bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stand growth responses after fertilization for thinned lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, and spruce in forests of interior British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Jang Woongsoon , Eskelson Bianca N.I. , de Montigny Louise , Bealle Statland Catherine A. , Sattler Derek F. , Ahmed Suborna
Published: September 2019

This study was conducted to quantify growth responses of three major commercial conifer species (lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudon var. latifolia Engelm. ex S. Watson), interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco), and spruce (white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and hybrid spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex. Engelm. × Picea glauca (Moench) Voss × Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carrière))) to various fertilizer blends in interior British Columbia, Canada. Over 25 years, growth-response data were repeatedly collected across 46 installations. The fertilizer blends were classified into three groups: nitrogen only; nitrogen and sulfur combined; and nitrogen, sulfur, and boron combined. The growth responses for stand volume, basal area, and top height were calculated through absolute and relative growth rate ratios relative to a controlled group. Fertilizer blend, inverse years since fertilization, site index, stand density at fertilization, and their interactions with the fertilizer blend were used as explanatory variables. The magnitude and significance of volume and basal area growth responses to fertilization differed by species, fertilizer-blend groups, and stand-condition variables (i.e., site index and stand density). In contrast, the response in top height growth did not differ among fertilization blends, with the exception of the nitrogen and sulfur fertilizer subgroup for lodgepole pine. The models developed in this study will be incorporated into the current growth and yield fertilization module (i.e., Table Interpolation Program for Stand Yields (TIPSY)), thereby supporting guidance of fertilization applications in interior forests in British Columbia.
Human--Computer Interaction on the Skin
Authors: Bergström Joanna , Hornbæk Kasper
Published: September 2019

The skin offers exciting possibilities for human--computer interaction by enabling new types of input and feedback. We survey 42 research papers on interfaces that allow users to give input on their skin. Skin-based interfaces have developed rapidly over the past 8 years but most work consists of individual prototypes, with limited overview of possibilities or identification of research directions. The purpose of this article is to synthesize what skin input is, which technologies can sense input on the skin, and how to give feedback to the user. We discuss challenges for research in each of these areas.
Towards Adversarial Malware Detection
Authors: Maiorca Davide , Biggio Battista , Giacinto Giorgio
Published: September 2019

Malware still constitutes a major threat in the cybersecurity landscape, also due to the widespread use of infection vectors such as documents. These infection vectors hide embedded malicious code to the victim users, facilitating the use of social engineering techniques to infect their machines. Research showed that machine-learning algorithms provide effective detection mechanisms against such threats, but the existence of an arms race in adversarial settings has recently challenged such systems. In this work, we focus on malware embedded in PDF files as a representative case of such an arms race. We start by providing a comprehensive taxonomy of the different approaches used to generate PDF malware and of the corresponding learning-based detection systems. We then categorize threats specifically targeted against learning-based PDF malware detectors using a well-established framework in the field of adversarial machine learning. This framework allows us to categorize known vulnerabilities of learning-based PDF malware detectors and to identify novel attacks that may threaten such systems, along with the potential defense mechanisms that can mitigate the impact of such threats. We conclude the article by discussing how such findings highlight promising research directions towards tackling the more general challenge of designing robust malware detectors in adversarial settings.
Program Analysis of Commodity IoT Applications for Security and Privacy
Authors: Celik Z. Berkay , Fernandes Earlence , Pauley Eric , Tan Gang , McDaniel Patrick
Published: September 2019

Recent advances in Internet of Things (IoT) have enabled myriad domains such as smart homes, personal monitoring devices, and enhanced manufacturing. IoT is now pervasive—new applications are being used in nearly every conceivable environment, which leads to the adoption of device-based interaction and automation. However, IoT has also raised issues about the security and privacy of these digitally augmented spaces. Program analysis is crucial in identifying those issues, yet the application and scope of program analysis in IoT remains largely unexplored by the technical community. In this article, we study privacy and security issues in IoT that require program-analysis techniques with an emphasis on identified attacks against these systems and defenses implemented so far. Based on a study of five IoT programming platforms, we identify the key insights that result from research efforts in both the program analysis and security communities and relate the efficacy of program-analysis techniques to security and privacy issues. We conclude by studying recent IoT analysis systems and exploring their implementations. Through these explorations, we highlight key challenges and opportunities in calibrating for the environments in which IoT systems will be used.
Software Development Lifecycle for Energy Efficiency
Authors: Georgiou Stefanos , Rizou Stamatia , Spinellis Diomidis
Published: September 2019

Motivation:
In modern
it
systems, the increasing demand for computational power is tightly coupled with ever higher energy consumption. Traditionally, energy efficiency research has focused on reducing energy consumption at the hardware level. Nevertheless, the software itself provides numerous opportunities for improving energy efficiency.

