bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-omics Approach Reveals Distinct Differences in Left- and Right-Sided Colon Cancer
Authors: Hu Wangxiong , Yang Yanmei , Li Xiaofen , Huang Minran , Xu Fei , Ge Weiting , Zhang Suzhan , Zheng Shu
Published: February 2018

Increasing evidence suggests that left-sided colon cancer (LCC) and right-sided colon cancer (RCC) are emerging as two different colorectal cancer types with distinct clinical characteristics. However, the discrepancy in the underlying molecular event between these types of cancer has not been thoroughly elucidated to date and warrants comprehensive investigation. To this end, an integrated dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas was used to compare and contrast LCC and RCC, covering mutation, DNA methylation, gene expression, and miRNA. Briefly, the signaling pathway cross-talk is more prevalent in RCC than LCC, such as RCC-specific PI3K pathway, which often exhibits cross-talk with the RAS and P53 pathways. Meanwhile, methylation signatures revealed that RCC was hypermethylated relative to LCC. In addition, differentially expressed genes (n = 253) and differentially expressed miRNAs (n = 16) were determined between LCC and RCC. Especially for Prostate Cancer Susceptibility Candidate 1 (PRAC1), a gene that was closely associated with hypermethylation, was the top significantly downregulated gene in RCC. Multi-omics comparison of LCC and RCC suggests that there are more aggressive markers in RCC and that tumor heterogeneity occurs within the location-based subtypes of colon cancer. These results clarify the debate regarding the conflicting prognosis between LCC and RCC, as proposed by different studies.

Implications: The underlying molecular features present in LCC and RCC identified in this study are beneficial for adopting reasonable therapeutic approaches to prolong overall survival and progression-free survival in colorectal cancer patients. Mol Cancer Res; 16(3); 476–85. ©2017 AACR.
Analysis of Hospital Charges of Inpatients with Acute Ischemic Stroke in Beijing, China, 2012–2015
Authors: Kong Dehui , Liu Xiaole , Lian Hui , Zhao Xiaoyi , Zhao Yakun , Xu Qun , Peng Bin , Wang Haitao , Fang Quan , Zhang Shuyang , Cheng Kangan , Jin Xiaofeng , Fan Zhongjie
Published: February 2018

Background: The study aimed to analyze the hospital charges of the inpatients with acute ischemic stroke in Beijing and determine the factors associated with hospital costs. Methods: Medical records of hospitalized patients with a primary diagnosis of ischemic stroke according to International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision codes were collected from 121 hospitals in Beijing from March 1, 2012, to February 28, 2015. Distribution characteristics of hospital charges for different hospital levels (level 2 hospitals and level 3 hospitals) and types (Western medicine hospitals and Chinese medicine hospitals) were studied. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the association among hospital costs and factors that influenced total hospital charges. Results: There were 158,781 admissions for ischemic stroke, 63.1% of the patients were male and their mean age was 67.7 ± 12.4 years, the median length of hospital stay (LOHS) was 13.5 days (interquartile range 9.9–18.1 days). The median hospital charge was 2,112 (1,436–3,147) US dollars. Of these, 46.7% were for medicine, 21.1% for laboratory and examination, and 16.3% for therapy. LOHS, hospital level, and pulmonary infection were key determinants of the hospital charges. Conclusions: The proportion of medicine fees for the ischemic stroke inpatients showed a downward trend during the period from 2012 to 2015, but medicine fees still accounted for the largest percentage of hospital charges in China. LOHS emerged to be the main determinant of the cost. Decreasing medicine fees and LOHS might be strategies to decrease hospital charges and reduce economic burden of stroke in China.
Speaker and Observer Perceptions of Physical Tension during Stuttering
Authors: Tichenor Seth , Leslie Paula , Shaiman Susan , Yaruss J. Scott
Published: February 2018

Purpose: Speech-language pathologists routinely assess physical tension during evaluation of those who stutter. If speakers experience tension that is not visible to clinicians, then judgments of severity may be inaccurate. This study addressed this potential discrepancy by comparing judgments of tension by people who stutter and expert clinicians to determine if clinicians could accurately identify the speakers’ experience of physical tension. Method: Ten adults who stutter were audio-video recorded in two speaking samples. Two board-certified specialists in fluency evaluated the samples using the Stuttering Severity Instrument-4 and a checklist adapted for this study. Speakers rated their tension using the same forms, and then discussed their experiences in a qualitative interview so that themes related to physical tension could be identified. Results: The degree of tension reported by speakers was higher than that observed by specialists. Tension in parts of the body that were less visible to the observer (chest, abdomen, throat) was reported more by speakers than by specialists. The thematic analysis revealed that speakers’ experience of tension changes over time and that these changes may be related to speakers’ acceptance of stuttering. Conclusion: The lack of agreement between speaker and specialist perceptions of tension suggests that using self-reports is a necessary component for supporting the accurate diagnosis of tension in stuttering.
Isolated Medial Orbital Wall Fracture Associated with Enophthalmos in a Paediatric Patient: An Unusual Presentation
Authors: Giannakouras Panagiotis , Pollalis Georgios , Tsina Efthymia
Published: February 2018

