bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glomeromycetes from the Magdalen Islands archipelago: analyzing diversity and meta-community structure in a sand-dune ecosystem
Authors: Dalpé Yolande , Séguin Sylvie , Chagnon Pierre-Luc
Published: August 2016

This report presents the first survey and analysis of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi community associated with Ammophila breviligulata Fernald (American beachgrass), of the Magdalen Islands archipelago, Quebec. Of the 36 selected harvesting sites, a total of 180 sand samples were collected from the rhizosphere of American beachgrass. Analyses were performed on the original sand samples and root and sand trap cultures. Of the 34 spore-morphotypes found, 31 belonged to glomoid spore species. Of the field sand samples, 72% contained the spores of Glomeromycetes and subsequent trap cultures increased this percentage to 84%. Of the 34 species, 29 were found sporulating in indigenous sand samples at harvest time, and only five additional species were recovered from root and sand trap pot culturing. Among the more generalist species were Rhizoglomus irregulare and G. sp4, which were found in 19 sites, Rhizoglomus aggregatum and Corymbiglomus tortuosum (found in 17 sites), Funneliformis mosseae and G. sp3 (found in 15 sites). This meta-community of Glomeromycetes is shown to have significant nestedness, indicating that fungal taxa that are more frequent in the whole archipelago are also more abundant locally. Some species pairs are shown to display significant negative associations in their patterns of co-occurrence. The relevance of these results for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community assembly and dynamics is discussed.
A supramolecular indicator displacement assay for acetyl amantadine, a proxy biomarker for spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) activity
Authors: Li Wei , Kuehne Nathan W. , Dallin Erin , Gordon Reuven , Hof Fraser
Published: August 2016

Acetyl amantadine (AcAm) is produced from amantadine (Am) in vivo upon catalysis by spermidine/spermine N1-acetyl transferase (SSAT). SSAT is a biomarker for multiple aggressive cancers, and the analysis of AcAm in urine has been promoted as a proxy measure for the early detection of cancer. We report here the development and optimization of cucurbit[7]uril–dye pair based indicator displacement assay (IDA) for the detection of AcAm in solution. In deionized water, using Rhodamine B as the dye, the limit of detection of AcAm was 0.087 μM with a linear response range from 0 to 1 μM. Using berberine as the dye, the limit of detection was 0.077 μM with the same range of linear response. Our efforts and difficulties in translating this assay to function in human urine are also described. We achieve a partial response of the berberine IDA to the presence of AcAm in urine that has undergone a simple PD-10 desalting step.
Getting quantitative about consequences of cross-ecosystem resource subsidies on recipient consumers
Authors: Richardson John S. , Wipfli Mark S.
Published: August 2016

Most studies of cross-ecosystem resource subsidies have demonstrated positive effects on recipient consumer populations, often with very large effect sizes. However, it is important to move beyond these initial addition–exclusion experiments to consider the quantitative consequences for populations across gradients in the rates and quality of resource inputs. In our introduction to this special issue, we describe at least four potential models that describe functional relationships between subsidy input rates and consumer responses, most of them asymptotic. Here we aim to advance our quantitative understanding of how subsidy inputs influence recipient consumers and their communities. In the papers following, fish were either the recipient consumers or the subsidy as carcasses of anadromous species. Advancing general, predictive models will enable us to further consider what other factors are potentially co-limiting (e.g., nutrients, other population interactions, physical habitat, etc.) and better integrate resource subsidies into consumer–resource, biophysical dynamics models.
Tracheobronchial Amyloidosis Mimicking Tracheal Tumor
Authors: Tanrıverdi Elif , Özgül Mehmet Akif , Uzun Oğuz , Gül Şule , Çörtük Mustafa , Yaşar Zehra , Acat Murat , Arda Naciye , Çetinkaya Erdoğan
Published: August 2016

Tracheobronchial amyloidosis is a rare presentation and accounts for about 1% of benign tumors in this area. The diagnosis of disease is delayed due to nonspecific pulmonary symptoms. Therapeutic approaches are required to control progressive pulmonary symptoms for most of the patients. Herein, we report a case of a 68-year-old man admitted with progressive dyspnea to our institution for further evaluation and management. He was initially diagnosed with and underwent management for bronchial asthma for two years but had persistent symptoms despite optimal medical therapy. Pulmonary computed tomography scan revealed severe endotracheal stenosis. Bronchoscopy was performed and showed endotracheal mass obstructing 70% of the distal trachea and mimicking a neoplastic lesion. The mass was successfully resected by mechanical resection, argon plasma coagulation (APC), and Nd-YAG laser during rigid bronchoscopy. Biopsy materials showed deposits of amorphous material by hematoxylin and eosin staining and these deposits were selectively stained with Congo Red. Although this is a rare clinical condition, this case indicated that carrying out a bronchoscopy in any patient complaining of atypical bronchial symptoms or with uncontrolled asthma is very important.
A Confirmatory Method Based on HPLC-MS/MS for the Detection and Quantification of Residue of Tetracyclines in Nonmedicated Feed
Authors: Gavilán Rosa E. , Nebot Carolina , Veiga-Gómez Maria , Roca-Saavedra Paula , Vazquez Belda Beatriz , Franco Carlos M. , Cepeda Alberto
Published: August 2016