Goal:
Given that energy efficiency for
it
systems is a rising concern, we investigate existing work in the area of energy-aware software development and identify open research challenges. Our goal is to reveal limitations, features, and tradeoffs regarding energy-performance for software development and provide insights on existing approaches, tools, and techniques for energy-efficient programming.

Method:
We analyze and categorize research work mostly extracted from top-tier conferences and journals concerning energy efficiency across the software development lifecycle phases.

Results:
Our analysis shows that related work in this area has focused mainly on the implementation and verification phases of the software development lifecycle. Existing work shows that the use of parallel and approximate programming, source code analyzers, efficient data structures, coding practices, and specific programming languages can significantly increase energy efficiency. Moreover, the utilization of energy monitoring tools and benchmarks can provide insights for the software practitioners and raise energy-awareness during the development phase.
The Virtual Developer
Authors: Bernaschina Carlo , Falzone Emanuele , Fraternali Piero , Gonzalez Sergio Luis Herrera
Published: September 2019

Model Driven Development (MDD) requires proper tools to derive the implementation code from the application models. However, the integration of handwritten and generated code is a long-standing issue that affects the adoption of MDD in the industry. This article presents a model and code co-evolution approach that addresses such a problem
a posteriori
, using the standard collision detection capabilities of Version Control Systems to support the semi-automatic merge of the two types of code. We assess the proposed approach by contrasting it with the more traditional template-based, forward-engineering process, adopted by most MDD tools.
Huffman Coding
Authors: Moffat Alistair
Published: September 2019

Huffman’s algorithm for computing minimum-redundancy prefix-free codes has almost legendary status in the computing disciplines. Its elegant blend of simplicity and applicability has made it a favorite example in algorithms courses, and as a result it is perhaps one of the most commonly implemented algorithmic techniques. This article presents a tutorial on Huffman coding and surveys some of the developments that have flowed as a consequence of Huffman’s original discovery, including details of code calculation and of encoding and decoding operations. We also survey related mechanisms, covering both arithmetic coding and the recently developed asymmetric numeral systems approach and briefly discuss other Huffman-coding variants, including length-limited codes.
Active Ingredients and Action Mechanisms of Yi Guan Jian Decoction in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients with Liver Fibrosis
Authors: Li Guangyao , Zhou Yuan , Sze Daniel Man-Yuen , Liu Chao , Zhang Qianru , Wang Zihao , Yu Hua , Chan Ging , Wu Zhongdao , Su Shibing , Hu Yuanjia
Published: September 2019

Background and Aim. The progression of liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients is currently insufficiently controlled worldwide. The Yi Guan Jian decoction (YGJD) has been widely used in the treatment of liver fibrosis in CHB cases. Although animal studies have reported the antifibrotic effects of the decoction, the active ingredients of the YGJD remain unknown. This study aimed at identifying the potential active ingredients and exploring the mechanisms of action (MOA) of the decoction when treating CHB patients with fibrosis. Methods. Using data mining techniques and a structural clustering analysis, the potential active ingredients were determined. A network analysis of the differentially expressed genes was conducted to identify the potential targets. Selected compounds were docked to the potential targets for the compound-target interaction simulation. In vitro validation, including a cell proliferation assay and Western blot analysis, was conducted to evaluate the prediction results. Results. In the microarray data, 224 differentially expressed genes related to liver fibrosis were considered to be potential targets. Thirty active ingredients of the YGJD and 15 main targets and relevant pathways were identified. Among them, two active ingredients, methylophiopogonone A and 8-geranyloxypsoralen, were validated as exhibiting antifibrotic effects on hepatic stellate cells. Conclusions. We identified the potential active ingredients of the YGJD and proposed the possible explanation for the MOA in the treatment of CHB patients with liver fibrosis. Moreover, this study provides a methodological reference for the systematic investigation of the bioactive compounds and related MOA of a traditional Chinese medicine formula in a clinical context.
A Novel Trust Model Based on Node Recovery Technique for WSN
Authors: Qi Ping , Wang Fucheng , Hong Shu
Published: September 2019