Purpose: To report a case of isolated medial orbital wall fracture with enophthalmos in a paediatric patient and describe the clinical presentation and findings by means of computed tomography (CT) of the head and eyes. Methods: We looked at the patient’s medical and ophthalmologic history, and an ophthalmologic examination and a CT of the head were performed at baseline. Results: A 14-year-old boy was admitted to the emergency department of our institution with ecchymosis of his right eyelids secondary to a sport accident. Physical examination revealed a moderate limitation of upgaze without diplopia. CT showed a medial orbital wall fracture without haemorrhage and a gross accumulation of air in the right eyelid with pressure exertion over the right globe and enophthalmos. The patient was treated conservatively with oral antibiotics and steroids showing dramatic improvement within 1 week. Enophthalmos and periorbital emphysema were completely resolved within 3 months after the accident as indicated by CT. Conclusions: We conclude that surgical intervention and intravenous treatment are not warranted in similar cases of medial orbital wall fracture. Medical history, clinical and paraclinical evaluations, and a regular follow-up, including CT, are needed though to avoid complications such as painful abduction, horizontal diplopia, pseudo sixth nerve paresis, or pseudo Duane.
Is There a Role for Double J Stent Culture in Contemporary Urology?
Authors: Kozyrakis Diomidis , Perikleous Stefanos , Chatzistamou Styliani-Elissavet , Kateris Dimitris , Soukias Georgios , Karatzas Anastasios , Dimitriadis Ioannis
Published: February 2018

Introduction: To present the incidence of bacterial colonization on ureteral double J stents (DJS); isolate the uropathogens; define the rate of multi-resistant bacteria strains (MRBS) and present their clinical importance. Materials and Methods: The whole body of 105 DJSs was examined for the presence of uropathogens. Results: The main etiology for stent placement was lithiasis (57.1%). The most frequently cultured microorganisms were staphylococcus (28.6%). Forty-four stents hosted MRBS. 25 (23.8%), 10 (9.5%) and 8 (7.6%) of the patients were affected by malignancy, diabetes mellitus and chronic renal failure respectively. Apart from the female gender, none of the examined factors (age, duration of stenting and chronic diseases) was correlated with the colonization or the presence of MRBS. Eleven of the 61 stented patients (18%) who were operated upon developed a febrile urinary tract infections (UTI). In 7 of them the stent hosted MRBS (63.6%). After taking into consideration the sensitivity report, we altered our initial empirical antibacterial prophylaxis to targeted antibacterial treatment in the patients with MRBS with rapid remission of their infection and no urosepsis event. Conclusion: The knowledge of bacteriologic flora of DJS can be very helpful in an evidence-based prophylactic and therapeutic practice. Stent examination could be recommended in high-risk cases of developing UTI and sepsis after a urologic operation.
The Clinical Management of Main Duct Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm of the Pancreas
Authors: Dal Borgo Chiara , Perri Giampaolo , Borin Alex , Marchegiani Giovanni , Salvia Roberto , Bassi Claudio
Published: February 2018

Background: Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas comprise a heterogeneous group of intraductal mucin-producing neoplasms representing a typical adenoma-to-carcinoma sequence. The involvement of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) is a feature of paramount importance, directly related to a more aggressive biology and a higher malignancy rate. Method: We review and discuss the clinical management of IPMNs with a MPD involvement, recalling the different consensus guidelines and addressing recent controversies in literature, presenting the current clinical practice in Verona Pancreas Institute. Results: All the aspects of surgical management were discussed, from the indication for surgery to the intraoperative management and the follow-up strategies. Conclusion: The management of presumed IPMNs involving the MPD at our Institution is in line with the International Association of Pancreatology 2012 guidelines, revised in 2016. Surgical resection proposed should achieve the complete removal of the tumor with negative margins. Despite a good prognosis in terms of survival of overall resected main duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, follow-up should not be discontinued.
РОЛЬ МЕДИЧНОЇ СЕСТРИ НА СУЧАСНОМУ ЕТАПІ РОЗВИТКУ ОХОРОНИ ЗДОРОВ’Я
Authors: Petrushchak O. M. , Krynytska I. Ya.
Published: February 2018

У статті викладено сучасні дані щодо професійних якостей медичної сестри у сфері догляду за пацієнтами терапевтичного профілю на сучасному етапі та нових стратегій розвитку сестринської справи.
ІНСЦЕНУВАННЯ КЛІНІЧНИХ СИТУАЦІЙ У КОНТЕКСТІ АКТИВІЗАЦІЇ САМОСТІЙНОЇ РОБОТИ СТУДЕНТІВ МЕДИЧНОГО КОЛЕДЖУ
Authors: Davydchuk M. A.
Published: February 2018

У статті розглянуто проблеми позитивної мотивації студентів у процесі самостійного опанування професійними компетентностями. Науковий аналіз та власний педагогічний досвід дозволив стверджувати, що одним із шляхів розв’язання виокремлених завдань є упровадження інтерактивних дидактичних методів. Особливу увагу автор звертає на сутність, види та форми самостійної роботи з огляду на специфіку навчання у медичному коледжі. Доведено, що залучення студентів до такого виду діяльності через інсценування клінічних ситуацій максимально наближує майбутніх медиків до реальних умов, забезпечує усвідомлене та якісне оволодіння необхідними уміннями й навичками.
Adrenalectomy in dogs: retrospective study of 13 cases performed in Universidade Anhembi Morumbi Veterinary Hospital (2012-2015)
Authors: Pacini Tatiana , Jericó Márcia Marques , Scalize Livia Povinha , Nishiya Adriana Tomoko
Published: February 2018

Adrenalectomia é o tratamento mais indicado para neoplasias adrenais unilaterais. Objetivou-se descrever os aspectos epidemiológicos e o comportamento perioperatório em cães submetidos a adrenalectomia no Hospital Veterinário Anhembi Morumbi. Dos 13 casos, oito eram cães de raças puras e cinco eram SRD; 12 eram fêmeas e de idade de 9,5 ± 2,5 anos. Das massas adrenais, sete eram em lado direito. Os exames histopatológicos revelaram adenoma cortical em 11 cães e adenocarcinoma em dois. Dois casos recidivaram a condição de hipercortisolemia, associada à hiperplasia, na adrenal contralateral, confirmados pelo teste de estimulação por ACTH. Concluiu-se que a adrenalectomia é um procedimento seguro, com poucas complicações perioperatórias, ressalvando-se a possiblidade de recidiva do quadro de hipercortisolismo.
Causes of death of domestic cats in a veterinary hospital of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais state: a retrospective study
Authors: Rodrigues Solangge Cristina , Moreira Thaís De Almeida , Nascimento Fernanda Gatti Oliveira , Blanca Willian Torres , Souza Rafael Rocha de , Medeiros-Ronchi Alessandra Aparecida
Published: February 2018