The Commission Regulation 574/2011/EC set up maximum levels of coccidiostats and histomonostats in nonmedicated feed as a consequence of carry-over during manufacturing. Carry-over takes place from medicated to nonmedicated feed during feed production. Similar contamination could also occur for other pharmaceuticals such as tetracyclines, a group of antibiotics commonly employed in food production animal. The objective of this work is to present a simple and fast method for the simultaneous detection of four tetracyclines (chlortetracycline, doxycycline, oxytetracycline, and tetracycline) in nontarget feed at aμg/kg level. Validation of the method was performed according to the guideline included in the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC for official method. The validated method was successfully applied to 50 feed samples collected from different milk farms and 25 samples obtained from feed manufacturers. While oxytetracycline was the tetracycline most frequently detected, chlortetracycline was the analyte measured at the highest concentration 15.14 mg/Kg. From 75 nonmedicated feed analysed 15% resulted to be positive for the presence of one tetracycline.
Combined Hamartoma of the Retina and Retinal Pigment Epithelium in a Patient with Gorlin Syndrome: Spontaneous Partial Resolution of Traction Caused by Epiretinal Membrane
Authors: Sánchez-Vicente José L. , Contreras-Díaz Miguel , Rueda Trinidad , Rodríguez de la Rúa-Franch Enrique , Molina-Socola Fredy E. , Vital-Berral Cristina , Alfaro-Juárez Asunción , López-Herrero Fernando , Muñoz-Morales Ana
Published: August 2016

Purpose. To describe the case of spontaneous resolution of epiretinal membrane in a patient with Combined Hamartoma of the Retina and Retinal Pigment Epithelium (CHR-RPE), in the clinical context of Gorlin Syndrome (GS).Methods. Observational case report of a 12-year-old female patient is presented. The diagnosis of CHRRPE was made by OCT and fundus examination, which showed a mound of disorganized tissue originating from retina and retinal pigment epithelium. Epiretinal membrane (EM) was also detected. Genetic study was performed to confirm the diagnosis of GS.Results. The patient was observed for 39 months, showing spontaneous resolution of the traction caused by the EM and improvement in visual acuity (VA), which was 20/80 at initial presentation, rising to 20/40 after follow-up period.Conclusions. The presence of EM in CHR-REP is a cause of reduction of visual acuity. Management of this condition is controversial; however, we would like to highlight that spontaneous resolution of the traction caused by EM is possible, resulting in recovery of VA.
A Case of Orbital Myiasis in Recurrent Eyelid Basal Cell Carcinoma Invasive into the Orbit
Authors: Pandey Triptesh Raj , Shrestha Gulshan Bahadur , (Sitaula) Ranju Kharel , Shah Dev Narayan
Published: August 2016

Introduction. Orbital myiasis is the infestation of the orbital tissues by fly larvae or maggots. Compromise of periorbital tissues by malignant disease, surgery, ischemia, or infection may predispose the patient to orbital myiasis.Case Report. A 73-year-old male patient with neglected recurrent basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid invasive into the orbit presented with complaints of intense itching and crawling sensation with maggots wriggling and falling from the wound of left orbit. The patient improved following manual removal of the maggots along with oral Ivermectin treatment. Recurrence of the basal cell carcinoma was confirmed by punch biopsy from the wound and extended exenteration of the orbit followed by reconstructive surgery was done.Conclusion. Orbital myiasis is a rare and preventable ocular morbidity that can complicate the malignancies resulting in widespread tissue destruction. The broad spectrum antiparasitic agent, Ivermectin, can be used as noninvasive means to treat orbital myiasis. In massive orbital myiasis and those associated with malignancies, exenteration of the orbit must be seriously considered.
Histological and Morphological Aspects of Reproduction in Male Blackspotted Smooth-HoundMustelus punctulatusin the Adriatic Sea (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)
Authors: Gračan Romana , Lacković Gordana
Published: August 2016

We present first data on reproductive biology of male blackspotted smooth-houndMustelus punctulatusin the Adriatic Sea and first histological examination of gonads at different maturation stages and seasonal cycles for this species. We collected samples from 117 male specimens ofM. punctulatusranging in length from 44.6 to 126.5 cm, caught by commercial bottom trawls in the North-Central Adriatic Sea. Microscopic observation revealed a diametric development of testes, in which round-shaped spermatocysts have zonal arrangement, showing seven different stages of development. Males began to mature when they were between 61 and 88 cm body length, which was indicated by the presence of functional claspers or appearance of the spermatogenic cysts. While the smallest mature shark was only 80 cm long, all animals longer than 89 cm were sexually mature. The seasonal analysis of the testes indicated that mature spermatozoa dominated in testes during the first half of the year with a peak in May and June, after which followed less active period during July and August.
The Effect of Synthetic Hydrated Calcium Aluminate Additive on the Hydration Properties of OPC
Authors: Doneliene Jolanta , Eisinas Anatolijus , Baltakys Kestutis , Bankauskaite Agne
Published: August 2016