With the rapid development of sensor technology and wireless network technology, wireless sensor network (WSN) has been widely applied in many resource-constrained environments and application scenarios. As there are a large number of sensor nodes in WSN, node failures are inevitable and have a significant impact on task execution. In this paper, considering the vulnerability, unreliability, and dynamic characteristics of sensor nodes, node failures are classified into two categories including unrecoverable failures and recoverable failures. Then, the traditional description of the interaction results is extended to the trinomial distribution. According to the Bayesian cognitive model, the global trust degree is aggregated by both direct and indirect interaction records, and a novel trust model based on node recovery technique for WSNs is proposed to reduce the probability of failure for task execution. Simulation results show that compared with existing trust models, our proposed TMBNRT (trust model based on node recovery technique) algorithm can effectively meet the security and the reliability requirements of WSN.
Safety and Efficacy of Hepatic Artery Embolization in Treating Solitary Fibrous Tumor Metastatic to the Liver
Authors: Velayati Sara , Erinjeri Joseph P. , Brody Lynn A. , Ziv Etay , Boas Franz E. , Brown Karen T. , Covey Anne M. , Getrajdman George I. , Solomon Stephen B. , Kingham Peter T. , Tap William D. , Jarnagin William R. , Yarmohammadi Hooman
Published: September 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate safety and survival following hepatic artery embolization (HAE) for metastatic solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) in the liver. All patients with SFT metastatic to liver treated with HAE were retrospectively analyzed. Tumor response was evaluated using mRECIST. Objective response, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier and multivariate Cox proportional hazard ratio. Adverse events were graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0. Twelve patients (6 males and 6 females, mean age: 42.5 ± 13 years; 24–65) were treated with 33 embolizations. Anatomical sites of origin for SFT were the head and neck (n = 6; 50%), pelvis (n = 2), pleura (n = 2), retroperitoneal (n = 1), and thigh (n = 1). The median follow-up from first HAE was 4.5 years (3–7.9). 84% of the patients showed objective response [42% complete response (CR) plus 42% partial response (PR)] to HAE by mRECIST (95% CI, 60–99%). Patients with CR to HAE had significantly higher OS compared to others (p<0.02). The postembolization median OS was 4 years (95% CI, 2.3–5.2), and mean PFS, for intra- or extrahepatic progression of disease, was 6 months (95%, CI, 3.2–7.1). One patient developed pneumonia/sepsis and died 27 days postembolization, possibly not directly related to embolization. No grade III or IV adverse events were identified in the remaining patients. In conclusion, HAE for metastatic liver SFT is a relatively safe treatment option with high response rate and should be considered as a treatment option for metastatic liver SFT. In our cohort of patients with metastatic SFT to the liver, we observed a median OS of 4 years following HAE. Further studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of HAE.
Development of Bifunctional Three-Dimensional Cysts from Chemically Induced Liver Progenitors
Authors: Huang Yu , Sakai Yusuke , Hara Takanobu , Katsuda Takeshi , Ochiya Takahiro , Adachi Tomohiko , Hidaka Masaaki , Gu Wei-Li , Eguchi Susumu
Published: September 2019

Chemically induced liver progenitors (CLiPs) have promising applications in liver regenerative medicine. Three-dimensional (3D) structures generated from liver progenitor cells possess wide applications in cell transplantation, disease model, and drug testing. Here, we report on the spontaneous formation of 3D cystic structures comprising maturing rat CLiPs on gelatin-coated dishes. Our 3D cysts contained Alb+/+CK19+/−and Ck19+/+Alb+/−cells. These cell types gradually diverged into specialized mature cells, as demonstrated by the expression of mature biliary markers (Cftr, Ae2, and Aqp1) and hepatic markers (Alb and Mrp2). The 3D cysts also expressed functional multidrug resistance protein 1 (Mdr1), as indicated by epithelial efflux of rhodamine. Furthermore, we observed bile canaliculi functions between hepatocytes and cholyl-lysyl-fluorescein extrusions, indicating that the functional characteristics of 3D cysts and active bile salt export pump (Bsep) transporters were intact. Thus, our study revealed a natural characteristic of rat CLiPs to spontaneously form 3D cystic structures accompanied with cell maturationin vitro, offering a platform for studies of liver development and drug screening.
Agonist-Antagonist Coactivation Enhances Corticomotor Excitability of Ankle Muscles
Authors: Kesar Trisha M. , Tan Andrew , Eicholtz Steven , Baker Kayilan , Xu Jiang , Anderson Joanna T. , Wolf Steven L. , Borich Michael R.
Published: September 2019