Os gatos apresentam papel relevante como animal de estimação na sociedade atual. Neste sentido, o conhecimento das principais enfermidades e causas de morte desses animais é fundamental para prevenção de várias patologias. No entanto, quanto ao gato doméstico, essas pesquisas ainda são escassas na medicina veterinária. Assim, este trabalho realizou um estudo retrospectivo das causas de morte de gatos registradas das necropsias efetuadas pelo Laboratório de Patologia Animal da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, em um período de 36 anos, no qual 350 gatos foram necropsiados. As doenças do sistema digestivo foram as mais frequentes (48 gatos – 13,71%) e destas, a lipidose hepática foi a etiologia de maior ocorrência (18,75%). O sistema respiratório foi o segundo mais afetado (10,86%), sendo pneumonia aguda, edema pulmonar e hérnia diafragmática as principais doenças deste sistema responsáveis pela morte de gatos. Outras causas de óbito importantes foram raiva, carcinoma de células escamosas, osteodistrofia fibrosa, fraturas e traumatismos, choque hipovolêmico e síndrome urológica felina. Este tipo de análise pode fornecer informações básicas sobre as enfermidades que mais acometem os felinos de uma determinada região, contribuindo para que os profissionais médicos veterinários passem a adotar as respectivas ações de prevenção e controle.
Effect of the addition of papain enzyme on digestive parameters and palatability of extruded diets for dogs
Authors: Santos Karine De Melo , Sá Fabiano César , Souza Danilo Ferreira de , Silva Flavio Lopes da , Urrego Maria Isabel Gonzalez , Vendramini Thiago Henrique , Brunetto Marcio Antonio , Carciofi Aulus Cavalieri
Published: February 2018

As fontes comuns de proteína utilizadas na fabricação de rações para cães são oriundas de coprodutos, os quais podem apresentar digestibilidade reduzida de acordo com a fonte. Este estudo avaliou os efeitos da adição da enzima papaína em dietas secas e extrusadas na palatabilidade, digestibilidade dos nutrientes, qualidade e produção fecal de cães adultos. Uma dieta foi formulada contendo farinha de vísceras de frango, farinha de carne e ossos e farinha de penas hidrolisadas como fontes proteicas. Esta foi posteriormente dividida em três dietas isonutrientes: controle negativo (CN) sem adição da enzima; adição de 855.000 UI de papaína por quilograma de ração (EZ1); e adição de 2.280.000 UI de papaína por quiilograma de ração (EZ2), ambas adições feitas antes da extrusão. O experimento seguiu delineamento em blocos casualizados, com dois blocos de nove animais (três animais por tratamento em cada bloco), totalizando 18 cães, e seis repetições por tratamento. Os dados obtidos foram submetidos a análise de variância, com as médias dos três tratamentos comparadas por contrastes polinomiais (P < 0,05). Não foram verificadas diferenças nos coeficientes de digestibilidade aparente dos nutrientes ou mesmo alterações na palatabilidade, pH e produção de fezes entre os tratamentos com diferentes inclusões de enzima (P > 0,05). Apenas o escore fecal reduziu com o aumento da adição da enzima (P < 0,05).
Rural area of the Brazilian Pantanal wetlands associated with the occurrence of anti-Leishmania spp. antibodies in dogs
Authors: Melo Andréia Lima Tomé , Costa Andréa Pereira da , Miyazaki Selma Samiko , Stocco Matias Bassinello , Semedo Thiago Borges Fernandes , Pacheco Thábata Dos Anjos , Witter Rute , Pacheco Richard De Campos , Labruna Marcelo Bahia , Marcili Arlei , Aguiar Daniel Moura de
Published: February 2018

Neste trabalho foi realizada uma avaliação sobre a presença de anticorpos anti-Leishmania infantum chagasi em cães domésticos das áreas urbanas e rurais da região do Pantanal brasileiro usando técnicas sorológicas. Um total de 429 cães foram amostrados em três áreas do bioma do Pantanal, incluindo os municípios de Poconé, Santo Antônio de Leverger e Barão de Melgaço, em Mato Grosso, e o município de Corumbá, em Mato Grosso do Sul. A reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI) foi utilizada para detectar anticorpos (ponto de corte de 40) de Leishmania infantum chagasi como antígeno. Devido à possibilidade de reação cruzada entre as espécies do gênero Leishmania, as amostras positivas na RIFI para L. infantum chagasi foram também avaliadas na RIFI utilizando L. amazonensis e L. braziliensis como antígenos. As amostras positivas na RIFI para L. infantum chagasi foram avaliadas utilizando o ensaio de imunoadsorção ligado à enzima (ELISA). Os resultados mostraram a presença de anticorpos contra L. infantum chagasi em 23 (5,36%; IC 95%: 3,50% -8,05%) cães e pelo menos um cão soro-reativo foi encontrado em todos os municípios avaliados neste estudo. Os títulos de anticorpos variaram de 40 a 5.120 e todas as amostras positivas na RIFI foram positivas no ELISA. Entre os 23 cães positivos, nove também reagiram para L. amazonensis e L. braziliensis. A ocorrência de anticorpos anti-L. infantum chagasi em cães foi maior nas áreas rurais (7,06%) do que nas áreas urbanas (2,50%) (P < 0,05). Com base neste estudo, concluímos que cães de áreas rurais do Pantanal tiveram contato com espécies de Leishmania, o que é uma informação relevante, dada a sua importância para a saúde pública.
The importance of clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical marking for differential diagnosis of non-hematopoietic gastrointestinal mesenchymal neoplasms in dogs: literature review
Authors: Leandro Rafael Magdanelo , Freitas Fernando De Paula , Sá Lilian Rose Marques de
Published: February 2018