The effect of synthetic CAH (130°C; 8 h; CaO/(SiO2+ Al2O3) = 0.55; Al2O3/(SiO2+ Al2O3) = 0.1, 0.15) with different crystallinity on the hydration kinetics of OPC at early stages of hydration was investigated. Also, the formation mechanism of compounds during OPC hydration was highlighted. It was determined that the synthetic CAH accelerated the initial reaction and shortened the induction period. Also, the second and third exothermic reactions begun earlier, and, during the latter reaction, the higher values of the heat flow were obtained in comparison with pure OPC samples. At later stages of hydration, synthetic CAH affect the OPC hydration as the usual pozzolanic additives; moreover, the larger values of cumulative heat were reached. It should be noted that the nature of synthetic CAH samples accelerated the dissolution of gypsum and stimulates the earliest C3S hydration.
High on Cannabis and Calcineurin Inhibitors: A Word of Warning in an Era of Legalized Marijuana
Authors: Hauser Naomi , Sahai Tanmay , Richards Rocco , Roberts Todd
Published: August 2016

Tacrolimus, a potent immunosuppressant medication, acts by inhibiting calcineurin, which eventually leads to inhibition of T-cell activation. The drug is commonly used to prevent graft rejection in solid organ transplant and graft-versus-host disease in hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients. Tacrolimus has a narrow therapeutic index with variable oral bioavailability and metabolism via cytochrome P-450 3A enzyme. Toxicity can occur from overdosing or from drug-drug interactions with the simultaneous administration of cytochrome P-450 3A inhibitors and possibly P-glycoprotein inhibitors. Tacrolimus toxicity can be severe and may include multiorgan damage. We present a case of suspected tacrolimus toxicity in a postallogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patient who was concurrently using oral marijuana. This case represents an important and growing clinical scenario with the increasing legalization and use of marijuana throughout the United States.
An Update of Microsomal Prostaglandin E Synthase‐1 and PGE2 Receptors in Cardiovascular Health and Diseases
Authors: Yang Guangrui , Chen Lihong
Published: August 2016

Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), especially cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) selective inhibitors, are among the most widely used drugs to treat pain and inflammation. However, clinical trials have revealed that these inhibitors predisposed patients to a significantly increased cardiovascular risk, consisting of thrombosis, hypertension, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. Thus, microsomal prostaglandin E (PGE) synthase‐1 (mPGES‐1), the key terminal enzyme involved in the synthesis of inflammatory prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and the four PGE2 receptors (EP1–4) have gained much attention as alternative targets for the development of novel analgesics. The cardiovascular consequences of targeting mPGES‐1 and the PGE2 receptors are substantially studied. Inhibition of mPGES‐1 has displayed a relatively innocuous or preferable cardiovascular profile. The modulation of the four EP receptors in cardiovascular system is diversely reported as well. In this review, we highlight the most recent advances from our and other studies on the regulation of PGE2, particularly mPGES‐1 and the four PGE2 receptors, in cardiovascular function, with a particular emphasis on blood pressure regulation, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, and myocardial infarction. This might lead to new avenues to improve cardiovascular disease management strategies and to seek optimized anti‐inflammatory therapeutic options.
Gestational Weight Gain: Results from the Delta Healthy Sprouts Comparative Impact Trial
Authors: Thomson Jessica L. , Tussing-Humphreys Lisa M. , Goodman Melissa H. , Olender Sarah E.
Published: August 2016

Introduction. Delta Healthy Sprouts trial was designed to test the comparative impact of two home visiting programs on weight status, dietary intake, and health behaviors of Southern African American women and their infants. Results pertaining to the primary outcome, gestational weight gain, are reported.Methods. Participants (n=82), enrolled early in their second trimester of pregnancy, were randomly assigned to one of two treatment arms. Gestational weight gain, measured at six monthly home visits, was calculated by subtracting measured weight at each visit from self-reported prepregnancy weight. Weight gain was classified as under, within, or exceeding the Institute of Medicine recommendations based on prepregnancy body mass index. Chi-square tests and generalized linear mixed models were used to test for significant differences in percentages of participants within recommended weight gain ranges.Results. Differences in percentages of participants within the gestational weight gain guidelines were not significant between treatment arms across all visits.Conclusions. Enhancing the gestational nutrition and physical activity components of an existing home visiting program is feasible in a high risk population of primarily low income African American women. The impact of these enhancements on appropriate gestational weight gain is questionable given the more basic living needs of such women. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.govNCT01746394, registered 4 December 2012.
Semisupervised Feature Selection with Universum
Authors: Qiu Junyang , Pan Zhisong
Published: August 2016

The Universum data, defined as a set of unlabeled examples that do not belong to any class of interest, have been shown to encode some prior knowledge by representing meaningful information in the same domain as the problem at hand. Universum data have been proved effective in improving learning performance in many tasks, such as classification and clustering. Inspired by its favorable performance, we address a novel semisupervised feature selection problem in this paper, called semisupervised feature selection with Universum, that can simultaneously exploit the unlabeled data and the Universum data. The experiments on several UCI data sets are presented to show that the proposed algorithms can achieve superior performances over conventional unsupervised and supervised methods.
Simultaneous Renal Cell Carcinoma and Giant Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma Involving Small Intestine
Authors: Reznichenko Aleksandr A.
Published: August 2016