Spinal pathways underlying reciprocal flexion-extension contractions have been well characterized, but the extent to which cortically evoked motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) are influenced by antagonist muscle activation remains unclear. A majority of studies using transcranial magnetic stimulation- (TMS-) evoked MEPs to evaluate the excitability of the corticospinal pathway focus on upper extremity muscles. Due to functional and neural control differences between lower and upper limb muscles, there is a need to evaluate methodological factors influencing TMS-evoked MEPs specifically in lower limb musculature. If and to what extent the activation of the nontargeted muscles, such as antagonists, affects TMS-evoked MEPs is poorly understood, and such gaps in our knowledge may limit the rigor and reproducibility of TMS studies. Here, we evaluated the effect of the activation state of the antagonist muscle on TMS-evoked MEPs obtained from the target (agonist) ankle muscle for both tibialis anterior (TA) and soleus muscles. Fourteen able-bodied participants (11 females, age: 26.1±4.1 years) completed one experimental session; data from 12 individuals were included in the analysis. TMS was delivered during 4 conditions: rest, TA activated, soleus activated, and TA and soleus coactivation. Three pairwise comparisons were made for MEP amplitude and coefficient of variability (CV): rest versus coactivation, rest versus antagonist activation, and agonist activation versus coactivation. We demonstrated that agonist-antagonist coactivation enhanced MEP amplitude and reduced MEP CVs for both TA and soleus muscles. Our results provide methodological considerations for future TMS studies and pave the way for future exploration of coactivation-dependent modulation of corticomotor excitability in pathological cohorts such as stroke or spinal cord injury.
Accuracy of Colon Capsule Endoscopy for Colorectal Neoplasia Detection in Individuals Referred for a Screening Colonoscopy
Authors: Voska Michal , Zavoral Miroslav , Grega Tomas , Majek Ondrej , Martinek Jan , Tacheci Ilja , Benes Marek , Vojtechova Gabriela , Drastich Pavel , Bures Jan , Spicak Julius , Buckova Barbora , Ngo Ondrej , Suchanek Stepan
Published: September 2019

Backround. Capsule colonoscopy might present an alternative to colonoscopy for colorectal neoplasia screening. Aim. To assess the accuracy of second-generation capsule colonoscopy (CCE2) for colorectal neoplasia detection compared with conventional colonoscopy (CC). Methods. From 2011–2015, we performed a multicenter, prospective, cross-over study evaluating the use of CCE2 as a possible colorectal cancer (CRC) screening test based on the assessment of the method’s characteristics (accuracy) and safety and patient acceptance of the routine. Enrolled participants fulfilled the CRC screening population criteria if they were asymptomatic, were older than 50, and had no personal or familial history of colorectal neoplasia. The primary outcome was accuracy for the detection of polyps≥6 mm. Secondary outcomes were accuracy for all polyps, polyps≥10 mm, adenomas≥10 mm, and cancers, the quality of bowel cleansing, safety, and CCE2 acceptability by the screening population. Results. A total of 236 individuals were examined; 11 patients (5%) were excluded. Therefore, 225 subjects (95%) were considered in the intention-to-screen (ITS) group. A total of 201 patients (89%) completed both examinations successfully (per protocol group). In the ITS group, polyps were diagnosed during CC in 114 subjects (51%); polyps≥6 mm, polyps≥10 mm, and adenomas≥10 mm were diagnosed in 34 (15%), 16 (7%), and 11 (5%) patients, respectively. The sensitivity of CCE2 for polyps≥6 mm, polyps≥10 mm, and adenomas≥10 mm was 79% (95% confidence interval (CI): 62–91%), 88% (95% CI: 62–98%), and 100% (95% CI: 72–100%), respectively. Conclusion. Second-generation capsule colonoscopy is a safe, noninvasive, and sensitive method for colorectal neoplasia detection although CC remains the preferred method for considerable proportion of subjects. CCE2 may therefore be accepted as the primary screening test for colorectal cancer screening.
Variants in the 3′ End of SLC6A3 in Northwest Han Population with Parkinson’s
Authors: Chang Peiye , Fu Yongwang , Zhao Ping , Wang Chunmei , Jiang Mingfang , Li Rui , He Yulin
Published: September 2019