As neoplasias gastrointestinais em cães representam casos desafiantes ao clínico e cirurgião, pois são em sua maioria malignas e, quando as primeiras alterações clínicas são notadas pelo proprietário do animal, a doença pode estar em estágio de desenvolvimento muito avançado. Devido à elevada similaridade clínica e histopatológica entre as neoplasias gastrointestinais mesenquimais, muitas vezes não é possível estabelecer o diagnóstico morfológico definitivo apenas com a microscopia de luz. Acrescenta-se que são poucos os artigos que descrevem as características anatomopatológicas e imuno-histoquímicas das neoplasias mesenquimais gastrointestinais que acometem os cães, o que torna premente a caracterização destas em nosso contexto, com o intuito de auxiliar clínico, cirurgião e patologista veterinário a estabelecer o diagnóstico destes tumores.
Atualização sobre a epidemiologia de Dirofilaria immitis na América do Sul e no México: revisão de literatura
Authors: Bendas Alexandre José Rodrigues , Mendes-de-Almeida Flavya , Guerrero Jorge , Labarthe Norma
Published: February 2018

Dirofilaria immitis é um nematoide de ampla distribuição geográfica, que ocorre com maior frequência em áreas quentes e úmidas do planeta. O primeiro registro de sua ocorrência na América do Sul foi realizado em 1878, no Brasil. Naquela época os registros eram poucos e raramente de fácil obtenção, razão pela qual reuni-los facilitará a recuperação da memória ao longo dos anos. Quatro bases de dados (Scopus, MEDLINE, LILACS e PubMed) foram estudadas utilizando-se as palavras-chave “Dirofilaria” ou “heartworm”, os nomes dos países da América do Sul e o México. Nenhum registro foi encontrado para quatro países (Bolívia, Equador, Guiana Francesa e Uruguai) e para outros três (Suriname, Guiana e Paraguai) os registros eram antigos. Apenas o Chile é o território onde houve estudos registrados com ausência do parasita. Os outros países (México, Peru, Colômbia, Venezuela, Argentina e Brasil) apresentam registros com frequência variável no tempo ou no espaço. Assim, as informações reunidas indicam que infecções por D. immitis ocorrem na maior parte da América do Sul e no México e que os médicos veterinários devem instituir programas preventivos para garantir cuidados médicos de qualidade aos pacientes e para proteger a saúde destes e de suas famílias.
Anticoagulant Use Among Patients With End-Stage Renal Disease Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Washam Jeffrey B. , Kaltenbach Lisa A. , Wojdyla Daniel M. , Patel Manesh R. , Klein Andrew J. , Abbott J. Dawn , Rao Sunil V.
Published: February 2018

Background—

Patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have largely been excluded from trials of antithrombotic therapies leaving little data to guide agent choice in this population.

Methods and Results—

The National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry was used to identify patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing PCI who received monotherapy with either bivalirudin or unfractionated heparin (UFH) (n=71 675). In hospital bleeding and mortality were compared and adjusted using the CathPCI Registry logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations with UFH as the reference. Bivalirudin was used in 51.3% of patients versus 48.7% for UFH. The use of bivalirudin decreased over time, and in 2014, UFH became the most frequently used. Patients receiving UFH were more likely to have an acute coronary syndrome presentation (37.8% versus 27.4%) or have cardiogenic shock (3.74% versus 1.98%). The observed rates for in hospital bleeding (7.0% versus 9.5%; adjusted odds ratio,0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.76–0.87) and mortality (2.6% versus 4.2%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.78–0.97) were lower for patients receiving bivalirudin compared with those receiving UFH.

Conclusions—

In patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing PCI, bivalirudin and UFH were used with similar frequency although the patterns of use changed over the enrollment period. Patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing PCI had a lower adjusted risk of in hospital outcomes with bivalirudin; however, given the observational nature of this analysis, a randomized trial is warranted.
REEP5 (Receptor Accessory Protein 5) Acts as a Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Membrane Sculptor to Modulate Cardiac Function
Authors: Yao Lei , Xie Duanyang , Geng Li , Shi Dan , Huang Jian , Wu Yufei , Lv Fei , Liang Dandan , Li Li , Liu Yi , Li Jun , Chen Yi‐Han
Published: February 2018

Background

Heart failure is a complex syndrome characterized by cardiac contractile impairment with high mortality. Defective intracellular Ca
2+
homeostasis is the central cause under this scenario and tightly links to ultrastructural rearrangements of sarcolemmal transverse tubules and the sarcoplasmic reticulum (
SR
); however, the modulators of the
SR
architecture remain unknown. The
SR
has been thought to be a specialized endoplasmic reticulum membrane system. Receptor accessory proteins (
REEP
s)/
DP
1/Yop1p are responsible for shaping high‐curvature endoplasmic reticulum tubules. This study aimed to determine the role of
REEP
s in
SR
membrane shaping and thus cardiac function.