Background. The concomitant occurrence of a renal cell carcinoma and retroperitoneal sarcoma is extremely rare with only few cases being reported.Methods. We present a case of simultaneous renal cell carcinoma and exceptionally large size retroperitoneal sarcoma involving small intestine. Surgical resection of retroperitoneal sarcoma and simultaneous right nephrectomy were performed.Results. Patient developed recurrent and metastatic disease and underwent debulking surgery following by chemotherapy. Despite aggressive behavior of the retroperitoneal sarcomas, patient is currently (7 years after simultaneous resection and nephrectomy) recurrence-free.Conclusions. Complete surgical resection is the mainstay of therapy for both renal cell carcinoma and retroperitoneal sarcoma. We present a case of simultaneous renal cell carcinoma and exceptionally large size retroperitoneal sarcoma. Debulking surgery and chemotherapy were helpful in our case.
Fuzzyc-Means and Cluster Ensemble with Random Projection for Big Data Clustering
Authors: Ye Mao , Liu Wenfen , Wei Jianghong , Hu Xuexian
Published: August 2016

Because of its positive effects on dealing with the curse of dimensionality in big data, random projection for dimensionality reduction has become a popular method recently. In this paper, an academic analysis of influences of random projection on the variability of data set and the dependence of dimensions has been proposed. Together with the theoretical analysis, a new fuzzyc-means (FCM) clustering algorithm with random projection has been presented. Empirical results verify that the new algorithm not only preserves the accuracy of original FCM clustering, but also is more efficient than original clustering and clustering with singular value decomposition. At the same time, a new cluster ensemble approach based on FCM clustering with random projection is also proposed. The new aggregation method can efficiently compute the spectral embedding of data with cluster centers based representation which scales linearly with data size. Experimental results reveal the efficiency, effectiveness, and robustness of our algorithm compared to the state-of-the-art methods.
Genome‐Wide Transcriptional Analysis Reveals the Protection against Hypoxia‐Induced Oxidative Injury in the Intestine of Tibetans via the Inhibition of GRB2/EGFR/PTPN11 Pathways
Authors: Li Kang , Gesang Luobu , Dan Zeng , Gusang Lamu
Published: August 2016

The molecular mechanisms for hypoxic environment causing the injury of intestinal mucosal barrier (IMB) are widely unknown. To address the issue, Han Chinese from 100 m altitude and Tibetans from high altitude (more than 3650 m) were recruited. Histological and transcriptome analyses were performed. The results showed intestinal villi were reduced and appeared irregular, and glandular epithelium was destroyed in the IMB of Tibetans when compared with Han Chinese. Transcriptome analysis revealed 2573 genes with altered expression. The levels of 1137 genes increased and 1436 genes decreased in Tibetans when compared with Han Chinese. Gene ontology (GO) analysis indicated most immunological responses were reduced in the IMB of Tibetans when compared with Han Chinese. Gene microarray showed that there were 25‐, 22‐, and 18‐fold downregulation for growth factor receptor‐bound protein 2 (GRB2), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and tyrosine‐protein phosphatase nonreceptor type 11 (PTPN11) in the IMB of Tibetans when compared with Han Chinese. The downregulation of EGFR, GRB2, and PTPN11 will reduce the production of reactive oxygen species and protect against oxidative stress‐induced injury for intestine. Thus, the transcriptome analysis showed the protecting functions of IMB patients against hypoxia‐induced oxidative injury in the intestine of Tibetans via affecting GRB2/EGFR/PTPN11 pathways.
A Review of Instrumented Equipment to Investigate Head Impacts in Sport
Authors: Patton Declan A.
Published: August 2016

Contact, collision, and combat sports have more head impacts as compared to noncontact sports; therefore, such sports are uniquely suited to the investigation of head impact biomechanics. Recent advances in technology have enabled the development of instrumented equipment, which can estimate the head impact kinematics of human subjectsin vivo. Literature pertaining to head impact measurement devices was reviewed and usage, in terms of validation and field studies, of such devices was discussed. Over the past decade, instrumented equipment has recorded millions of impacts in the laboratory, on the field, in the ring, and on the ice. Instrumented equipment is not without limitations; however,in vivohead impact data is crucial to investigate head injury mechanisms and further the understanding of concussion.
Is Hydrogen Peroxide a Suitable Apoptosis Inducer for All Cell Types?
Authors: Xiang Jinmei , Wan Chunyun , Guo Rui , Guo Dingzong
Published: August 2016

Hydrogen peroxide is currently the most widely used apoptosis inducer due to its broad cytotoxic efficacy against nearly all cell types. However, equivalent cytotoxicity is achieved over a wide range of doses, although the reasons for this differential sensitivity are not always clear. In this study, three kinds of cells, the 293T cell line, primary fibroblasts, and terminally differentiated myocardial cells, were treated with a wide range of H2O2doses. Times to apoptosis initiation and end were measured cytochemically and the changes in expression of caspase-9, P53, NF-κB, and RIP were determined by RT-PCR. The 293T cell line was the most sensitive to H2O2, undergoing necroptosis and/or apoptosis at all concentrations from 0.1 to 1.6 mM. At > 0.4 mM, H2O2also caused necroptosis in primary cells. At < 0.4 mM, however, primary cells exhibited classic signs of apoptosis, although they tended to survive for 36 hours in < 0.2 mM H2O2. Thus, H2O2is a broadly effective apoptosis inducer, but the dose range differs by cell type. For cell lines, a low dose is required and the exposure time must be reduced compared to primary cells to avoid cell death primarily by necroptosis or necrosis.
Reconstruction of the Fatty Acid Biosynthetic Pathway ofExiguobacterium antarcticumB7 Based on Genomic and Bibliomic Data
Authors: Kawasaki Regiane , Baraúna Rafael A. , Silva Artur , Carepo Marta S. P. , Oliveira Rui , Marques Rodolfo , Ramos Rommel T. J. , Schneider Maria P. C.
Published: August 2016