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders in neurology. It is possible that multifactorial and genetic factors are related to its pathogenesis. Recently, there have been reports of SLC6A3 genetic variants leading to PD. However, the role of 3′ end of SLC6A3 in PD is less studied in different ethnic groups. To explore the roles of 3′ end of SLC6A3 in PD development, 17 SNP sites in 3′ end of SLC6A3 were analyzed in 360 PD patients and 392 normal controls of Han population residing in northwest of China. The significant difference of gene type and allele frequencies between the PD and control groups was detected only in rs40184 (P = 0.013 and 0.004, respectively; odds ratio 2.529, 95% confidence interval 1.325–4.827). The genotype and allele frequencies of the other 16 SNP sites were not found to be different between the PD group and the control group. rs2550936, rs3776510, and rs429699 were selected to construct the haplotypes; no significant difference was found in a frequency of 5 haplotypes between the PD group and the control group. These results suggest that the SLC6A3 variant in rs40184 A allele may increase the risk of PD in northwest Han population and may be a biomarker of PD.
Acute Device-Related Thrombus after Watchman Device Implant
Authors: Ajmal Muhammad , Swarup Vijendra
Published: September 2019

Atrial fibrillation is characterized by irregularly irregular heart rhythm with an increased morbidity and mortality. It is associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism due to formation of blood clot in the left atrium. Most of these blood clots are formed in the left atrial appendage. The risk of blood clot formation is reduced with the use of anticoagulants. The patients who cannot take anticoagulants due to an increased bleeding risk can undergo percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure. A Watchman device is used for this purpose. LAA closure with the Watchman device is associated with some adverse effects, and one of them is device-related thrombus. Currently, there are no specific guidelines for the management of device-related thrombus. We present a case of Watchman device-related thrombus which developed 16 hours after the device placement. We will also discuss various options for the management of acute thrombosis.
Sailuotong Capsule Prevents the Cerebral Ischaemia-Induced Neuroinflammation and Impairment of Recognition Memory through Inhibition of LCN2 Expression
Authors: Zhang Yehao , Liu Jianxun , Yao Mingjiang , Song WenTing , Zheng Yongqiu , Xu Li , Sun Mingqian , Yang Bin , Bensoussan Alan , Chang Dennis , Li Hao
Published: September 2019

Background. Astrogliosis can result in astrocytes with hypertrophic morphology after injury, indicated by extended processes and swollen cell bodies. Lipocalin-2 (LCN2), a secreted glycoprotein belonging to the lipocalin superfamily, has been reported to play a detrimental role in ischaemic brains and neurodegenerative diseases. Sailuotong (SLT) capsule is a standardized three-herb preparation composed of ginseng, ginkgo, and saffron for the treatment of vascular dementia. Although recent clinical trials have demonstrated the beneficial effect of SLT on vascular dementia, its potential cellular mechanism has not been fully explored. Methods. Male adult Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to microsphere-embolized cerebral ischaemia. Immunostaining and Western blotting were performed to assess astrocytic reaction. Human astrocytes exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) were used to elucidate the effects of SLT-induced inflammation and astrocytic reaction. Results. A memory recovery effect was found to be associated with the cerebral ischaemia-induced expression of inflammatory proteins and the suppression of LCN2 expression in the brain. Additionally, SLT reduced the astrocytic reaction, LCN2 expression, and the phosphorylation of STAT3 and JAK2. For in vitro experiments, OGD-induced expression of inflammation and LCN2 was also decreased in human astrocyte by the SLT treatment. Moreover, LCN2 overexpression significantly enhanced the above effects. SLT downregulated these effects that were enhanced by LCN2 overexpression. Conclusions. SLT mediates neuroinflammation, thereby protecting against ischaemic brain injury by inhibiting astrogliosis and suppressing neuroinflammation via the LCN2-JAK2/STAT3 pathway, providing a new idea for the treatment strategy of ischaemic stroke.
Simultaneous Hydatid Cyst of the Liver and Left Iliac Fossa: An Unusual Case Report
Authors: Bhandari Tika Ram , Shahi Sudha
Published: September 2019