Methods and Results

We identified
REEP
5 (receptor accessory protein 5) as more highly expressed than other
REEP
members in adult rat ventricular myocardium, and it was downregulated in the failing hearts. Targeted inactivation of

REEP
5

in rats specially deformed the cardiac
SR
membrane without affecting transverse tubules, and this was visualized by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy–based 3‐dimensional reconstruction. Accordingly, simultaneous recordings of depolarization‐induced Ca
2+
currents and Ca
2+
transients in

REEP
5

‐null cardiomyocytes revealed normal L‐type Ca
2+
channel currents but a depressed
SR
Ca
2+
release. Consequently, the excitation–contraction coupling gain of cardiomyocytes and consequent cardiac contractility were compromised.
REEP
5 deficiency did not alter the expression of major proteins involved in Ca
2+
handling in the heart.

Conclusions

REEP
5 modulates cardiac function by shaping the
SR
. REEP5 defect deforms the
SR
architecture to depress cardiac contractility.
REEP
5‐dependent
SR
shaping might have potential as a therapeutic target for heart failure.
Ideal Cardiovascular Health and the Prevalence and Severity of Aortic Stenosis in Elderly Patients
Authors: Sengeløv Morten , Cheng Susan , Biering‐Sørensen Tor , Matsushita Kunihiro , Konety Suma , Solomon Scott D. , Folsom Aaron R. , Shah Amil M.
Published: February 2018

Background

The relationship between ideal cardiovascular health reflected in the cardiovascular health score (
CVHS
) and valvular heart disease is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of
CVHS
attainment through midlife to late life with aortic stenosis prevalence and severity in late life.

Methods and Results

The following 6 ideal cardiovascular health metrics were assessed in ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) Study participants at 5 examination visits between 1987 and 2013 (visits 1–4 in 1987–1998 and visit 5 in 2011–2013): smoking, body mass index, total cholesterol, blood pressure, physical activity, and blood glucose. Percentage attained
CVHS
was calculated in 6034 participants as the sum of
CVHS
at each visit/the maximum possible score. Aortic stenosis was assessed by echocardiography at visit 5 on the basis of the peak aortic valve velocity. Aortic stenosis was categorized sclerosis, mild stenosis, and moderate‐to‐severe stenosis. Mean age was 76±5 years, 42% were men, and 22% were black. Mean percentage attained
CVHS
was 63±14%, and the prevalence of aortic stenosis stages were 15.9% for sclerosis, 4.3% for mild stenosis, and 0.7% for moderate‐to‐severe stenosis. Worse percentage attained
CVHS
was associated with higher prevalence of aortic sclerosis (
P
<0.001 for trend), mild stenosis (
P
<0.001), and moderate‐to‐severe stenosis (
P
=0.002), adjusting for age, sex, and race.

Conclusions

Greater attainment of ideal cardiovascular health in midlife to late life is associated with a lower prevalence of aortic sclerosis and stenosis in late life in a large cohort of older adults.
Cardiovascular Risk and the American Dream: Life Course Observations From the BHS (Bogalusa Heart Study)
Authors: Pollock Benjamin D. , Harville Emily W. , Mills Katherine T. , Tang Wan , Chen Wei , Bazzano Lydia A.
Published: February 2018

Background

Economic literature shows that a child's future earnings are predictably influenced by parental income, providing an index of “socioeconomic mobility,” or the ability of a person to move towards a higher socioeconomic status from childhood to adulthood. We adapted this economic paradigm to examine cardiovascular risk mobility (
CRM
), or whether there is life course mobility in relative cardiovascular risk.

Methods and Results

Participants from the BHS (Bogalusa Heart Study) with 1 childhood and 1 adult visit from 1973 to 2016 (n=7624) were considered. We defined population‐level
CRM
as the rank‐rank slope (β) from the regression of adult cardiovascular disease (
CVD
) risk percentile ranking onto childhood
CVD
risk percentile ranking (β=0 represents complete mobility; β=1 represents no mobility). After defining and measuring relative
CRM
, we assessed its correlation with absolute cardiovascular health using the American Heart Association's Ideal Cardiovascular Health metrics. Overall, there was substantial mobility, with black participants having marginally better
CRM
than whites (β
black
=0.10 [95% confidence interval, 0.05–0.15]; β
white
=0.18 [95% confidence interval, 0.14–0.22];
P
=0.01). Having high relative
CVD
risk at an earlier age significantly reduced
CRM
(β
age×slope
=−0.02; 95% confidence interval, −0.03 to −0.01;
P
<0.001). Relative
CRM
was strongly correlated with life course changes in Ideal Cardiovascular Health sum (
r
=0.62; 95% confidence interval, 0.60–0.65).

Conclusions

Results from this novel application of an economic mobility index to cardiovascular epidemiology indicated substantial CRM, supporting the paradigm that life course
CVD
risk is highly modifiable. High
CRM
implies that the children with the best relative
CVD
profiles may only maintain a slim advantage over their peers into adulthood.
Myocardial Scar Delineation Using Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Tractography
Authors: Mekkaoui Choukri , Jackowski Marcel P. , Kostis William J. , Stoeck Christian T. , Thiagalingam Aravinda , Reese Timothy G. , Reddy Vivek Y. , Ruskin Jeremy N. , Kozerke Sebastian , Sosnovik David E.
Published: February 2018

Background

Late gadolinium enhancement (
LGE
) is the current standard for myocardial scar delineation. In this study, we introduce the tractographic propagation angle (
PA
), a metric of myofiber curvature (degrees/unit distance) derived from diffusion tensor imaging (
DTI
), and compare its use to
LGE
and invasive scar assessment by endocardial voltage mapping.