Exiguobacterium antarcticumB7 is extremophile Gram-positive bacteria able to survive in cold environments. A key factor to understanding cold adaptation processes is related to the modification of fatty acids composing the cell membranes of psychrotrophic bacteria. In our study we show thein silicoreconstruction of the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway ofE. antarcticumB7. To build the stoichiometric model, a semiautomatic procedure was applied, which integrates genome information using KEGG and RAST/SEED. Constraint-based methods, namely, Flux Balance Analysis (FBA) and elementary modes (EM), were applied. FBA was implemented in the sense of hexadecenoic acid production maximization. To evaluate the influence of the gene expression in the fluxome analysis, FBA was also calculated using thelog2⁡FCvalues obtained in the transcriptome analysis at 0°C and 37°C. The fatty acid biosynthesis pathway showed a total of 13 elementary flux modes, four of which showed routes for the production of hexadecenoic acid. The reconstructed pathway demonstrated the capacity ofE. antarcticumB7 tode novoproduce fatty acid molecules. Under the influence of the transcriptome, the fluxome was altered, promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids. The calculated models contribute to better understanding of the bacterial adaptation at cold environments.
Use of Left Gastric Vein as an Alternative for Portal Flow Reconstruction in Liver Transplantation
Authors: Teixeira Uirá Fernandes , Machry Mayara Christ , Goldoni Marcos Bertozzi , Kruse Cristine , Diedrich João Alfredo , Rodrigues Pablo Duarte , Giacomazzi Caroline Becker , Negri Estéfano Aurélio , Koop Matheus , Gomes Carlos Gustavo Spode , Sampaio José Artur , Fontes Paulo Roberto Ott , Waechter Fábio Luiz
Published: August 2016

Portal vein thrombosis is observed in up to 10% of liver transplant candidates, hindering execution of the procedure. A dilated gastric vein is an alternative to portal vein reconstruction and decompression of splanchnic bed. We present two cases of patients with portal cavernoma and dilated left gastric vein draining splanchnic bed who underwent liver transplantation. The vein was dissected and sectioned near the cardia; the proximal segment was ligated with suture and the distal segment was anastomosed to the donor portal vein. Gastroportal anastomosis is an excellent option for portal reconstruction in the presence of thrombosis or hypoplasia. It allows an adequate splanchnic drainage and direction of hepatotrophic factors to the graft.
A Novel Approach to Treat Traumatized Alveolar Ridges: Two Case Reports
Authors: Verma Mahesh , Menghani Sneha , Devi Jyoti , Gupta Rekha , Gill Shubhra
Published: August 2016

Functional forces are transmitted to the basal seat mucosa through a hard denture base during mastication. Such hard base dentures are not comfortably tolerated in patients with fragile oral mucosa and will cause sore spots, masticatory pain, and further resorption of alveolar bone. Soft liners materials can be advocated successfully to manage such clinical situations. The soft liner material absorbs masticatory forces by means of the cushioning effect and distributes occlusal forces uniformly to prevent trauma to compromised residual ridges.
Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness after Panretinal Photocoagulation with Red and Green Laser in Bilateral Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy Patients: Short Term Results
Authors: Roohipoor Ramak , Dantism Sina , Ahmadraji Aliasghar , Karkhaneh Reza , Zarei Mohammad , Ghasemi Fariba
Published: August 2016

Purpose. To compare subfoveal choroidal, central retinal, and peripapillary nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness after panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) with red and green laser in diabetic patients.Study Design. Randomized clinical trial.Methods. A total of 50 patients with bilateral proliferative diabetic retinopathy and no diabetic macular edema underwent PRP. One eye was randomly assigned to red or green laser. Subfoveal choroidal, central retinal, and RNFL thicknesses were evaluated at baseline and 6 weeks after treatment.Results. The mean subfoveal choroidal, central retinal, and peripapillary nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness increased significantly in each eye 6 weeks after PRP (Pvalues in red laser group: <0.01, 0.03, and <0.01, resp., and in green laser group <0.01, <0.01, and <0.01). There was no difference between red and green laser considering subfoveal choroidal, central retinal, and peripapillary nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness increase after PRP (Pvalues: 0.184, 0.404, and 0.726, resp.).Conclusion. Both red and green lasers increased mean subfoveal choroidal, central retinal, and peripapillary nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness significantly 6 weeks after PRP, but there is no difference between these two modalities in this regard.
Two Cases of Endometrial Cancer in Twin Sisters with Myotonic Dystrophy
Authors: Koh Ezra Y. , van Kesteren Paul J. M.
Published: August 2016

