 2017

Este trabalho tem como escopo principal refletir sobre algumas questões presentes no processo de desenvolvimento urbano, principalmente no que se refere aos conflitos entre ações humanas e processos naturais. Essa discussão se mostra pertinente uma vez que entre os diversos conceitos de paisagem existentes dentro dos mais variados campos de conhecimento uma nova perspectiva tem apontado para a necessidade de incorporá-la ao projeto urbano. A cidade do século XXI está diante da necessidade de construção de um novo paradigma e a aplicação dos princípios da ecologia de paisagens no planejamento da ocupação do território pode oferecer um caminho seguro para o enfrentamento dessas questões.
Frequency-based brain networks: From a multiplex framework to a full multilayer description
Authors: Buldú Javier M. , Porter Mason A.
Published: December 2017

We explore how to study dynamical interactions between brain regions by using functional multilayer networks whose layers represent different frequency bands at which a brain operates. Specifically, we investigate the consequences of considering the brain as (i) a multilayer network, in which all brain regions can interact with each other at different frequency bands; and as (ii) a multiplex network, in which interactions between different frequency bands are allowed only within each brain region and not between them. We study the second-smallest eigenvalue λ2 of the combinatorial supra-Laplacian matrix of both the multiplex and multilayer networks, as λ2 has been used previously as an indicator of network synchronizability and as a biomarker for several brain diseases. We show that the heterogeneity of interlayer edge weights and, especially, the fraction of missing edges crucially modify the value of λ2, and we illustrate our results with both synthetic network models and real data obtained from resting-state magnetoencephalography. Our work highlights the differences between using a multiplex approach and a full multilayer approach when studying frequency-based multilayer brain networks.
Eastern Myths for Western Lies
Authors: Lardinois André
Published: December 2017

That the great cultures of the Near East influenced Mycenaean and Archaic Greek culture has been amply demonstrated by the archaeological record. But did this influence extend to Greek literature? And was it recognized by the ancient Greeks themselves? In this paper I answer these two questions in the affirmative after examining two passages from Homer’s Iliad: Hera’s identification of Oceanus and Tethys as the parents of the gods (14.201) and Poseidon’s account of the division of the world through lot (15.189-193).The analysis of these passages is preceded by a methodological section on how literary parallels between these cultures can be evaluated.
Noordmans on Trinity, History and Church
Authors: Bouter Eric E.
Published: December 2017

Without a doubt, the Dutch minister O. Noordmans was one of the precursors of the twentieth-century renaissance in a theology of the Trinity. In this article I examine Noordmans’ theology of Trinity and the related theology of history. I attempt to locate Noordmans’ position in the theological tradition by means of a comparison with Augustine and Bonaventure. Noordmans’ theology of Trinity has a trinitarian-pneumatic character and intends to stir up eschatological longings. It clears the way for God to speak anew through his Spirit and it brings about a historical consciousness in the confession. In spite of its stress on the Spirit, Noordmans’ theology is Christ-centered. But the church, which was previously a union in caritas, has had to pay the price for this concentration on the Spirit. In Noordmans’ theology the church is a broken figure.
Free relatives in Maltese
Authors: Sadler Louisa , Camilleri Maris
Published: December 2017

This paper makes a contribution to our understanding of free relative clauses (frcs) in Maltese, in particular so-called plain, standard or non -ever free relative clauses. We demonstrate that such frcs are interpreted as definites, consistent with the findings in much previous literature on other languages. However, we also show that Maltese has not one but two strategies for plain (realis or definite) frcs: alongside frcs formed using a wh-word we also find frcs introduced by the complementising element li, inconsistent with the seemingly widespread assumption that frcs necessarily involve a wh-word. Both strategies give rise to definite interpretations. Additionally, we argue that definite or realis wh-frcs are to be distinguished from a different (but apparently structurally identical) type, the so-called irrealis free relative clause or modal existential construction, which has not been previously identified for Maltese. We show that this subset of free relatives exhibit the properties associated with the modal existential construction crosslinguistically. We then demonstrate the existence of a subtype of headed relative clauses in Maltese which also share a number of the properties which we identify in the Maltese modal existential construction.
The comparison of inequality in Hakka and some related issues – 客家話的差比句及相關問題
Authors: 江 敏華 , CHIANG Min-hua
Published: December 2017