Methods and Results

DTI
was performed on 7 healthy human volunteers, 5 patients with myocardial infarction, 6 normal mice, and 7 mice with myocardial infarction.
LGE
to delineate the infarct and border zones was performed with a 2‐dimensional inversion recovery gradient‐echo sequence. Ex vivo
DTI
was performed on 5 normal human and 5 normal sheep hearts. Endocardial electroanatomic mapping and subsequent ex vivo
DTI
was performed on 5 infarcted sheep hearts.
PA
in the normal human hearts varied smoothly and was generally <4. The mean
PA
in the infarct zone was significantly elevated (10.34±1.02 versus 4.05±0.45,
P
<0.05). Regions with a
PA
≤4 consistently had a bipolar voltage ≥1.5 mV, whereas those with
PA
values between 4 and 10 had voltages between 0.5 and 1.5 mV. A
PA
threshold >4 was the most accurate
DTI
‐derived measure of infarct size and demonstrated the greatest correlation with
LGE
(
r
=0.95).

Conclusions

We found a strong correlation between infarct size by
PA
and
LGE
in both mice and humans. There was also an inverse relationship between
PA
values and endocardial voltage. The use of
PA
may enable myocardial scar delineation and characterization of arrhythmogenic substrate without the need for exogenous contrast agents.
Significance of Coronary Artery Spasm Diagnosis in Patients With Early Repolarization Syndrome
Authors: Kamakura Tsukasa , Wada Mitsuru , Ishibashi Kohei , Inoue Yuko Y. , Miyamoto Koji , Okamura Hideo , Nagase Satoshi , Noda Takashi , Aiba Takeshi , Yasuda Satoshi , Shimizu Wataru , Kamakura Shiro , Kusano Kengo
Published: February 2018

Background

Previously described patients with early repolarization syndrome (
ERS
) may have experienced silent coronary artery spasm (
CAS
) because the diagnosis of
CAS
was mainly based on symptoms or coronary angiography findings, without performing a spasm provocation test. This study investigated the significance of
CAS
diagnosis and evaluated the incidence of silent
CAS
in patients with possible
ERS
(ie, idiopathic ventricular fibrillation [
VF
] and inferolateral J wave).

Methods and Results

The study included 34 patients with idiopathic
VF
and inferolateral J wave. Thirteen patients (38%) were diagnosed as having
CAS
on the basis of coronary angiography with spasm provocation test (n=8) and documentation of spontaneous
ST
elevation (n=5). Of the 13 patients with
CAS
, 5 (38%) did not experience chest symptoms before and during
VF
, and were diagnosed as having silent
CAS
. The remaining 21 patients (62%), with a negative provocation test result and absence of chest symptoms, were considered to have ERS. During the 92 months of follow‐up, patients with CAS receiving appropriate medical treatment with antianginal drugs showed a favorable outcome. In contrast, 4 of 21 patients with ERS (19%) had
VF
recurrences. The use of monotherapy or combination therapy, consisting of quinidine, cilostazol, and bepridil, in the 4 patients with ERS, was effective in suppressing
VF
.

Conclusions

Approximately 40% of patients with CAS with documented
VF
and inferolateral J wave did not experience chest symptoms at the first
VF
, and could have been misdiagnosed as having
ERS
. The use of the spasm provocation test is considered essential to differentiate patients for optimal medical treatment.
Beneficial Effect of Mas Receptor Deficiency on Vascular Cognitive Impairment in the Presence of Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor
Authors: Higaki Akinori , Mogi Masaki , Iwanami Jun , Min Li‐Juan , Bai Hui‐Yu , Shan Bao‐Shuai , Kukida Masayoshi , Yamauchi Toshifumi , Tsukuda Kana , Kan‐no Harumi , Ikeda Shuntaro , Higaki Jitsuo , Horiuchi Masatsugu
Published: February 2018

Background

The classical renin‐angiotensin system is known as the angiotensin (Ang)‐converting enzyme/Ang II/Ang type 1 receptor axis, which induces various organ damage including cognitive decline. The angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2/Ang‐(1‐7)/Mas axis is known to exert antagonistic actions against the classical renin‐angiotensin system axis in the cardiovascular system. However, its roles in the brain remain unclear. We examined possible roles of the angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2/Ang‐(1‐7)/Mas axis in cognitive function, employing vascular cognitive impairment model mice.

Methods and Results

Male 10‐week‐old C57BL6 (wild‐type mice, Mas1 knockout mice, Ang II type 2 receptor knockout mice, and Ang II type 2 receptor/Mas1 double knockout mice were subjected to bilateral carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) surgery. Six weeks after treatment, they were subjected to cognitive tasks. Brain samples were used for histopathological analysis. Cognitive function was significantly impaired in wild‐type and double knockout mice after BCAS. On the other hand, the cognitive function of Mas1 knockout mice was maintained in spite of the reduction of cerebral blood flow with BCAS. Total cell number in the dentate gyrus region was significantly reduced after BCAS in wild‐type but not in Mas1 knockout mice. The number of doublecortin‐positive cells in the subgranular zone was not significantly different between wild‐type and Mas1 knockout mice. Ang‐(1‐7) administration did not improve cognitive function in all mice after BCAS surgery.