We describe two cases of endometrial cancer (EC) occurring in nulligravid twin sisters with myotonic dystrophy. Both tested negative for Lynch syndrome and both were treated with laparoscopic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingooophorectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy. Although EC tends to run in families, the diagnosis in itself is not considered sufficient cause for screening or prophylactic measures in close relatives. However, the presence of additional risk factors, such as nulligravidity and myotonic dystrophy in the underlying cases, may call for extra vigilance in first-degree family members.
TPL2 Is an Oncogenic Driver in Keratocanthoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Lee Jun-Han , Lee Joo-Hyung , Lee Sang Hyuk , Do Sung-Im , Cho Sung-Dae , Forslund Ola , Inn Kyung-Soo , Lee Jeong-Sang , Deng Fang-Ming , Melamed Jonathan , Jung Jae U. , Jeong Joseph H.
Published: August 2016

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and keratoacanthoma (KA; SCC/KA) research has been hampered mainly by our lack of understanding the underlying genetic and epigenetic alterations associated with SCC/KA development, as well as the lack of animal models that faithfully recapitulate histopathologic features of human SCC/KA. Here, we show that TPL2 overexpression induced both cell transformation in immortalized human keratinocytes and SCC and KA-like cutaneous SCC (cSCC) development in mice. Mechanistically, activation of TPL2 downstream signaling pathways such as MEK/ERK MAPK, mTOR, NF-κB, and p38 MAPK leads to TPL2-mediated cell transformation in immortalized human keratinocytes and tumorigenesis in mice. Most importantly, TPL2 overexpression is required for iTPL2 TG–driven SCC and KA-like cSCC tumor maintenance, validating TPL2 as a possible drug target for the treatment of SCC/KA. Finally, we verified that TPL2 is overexpressed in human cutaneous metastatic SCC and KA clinical specimens compared with normal skin. Taken together, our results establish TPL2 as an oncogenic driver in SCC/KA development. Cancer Res; 76(22); 6712–22. ©2016 AACR.
Review of the Tuberous Sclerosis Renal Guidelines from the 2012 Consensus Conference: Current Data and Future Study
Authors: Kingswood J. Chris , Bissler John J. , Budde Klemens , Hulbert John , Guay-Woodford Lisa , Sampson Julian R. , Sauter Matthias , Cox Jane , Patel Uday , Elmslie Frances , Anderson Chris , Zonnenberg Bernard A.
Published: August 2016

Renal-related disease is the most common cause of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC)-related death in adults, and renal angiomyolipomas can lead to complications that include chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hemorrhage. International TSC guidelines recommend mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors as first-line therapy for management of asymptomatic, growing angiomyolipomas >3 cm in diameter. This review discusses data regarding patient outcomes that were used to develop current guidelines for embolization of renal angiomyolipomas and presents recent data on 2 available mTOR inhibitors - sirolimus and everolimus - in the treatment of angiomyolipoma. TSC-associated renal angiomyolipomas can recur after embolization. Both sirolimus and everolimus have shown effectiveness in reduction of angiomyolipoma volume, with an acceptable safety profile that includes preservation of renal function with long-term therapy. The authors propose a hypothesis for mTORC1 haploinsufficiency as an additional mechanism for CKD and propose that preventive therapy with mTOR inhibitors might have a role in reducing the number of angiomyolipoma-related deaths. Because mTOR inhibitors target the underlying pathophysiology of TSC, patients might benefit from treatment of multiple manifestations with one systemic therapy. Based on recent evidence, new guidelines should be considered that support the earlier initiation of mTOR inhibitor therapy for the management of renal angiomyolipomas to prevent future serious complications, rather than try to rescue patients after the complications have occurred.
Accuracy of an International Classification of Diseases Code Surveillance System in the Identification of Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Barker-Collo Suzanne , Theadom Alice , Jones Kelly , Feigin Valery L. , Kahan Michael
Published: August 2016

Background: Use of International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes for traumatic brain injury (TBI) in healthcare administrative databases may underestimate the epidemiology of TBI. The present study examined the use of ICD-10 codes in a population-based New Zealand sample. Methods: TBI related ICD-codes within the New Zealand health database were examined for all incident cases from a population-based TBI sample (n = 1,369). Impact of age, gender, ethnicity, presence/absence of skull fracture, where the case was located (i.e., hospital) on receipt of an ICD code was examined. Results: Individuals who received a TBI-related ICD-code accounted for 18.6% of the studied population. The most frequent codes were brief loss of consciousness, head injury not otherwise specified, and concussion. Receipt of a code was not impacted by gender. Those with skull fracture (χ2 (1) = 69.983, p < 0.001), and/or attending hospital (χ2 (2) = 81.507, p < 0.001), and of older age (χ2 (1) = 56.473, p < 0.001) were more likely to receive a code. Conclusions: Reported incidence of TBI, when based upon health registration data, is likely to be a significant underestimate. Specific research needs to be conducted to identify the barriers to medical personnel implementing the ICD head injury codes and to identify ways in which the use of the codes can be improved.
Palliative Care and Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association
Authors: Braun Lynne T. , Grady Kathleen L. , Kutner Jean S. , Adler Eric , Berlinger Nancy , Boss Renee , Butler Javed , Enguidanos Susan , Friebert Sarah , Gardner Timothy J. , Higgins Phil , Holloway Robert , Konig Madeleine , Meier Diane , Morrissey Mary Beth , Quest Tammie E. , Wiegand Debra L. , Coombs-Lee Barbara , Fitchett George , Gupta Charu , Roach William H.
Published: August 2016