This article explores the comparison of inequality in Hakka, the investigation of which includes data collected from fieldwork in Taiwan, dialectal materials, and early Hakka missionary documents. What is in common in the comparison of inequality in Hakka is the coexistence of two word orders, while the diversities are represented in the predicates occurred in the ‘exceed’ type of comparative, and the lexical forms of comparative degree marker. Three issues are discussed in this article: (i) the type of comparative indigenous to Hakka; (ii) the causes of double comparative marker; (iii) the semantic evolutions of the comparative degree marker ‘GUO’.
Does Vietnamese have evidence for OC *-r?
Authors: ALVES Mark J.
Published: December 2017

Specialists in Chinese historical phonology have claimed that some Vietnamese words with final /-j/ come from Old Chinese words with final *-r. This is reasonable to speculate as Proto-Austroasiatic finals *-r and *-l became final /-j/ in Vietnamese, parallel to the case in Sinitic. However, these Vietnamese words offer little evidence for OC *-r. Vietnamese did borrow a number of Late Old Chinese or Early Middle Chinese words reconstructed with final *-r after *-r merged with *-n in Eastern Han or later, and thus these words also have /-n/ in Vietnamese. Several other Vietnamese words with final /-j/ which are possibly from Old Chinese words having *-r were borrowed earlier in the BCE period, likely before large migrations of Sinitic speakers arrived. Those words include verbs and an adjective, words less likely than nouns to be borrowed without large bilingual communities. The small number of words and general uncertainty suggests some Vietnamese words with /-j/ purportedly from Old Chinese words with *-r may be chance similarities. Few are probable Chinese loanwords from that period.
The Lydian nominal paradigm of i-mutation
Authors: Sasseville David
Published: December 2017

This paper offers an analysis of the Lydian nominal paradigm of i-mutation. The main goal is to uncover the accentual type of this paradigm. This is achieved, first, by analyzing the phonological outcome of the endings and, second, by identifying the position of the accent within each given lexeme. In the end, a barytone character is posited for this paradigm. This observation has consequences regarding the original distribution of i-mutation in Anatolian and its chronological spread.
The morphological and constructional evolution of OHG huuanta and Dutch want
Authors: Hackstein Olav
Published: December 2017

Under a formal and functional reconstruction, the form and semantics of Old High German huuanta and Dutch want receive an explanation for the first time. Both conjunctions, together with Latin unde and Tocharian B ente, A äntā(ne), descend from PIE interrogative-relative *kwo-m-dheh1, *kwo-m-dhoh1, *kwo-m-dhah2 ‘whence, where’, whose semantics may be compositionally analyzed as ablatival-instrumental *kwo-m plus locatival-directional *-dho(h1), *-dha(h2). The novel equation of Old High German huuanta, Dutch want with Latin unde and Tocharian B ente, A äntā(ne) sheds light on a number of phonological and syntactic questions, including the merger of PIE *-nd- and *-ndh- in Latin and Tocharian (§ 2.1) and the non-affrication of *-nd- in Tocharian (§ 3.1.2). Another consequence is that a case can be made for clause-initial aphaeresis which triggered the loss of the labiovelar onsets in unde and ente/äntā(ne), thus pointing to the existence of wh-movement and clause-initial wh-words in both Latin and Tocharian (§ 3.1.1).
The first description of the larva and pupa of crane fly genus Phyllolabis Osten Sacken, 1877 (Diptera, Limoniidae, Limnophilinae), with information for understanding the phylogenetic relationships and systematical position of the genus
Authors: PODENIENE VIRGINIJA , GELHAUS JON K.
Published: December 2017

Description, illustrations and habitat characteristics are given for the previously unknown last instar larvae and pupae of the genus Phyllolabis Osten Sacken, 1877 of the eastern palaearctic species Phyllolabis mongolica Podenas and Gelhaus, 2012 (Diptera: Limoniidae, Limnophilinae). Diagnostic features and phylogenetic relationships are discussed. Characters of the immatures stages of Phyllolabis shows similarities with the genus Austrolimnophila, Epiphragma and Dactylolabis and based on this investigation Phyllolabis is moved back into subfamily Limnophilinae s.l., albeit as one of its basal lineages.
Amphipoda living in sponges on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia (Crustacea, Amphipoda)
Authors: MYERS ALAN A. , GEORGE ANITA M.
Published: December 2017

Fourteen species of amphipod are recorded as endocommensal with the sponges Coelocarteria singaporensis, Coscinoderma mathewsi and Ircinia microconulosa on the Great Barrier Reef. The genus Leucothoe is represented by three new species, one specific to each of the three sponges. Hyperadult males of Aoroides parvus Myers are also described.