Conclusions

Lack of the Mas receptor may have a protective effect against chronic brain ischemia when the Ang II type 2 receptor exists.
Morphological and molecular characterisation of Hemicriconemoides paracamelliae sp. n. (Nematoda: Criconematidae) and two known species of Hemicriconemoides from China
Authors: Maria Munawar , Cai Ruihang , Castillo Pablo , Zheng Jingwu
Published: February 2018

Sheathoid nematodes of the genus Hemicriconemoides are migratory root-ectoparasites of many crops but damage is documented for only a few species. Hemicriconemoides paracamelliae sp. n., isolated in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, from the rhizosphere of Cinninghamia lanceolata, is described together with H. kanayaensis and H. parataiwanensis. These three species are characterised morphologically and molecularly with important morphological details elucidated by SEM photographs. The new species can be characterised by the en face view having a dorsoventrally orientated oral disc with slit-like opening, and the labial plate being composed of two lateral semi-globular shaped projections on the lateral sides of the oral disc. This new species has the first lip annulus expanded and slightly wider than the second, stylet 83 (80-85) μm long, excretory pore located 5-6 annuli posterior to the base of the pharyngeal bulb, vulva slit-like, vulval flaps absent, spermatheca rounded to oblong-shaped, and anus located 5-8 annuli posterior to vulva. The tail is elongated, conoid, with the terminal annuli curving dorsally or ventrally to form a finely rounded tip. The study provides the first record of H. kanayaensis from mainland China, a new host association of H. parataiwanensis, and molecular sequencing data of the 18S, 28S D2-D3 and ITS sequences.
The Peculiarities of English Culture
Authors: Noys Benjamin
Published: February 2018

Francis Mulhern’s Figures of Catastrophe argues for the existence of a hitherto-unnoticed generic form: the condition of culture novel, which offers a metacultural reflection on the conditions for the existence of culture and for access to culture. Mulhern’s analysis is located within the framework of Marxist reflections on culture, the history of British cultural Marxism, and Mulhern’s own project of the critique and analysis of ‘metaculture’ in Britain. In particular, this review focuses on Mulhern’s contention that the ‘condition of culture novel’ offers a catastrophic or even nihilistic vision of the access to culture by the working class. Mulhern’s argument is that the ‘condition of culture’ novel accompanies the emergence, solidification and collapse of the British culture of ‘labourism’. This review explores the consequences of this argument for the assessment of ‘culture’ and the future of the novel as a site of reflection on the condition of culture.
International Investment Law and Arbitration: History, Modern Practice, and Future Prospects
Authors: Sabahi Borzu , Laird Ian A. , Gismondi Giovanna E.
Published: February 2018

International Investment Law is one of the most dynamically growing fields of International Law as shown by the volume of Bilateral Investment Treaties (bits), and investment chapters in a growing numbers of regional and mega-regional trade agreements. This paper explores the origin, evolution and operation of International Investment Law. It discusses the main actors, the protections afforded to foreign investments and investors, and the content of modern bits. The legal issues and challenges International Investment Law faces today are brought into perspective. Particularly, this paper provides an assessment of the measures put forth by the European Union aimed at transforming the traditional investor-State arbitration system to an Investment Court System. An examination of the nafta re-negotiations is also presented, including the impact that ceta, a trade deal between the eu and Canada could have in the outcome of the current re-negotiations.
A new species of the remarkable brittle star genus Astrophiura (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from the western Atlantic Ocean
Authors: PAWSON DAVID L.
Published: February 2018

Astrophiura caroleae, new species, is described from off Curacao in the southern Caribbean, and from the western Gulf of Mexico, in depths of 244 to 434 meters. This new species, the first in the genus Astrophiura to be described from the Atlantic Ocean, has a distinctive combination of characters, including regularly arranged primary plates, large radial shields whose radial edges are in contact for their entire visible length, and prominent tubercles on central and radial plates. The mottled reddish coloration of the dorsal surface of this species usually contrasts with the color of the substratum, rendering it readily visible in situ, despite its disc diameter of less than 10 mm. Like its congeners, A. caroleae is gonochoric, the gonads of females containing conspicuous masses of bright orange eggs that are approximately 165 µm in diameter. DNA Barcoding data are provided for this new species, these are the first for Astrophiura.
New records of Pontocaris affinis affinis (Alcock, 1901) and Pontocaris propensalata Spence Bate, 1888 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Crangonidae) from Quilon bank of Southeastern Arabian Sea
Authors: PURUSHOTHAMAN P. , CHAKRABORTY REKHA DEVI , KUBERAN G. , MAHESWARUDU G.
Published: February 2018

This paper reports on two crangonid shrimps, Pontocaris affinis affinis and Pontocaris propensalata from Southeastern Arabian Sea. Continuous surveys in the Quilon bank yielded two new records of Pontocaris, which were found on the continental slope at 250–300 m depth. A 4.1% of genetic divergence between the 16S DNA sequences of the two species was noticed.
Taxonomy of the bee species Anthrenoides nigrinasis (Vachal, 1909) n. comb.: redescription of the type, description of the female, and new distribution records (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)
Authors: RAMOS KELLI S.
Published: February 2018

Protandrenini includes approximately 420 species of short-tongued bees, which are exclusively distributed in the Americas (Michener 2007; Moure et al. 2007; Ascher & Pickering 2017). Members of this tribe are mostly found in xeric and temperate areas in South America, and their diversity is still greatly underestimated. In fact, a major challenge to the systematics of Protandrenini is the outstanding number of species unplaced in genera or awaiting formal description (Ruz & Chiappa 2004; Ramos & Melo 2006; Michener 2007; Moure et al. 2007; Ramos & Rozen 2014). In addition to several taxa currently considered of uncertain position within the tribe, many South American genera are in need of taxonomic revision, such as Rhophitulus Ducke, Anthrenoides Ducke, and Psaenythia Gerstaecker (Silveira et al. 2002; Michener 2007; Ramos & Melo 2010; Moure et al. 2007).
BoBBLE: Ocean–Atmosphere Interaction and Its Impact on the South Asian Monsoon
Authors: Vinayachandran P. N. , Matthews Adrian J. , Kumar K. Vijay , Sanchez-Franks Alejandra , Thushara V. , George Jenson , Vijith V. , Webber Benjamin G. M. , Queste Bastien Y. , Roy Rajdeep , Sarkar Amit , Baranowski Dariusz B. , Bhat G. S. , Klingaman Nicholas P. , Peatman Simon C. , Parida C. , Heywood Karen J. , Hall Robert , King Brian , Kent Elizabeth C. , Nayak Anoop A. , Neema C. P. , Amol P. , Lotliker A. , Kankonkar A. , Gracias D. G. , Vernekar S. , D’Souza A. C. , Valluvan G. , Pargaonkar Shrikant M. , Dinesh K. , Giddings Jack , Joshi Manoj
Published: February 2018