Hydatid disease is a significant health problem in many livestock-rearing areas especially in the developing world, mainly caused by Echinococcus granulosus. The liver and lung are the most common affected sites. However, hydatid disease can occur anywhere in the body. Simultaneous involvement of two organs or sites is very unusual, mainly for organs other than the lung and liver. We thus report a very unusual combination of hepatic and left iliac fossa with hydatid disease in an adult patient. A 37-year-old farmer from a village presented with intermittent right upper quadrant and left iliac fossa pain associated with distention of abdomen for one month. Abdominal radiological investigations reported hydatid cyst disease; one cyst was found in the right lobe of the liver and another in the left iliac fossa. Positive IgG antibody by the ELISA test also confirmed the diagnosis. Pericystectomy and excision of hydatid cyst without spillage of content for the liver and left iliac fossa were done, respectively. Patient was discharged on the 10th postoperative day with an uneventful postoperative course. There was no recurrence of the lesion during one-year follow-up period. A combination of hydatid disease in the liver and iliac fossa is very unusual, so clinician should have thoughts regarding this rare entity as an important differential diagnosis.
Orally Bioavailable Androgen Receptor Degrader, Potential Next-Generation Therapeutic for Enzalutamide-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Ponnusamy Suriyan , He Yali , Hwang Dong-Jin , Thiyagarajan Thirumagal , Houtman Rene , Bocharova Vera , Sumpter Bobby G. , Fernandez Elias , Johnson Daniel , Du Ziyun , Pfeffer Lawrence M. , Getzenberg Robert H. , McEwan Iain J. , Miller Duane D. , Narayanan Ramesh
Published: September 2019

Purpose:

Androgen receptor (AR)-targeting prostate cancer drugs, which are predominantly competitive ligand-binding domain (LBD)-binding antagonists, are inactivated by common resistance mechanisms. It is important to develop next-generation mechanistically distinct drugs to treat castration- and drug-resistant prostate cancers.

Experimental Design:

Second-generation AR pan antagonist UT-34 was selected from a library of compounds and tested in competitive AR binding and transactivation assays. UT-34 was tested using biophysical methods for binding to the AR activation function-1 (AF-1) domain. Western blot, gene expression, and proliferation assays were performed in various AR-positive enzalutamide-sensitive and -resistant prostate cancer cell lines. Pharmacokinetic and xenograft studies were performed in immunocompromised rats and mice.

Results:

UT-34 inhibits the wild-type and LBD-mutant ARs comparably and inhibits the in vitro proliferation and in vivo growth of enzalutamide-sensitive and -resistant prostate cancer xenografts. In preclinical models, UT-34 induced the regression of enzalutamide-resistant tumors at doses when the AR is degraded; but, at lower doses, when the AR is just antagonized, it inhibits, without shrinking, the tumors. This indicates that degradation might be a prerequisite for tumor regression. Mechanistically, UT-34 promotes a conformation that is distinct from the LBD-binding competitive antagonist enzalutamide and degrades the AR through the ubiquitin proteasome mechanism. UT-34 has a broad safety margin and exhibits no cross-reactivity with G-protein–coupled receptor kinase and nuclear receptor family members.

Conclusions:

Collectively, UT-34 exhibits the properties necessary for a next-generation prostate cancer drug.
Protective Innate Immune Variants in Racial/Ethnic Disparities of Breast and Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yeyeodu Susan T. , Kidd LaCreis R. , Kimbro K. Sean
Published: September 2019

Individuals of African descent are disproportionately affected by specific complex diseases, such as breast and prostate cancer, which are driven by both biological and nonbiological factors. In the case of breast cancer, there is clear evidence that psychosocial factors (environment, socioeconomic status, health behaviors, etc.) have a strong influence on racial disparities. However, even after controlling for these factors, overall phenotypic differences in breast cancer pathology remain among groups of individuals who vary by geographic ancestry. There is a growing appreciation that chronic/reoccurring inflammation, primarily driven by mechanisms of innate immunity, contributes to core functions associated with cancer progression. Germline mutations in innate immune genes that have been retained in the human genome offer enhanced protection against environmental pathogens, and protective innate immune variants against specific pathogens are enriched among populations whose ancestors were heavily exposed to those pathogens. Consequently, it is predicted that racial/ethnic differences in innate immune programs will translate into ethnic differences in both pro- and antitumor immunity, tumor progression, and prognosis, leading to the current phenomenon of racial/ethnic disparities in cancer. This review explores examples of protective innate immune genetic variants that are (i) distributed disproportionately among racial populations and (ii) associated with racial/ethnic disparities of breast and prostate cancer.
Expression of NIS, VEGF-A and Thyroid Autoantibody in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma with or without Hashimoto’s Disease
Authors: Ma Ye , He Junyi , Shen Na , Guo Ruosheng
Published: September 2019