The mission of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association includes increasing access to high-quality, evidence-based care that improves patient outcomes such as health-related quality of life and is consistent with the patients’ values, preferences, and goals. Awareness of and access to palliative care interventions align with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association mission. The purposes of this policy statement are to provide background on the importance of palliative care as it pertains to patients with advanced cardiovascular disease and stroke and their families and to make recommendations for policy decisions. Palliative care, defined as patient- and family-centered care that optimizes health-related quality of life by anticipating, preventing, and treating suffering, should be integrated into the care of all patients with advanced cardiovascular disease and stroke early in the disease trajectory. Palliative care focuses on communication, shared decision making about treatment options, advance care planning, and attention to physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological distress with inclusion of the patient’s family and care system. Our policy recommendations address the following: reimbursement for comprehensive delivery of palliative care services for patients with advanced cardiovascular disease and stroke; strong payer-provider relationships that involve data sharing to identify patients in need of palliative care, identification of better care and payment models, and establishment of quality standards and outcome measurements; healthcare system policies for the provision of comprehensive palliative care services during hospitalization, including goals of care, treatment decisions, needs of family caregivers, and transition to other care settings; and health professional education in palliative care as part of licensure requirements.
Prostaglandin E2 Reduces Cardiac Contractility via EP3 Receptor
Authors: Gu Xiaosong , Xu Jiang , Zhu Liping , Bryson Timothy , Yang Xiao-Ping , Peterson Edward , Harding Pamela
Published: August 2016

Background—

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE
2
) EP receptors EP3 and EP4 signal via decreased and increased cAMP production, respectively. Previously, we reported that cardiomyocyte-specific EP4 knockout mice develop dilated cardiomyopathy with reduced ejection fraction. Thus, we hypothesized that PGE
2
increases contractility via EP4 but decreases contractility via EP3.

Methods and Results—

The effects of PGE
2
and the EP1/EP3 agonist sulprostone on contractility were examined in the mouse Langendorff preparation and in adult mouse cardiomyocytes. Isolated hearts of adult male C57Bl/6 mice were perfused with PGE
2
(10
−6
M) or sulprostone (10
−6
M) and compared with vehicle. Both PGE
2
and sulprostone decreased +dp/dt (
P
<0.01) and left ventricular developed pressure (
P
<0.001) with reversal by an EP3 antagonist. In contrast, the EP4 agonist had the opposite effect. Adult mouse cardiomyocytes contractility was also reduced after treatment with either PGE
2
or sulprostone for 10 minutes. We then examined the acute effects of PGE
2
, sulprostone, and the EP4 agonist on expression of phosphorylated phospholamban and sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca
2+
-ATPase 2a in adult mouse cardiomyocytes using Western blot. Treatment with either PGE
2
or sulprostone decreased expression of phosphorylated phospholamban corrected to total phospholamban, whereas treatment with the EP4 agonist had the opposite effect. Sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca
2+
-ATPase 2a expression was unaffected. Finally, we examined the effect of these compounds in vivo using pressure–volume loops. Both PGE
2
and sulprostone decreased +dp/dt, whereas the EP4 agonist increased +dp/dt.

Conclusions—

Contractility is reduced via the EP3 receptor but increased via EP4. These effects may be mediated through changes in phospholamban phosphorylation and has relevance to detrimental effects of inflammation.
Striking the balance in industrial relations in China? An analysis of court decisions of 897 strike cases (2008–2015)
Authors: Wang Tianyu , Cooke Fang Lee
Published: August 2016

Labour legislation in China does not clearly stipulate the legality of strikes. The prevalent view amongst scholars is that strikes are legitimate because ‘everything which is not prohibited is allowed’. However, our analysis of court rulings on 897 strike cases between 2008 and 2015 indicates otherwise. The converse principle, ‘everything which is not allowed is prohibited’, seems to prevail. Of the two established doctrines (per se violation and rule of reason), the former appears to be preferred. The majority of court decisions routinely uphold the employer’s decision to dismiss strikers, on the grounds that the strikers violated work rules against work stoppages, and that the strike is illegitimate. Only a small number of decisions take into account the context of employees’ demands and the reasonableness of their conduct, and determine that they are engaged not in work stoppages but in ‘negotiations’. The disproportionate adoption of the principle of per se violation in collective action cases indicates a dominance of a formalist approach to legal reasoning, which is underpinned by the courts’ professional conservatism and political duty in the current Chinese politico-economic environment.
Becoming Employable
Authors: Abrams Laura S. , Lea Charles H.
Published: August 2016

Correctional education can have a positive influence on post-release employment. Yet barriers to employment remain significant, particularly for formerly incarcerated men of color. In this article, the authors use ethnographic methods to critically examine the underlying discourses involved in jail-based life skills courses geared to assist men in becoming “employable.” With few exceptions, life skills instructors did not address structural barriers to employment. Rather, major themes of the courses included individual responsibility, cognition, and spiritual enlightenment. The authors suggest that these life skills courses mirrored a larger correctional philosophy in keeping the focus on individual behavior rather than structural conditions.
Significance Testing Needs a Taxonomy
Authors: Bradley Michael T. , Brand Andrew
Published: August 2016