The Bay of Bengal (BoB) plays a fundamental role in controlling the weather systems that make up the South Asian summer monsoon system. In particular, the southern BoB has cooler sea surface temperatures (SST) that influence ocean–atmosphere interaction and impact the monsoon. Compared to the southeastern BoB, the southwestern BoB is cooler, more saline, receives much less rain, and is influenced by the summer monsoon current (SMC). To examine the impact of these features on the monsoon, the BoB Boundary Layer Experiment (BoBBLE) was jointly undertaken by India and the United Kingdom during June–July 2016. Physical and biogeochemical observations were made using a conductivity–temperature–depth (CTD) profiler, five ocean gliders, an Oceanscience Underway CTD (uCTD), a vertical microstructure profiler (VMP), two acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs), Argo floats, drifting buoys, meteorological sensors, and upper-air radiosonde balloons. The observations were made along a zonal section at 8°N between 85.3° and 89°E with a 10-day time series at 8°N, 89°E. This paper presents the new observed features of the southern BoB from the BoBBLE field program, supported by satellite data. Key results from the BoBBLE field campaign show the Sri Lanka dome and the SMC in different stages of their seasonal evolution and two freshening events during which salinity decreased in the upper layer, leading to the formation of thick barrier layers. BoBBLE observations were taken during a suppressed phase of the intraseasonal oscillation; they captured in detail the warming of the ocean mixed layer and the preconditioning of the atmosphere to convection.
A Note on Interior Pathways in the Meridional Overturning Circulation
Authors: Pedlosky Joseph
Published: February 2018

A simple oceanic model is presented for source–sink flow on the β plane to discuss the pathways from source to sink when transport boundary layers have large enough Reynolds numbers to be inertial in their dynamics. A representation of the flow as a Fofonoff gyre, suggested by prior work on inertial boundary layers and eddy-driven circulations in two-dimensional turbulent flows, indicates that even when the source and sink are aligned along the same western boundary the flow must intrude deep into the interior before exiting at the sink. The existence of interior pathways for the flow is thus an intrinsic property of an inertial circulation and is not dependent on particular geographical basin geometry.
Application of the EMD Method to River Tides
Authors: Pan Haidong , Guo Zheng , Wang Yingying , Lv Xianqing
Published: February 2018

A lot of tidal phenomena, including river tides, tides in ice-covered bays, and internal tides in fjords, are nonstationary. These tidal processes present a severe challenge for the conventional tidal analysis method. The empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method is useful for nonstationary and nonlinear time series and has been used for different geophysical data. However, application of EMD to nonstationary tides is rare. This paper is meant to demonstrate a new tidal analysis tool that can help study nonstationary tides, in this case river tides. EMD is applied to a set of hourly water level records on the lower Columbia River, where the tides are greatly influenced by the fluctuating river flow. The results show that the averaged period of any EMD mode almost exactly doubles that of the previous one, suggesting that EMD is a dyadic filter. The highest and second highest frequency modes of EMD represent the semidiurnal (D2) and diurnal (D1) tides, respectively. The sum of the EMD modes except for the first two is the mean water level (MWL). The study finds that the EMD method successfully captured the nonstationary characteristics of the D1 tides, the D2 tides, and the MWL induced by river flow.
Investigating the attainment of open government data objectives: is there a mismatch between objectives and results?
Authors: Zuiderwijk Anneke , Shinde Rhythima , Janssen Marijn
Published: February 2018

The objectives of open government data initiatives range from enhancing transparency and accountability to increasing innovation and participation. However, there is a lack of knowledge of the extent to which the objectives of open government data initiatives are achieved. This article investigates the relationship between the objectives of open government data initiatives and the benefits delivered. A total of 168 survey responses concerning 156 open government data initiatives at different government levels worldwide suggest that operational and technical benefits are the benefits most often delivered, followed by economic benefits and, finally, societal benefits. Surprisingly, our study suggests that whether an open government data initiative delivers a benefit (e.g. increased openness, trust or innovation) is not significantly affected by having an objective related to the delivery of that benefit. The objectives of state- and national-level open government data initiatives are more often achieved than those of local- and regional-level open government data initiatives.
A Wnt-Responsive PDL Population Effectuates Extraction Socket Healing
Authors: Yuan X. , Pei X. , Zhao Y. , Tulu U.S. , Liu B. , Helms J.A.
Published: February 2018

Stem cells residing in the periodontal ligament (PDL) support the homeostasis of the periodontium, but their in vivo identity, source(s), and function(s) remain poorly understood. Here, using a lineage-tracing mouse strain, we identified a quiescent Wnt-responsive population in the PDL that became activated in response to tooth extraction. The Wnt-responsive population expanded by proliferation, then migrated from the PDL remnants that remained attached to bundle bone, into the socket. Once there, the Wnt-responsive progeny upregulated osteogenic protein expression, differentiated into osteoblasts, and generated the new bone that healed the socket. Using a liposomal WNT3A protein therapeutic, we showed that a single application at the time of extraction was sufficient to accelerate extraction socket healing 2-fold. Collectively, these data identify a new stem cell population in the intact periodontium that is directly responsible for alveolar bone healing after tooth removal.