Accurate measurement and a cutoff probability with inferential statistics are not wholly compatible. Fisher understood this when he developed the F test to deal with measurement variability and to make judgments on manipulations that may be worth further study. Neyman and Pearson focused on modeled distributions whose parameters were highly determined and concluded that inferential judgments following an F test could be made with accuracy because the distribution parameters were determined. Neyman and Pearson’s approach in the application of statistical analyses using alpha and beta error rates has played a dominant role guiding inferential judgments, appropriately in highly determined situations and inappropriately in scientific exploration. Fisher tried to explain the different situations, but, in part due to some obscure wording, generated a long standing dispute that currently has left the importance of Fisher’s p < .05 criteria not fully understood and a general endorsement of the Neyman and Pearson error rate approach. Problems were compounded with power calculations based on effect sizes following significant results entering into exploratory science. To understand in a practical sense when each approach should be used, a dimension reflecting varying levels of certainty or knowledge of population distributions is presented. The dimension provides a taxonomy of statistical situations and appropriate approaches by delineating four zones that represent how well the underlying population of interest is defined ranging from exploratory situations to highly determined populations.
‘As for you, do not pray on behalf of this people’
Authors: Joerstad Mari
Published: August 2016

A unique feature of the book of Jeremiah is God’s thrice repeated ban on intercession. In 7.16, 11.14 and 14.11, God forbids Jeremiah to pray on behalf of the people. In this article I explore how the ban on intercession connects with the Jeremian themes of falsehood and shalom. I argue that Jeremiah is not allowed to pray for the people because he must identify with God’s point of view. Intercession only becomes meaningful in Jeremiah as a means for the exiled people to learn that God is the source of their shalom.
(Re)assembling Community
Authors: Fransman Jude
Published: August 2016

This article explores the ontological politics of research in the field of community studies. Focusing on a migrant community in London, UK, it shows how the community is (re)assembled in different ways through the different research practices of academics and practitioners. Guided by a framework based on material semiotics, this article compares the agendas, methods, and representational texts that inform the different research practices. It argues that community studies researchers have an ethical responsibility to acknowledge the particular enactments of communities that emerge through their research and the role that agendas, methods, and texts play in constructing those enactments.
The Confirmation Effect of Analyst Recommendation Reiterations
Authors: Chen Jing , Jung Michael J. , Ronen Joshua
Published: August 2016

The vast majority of reports written by sell-side equity analysts conclude with a reiteration of the analyst’s existing recommendation on a firm’s stock. Yet there is a disproportionate amount of research that focuses on the market reactions of changes in recommendations and a prevailing sense that reiterations do not matter. In this article, we test the hypothesis that reiterations of recommendations serve to resolve information uncertainty since the original recommendation was published and that they give rise to market reactions in the direction of the original recommendation, which we call a confirmation effect. Using a sample of analyst reports that do not contain any changes in recommendations, earnings forecasts, or price targets, we focus solely on reiterations and show that they are associated with proxies for information content, reductions in information uncertainty, and return reactions consistent with a confirmation effect.
The history of participatory practices: rethinking media genres in the history of user-generated content in 19th-century travel guidebooks
Authors: Alacovska Ana
Published: August 2016

This article charts the historical stability and continuity of participatory and crowdsourcing practices. Theoretically, it suggests that the blurring of the boundaries between audiences and producers, with the ensuing result of user-generated content, is by no means solely the upshot of new media technological affordances but largely a function of relatively stabilized, genre-specific formal and functional properties, or ‘genre affordances’. Certain referential and performative genres enable interaction between audiences, texts and producers independently of new media technologies because these genres constitute what matters for both producers and audiences in specific historical circumstances. Genres make available shared cultural, social and pragmatic resources for appropriate and desirable being, doing, feeling and thinking. Empirically, this article builds upon an archival study of co-production related to the specific genre of travel guidebooks. It investigates (a) audience feedback in the form of handwritten letters sent to John Murray, a venerable 19th-century British publishing house, and (b) the ways in which John Murray’s yesteryear guidebook producers actively solicited and implemented reader-authored content in professional production practice.
Projective transformations of structural equilibrium
Authors: Fivet Corentin
Published: August 2016

Direct methods that transform the geometry of a structure and conserve its static equilibrium are of particular interest for designers. They allow the exploration of alternative solutions at minimum computational cost. While parallel transformations (stretch, contraction, and skew) are easily understood and have been in use since long, nonparallel transformations that maintain static equilibrium have not been studied in detail. The contributions of this article are as follows. First, an extensive review of transformation methods maintaining static equilibrium of planar and spatial structures is carried out. Second, an alternative construction of projective transformation is developed as an original set of graphical operations. Third, the benefits and limitations of use of projective transformations are discussed for the first time. This article concludes that (1) projective transformations are of practical interest only for a restricted range of structural applications but (2) can significantly simplify the computational problem of geometric exploration of spatial networks in equilibrium with few or no external forces.