Background: Since the incidence of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) combined with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) has increased year by year, but the mechanism is still unknown, the goal of this study was to investigate the expression of Na+/I– symporter (NIS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and thyroid autoantibodies in HT combined with PTC, and to explore the relationship between HT and PTC. Methods: Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of VEGF-A and NIS in 38 cases of PTC and HT combined with PTC and in 20 cases of normal tissues; preoperative serum TPOAb and TgAb levels in each group were detected by ELISA. Results: The expression of VEGF-A in PTC and HT combined with PTC was significantly higher than that in normal tissues (p < 0.05), and the expression of VEGF-A in HT combined with PTC was higher than that in PTC (p < 0.05). The expression of NIS mRNA in PTC and HT combined with PTC was significantly decreased compared to that in normal tissues (p < 0.05), and NIS mRNA in HT combined with PTC tissue was lower than that in PTC tissue (p < 0.05). The preoperative levels of TPOAb and TgAb in the HT combined with PTC group were higher than those in the normal group and the PTC group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The presence of HT may inhibit iodine uptake and cause a decrease in NIS. Increased levels of TPOAb and TgAb in HT patients lead to a high expression of TSH and stimulate VEGF secretion. This may explain why HT could accelerate the occurrence and development of PTC.
Vein Suturing Results in Worse Lung Graft Outcomes Compared to the Cuff Method
Authors: Zampieri Davide , Azzollini Nadia , Vuljan Stefania , Pezzuto Federica , Fiori Sonia , Mister Marilena , Todeschini Marta , Rodriguez Ordonez Pamela Yossenaidy , Marulli Giuseppe , Rea Federico , Calabrese Fiorella , Casiraghi Federica
Published: September 2019

Background: The rat orthotopic lung transplant model is not widely used yet because of the complexity of the procedure, in particular, venous anastomosis. Here, we performed a rat orthotopic lung transplantation using either the suture (ST) or cuff (CT) method for vein anastomosis. Objectives: To compare the vein ST and CT techniques in terms of operative time, success, recipient survival, and early histological outcomes was the objective of this study. Methods: A total of 24 left lung transplants in rats were performed. Twelve syngeneic (Lewis to Lewis) and 12 allogeneic (Brown-Norway to Lewis) lung transplants were performed using either the vein ST or the CT procedure. Arterial and bronchial anastomoses were performed with the CT technique. Graft histological damage was evaluated 3–7 days post-transplant in all rat lungs. Results: The surgical success rate was 75% in both the ST and CT groups. Failures related mainly to vein bleeding (n = 2 in the ST group) and thrombosis (n = 1 in the ST group; n = 2 in the CT group). Total ischemia time was longer in the ST group (122 ± 25 min in ST group vs. 83 ± 10 min in CT group, mean ± SD), due to prolonged warm ischemia time (60 ± 12 min in the ST group vs. 21 ± 5 min in the CT group, mean ± SD), reflecting the time required to complete the vein ST procedure. The prolonged warm ischemia time resulted in significantly higher vascular inflammation in syngeneic grafts (2.3 ± 1.2 ST group vs. 0 in the CT group, mean ± SD) and in increased severity of ischemia/reperfusion injury and acute graft rejection (3.6 ± 0.4 in the ST group vs. 2.6 ± 0.4 in the CT group, mean ± SD) in allogeneic lung transplants. Conclusions: The vein ST technique is a more time-consuming procedure than the CT method and the prolonged anastomosis time has a deleterious impact on transplant outcomes. These findings suggest that warm ischemia time – one of the modifiable transplant factors – should be considered a major risk factor in lung transplantation, particularly in the setting of donation after cardiac death.
Medulloblastoma: Distinctive Histo-Molecular Correlation with Clinical Profile, Radiologic Characteristics, and Surgical Outcome
Authors: Narayan Vinayak , Sugur Harsha , Jaiswal Janhvi , Arvinda H.R. , Arivazhagan Arimappamagan , Somanna Sampath , Santosh Vani
Published: September 2019

Objective: Medulloblastoma (MB) is a heterogenous tumor, and the prognosis is influenced by various clinical, histological, and molecular factors. The aim of the study is to determine the clinical profile and radiologic characteristics among the histo-molecular subgroups, the predictors of surgical outcome, and the pattern of relapse in pediatric and adult MB. Method: An analysis of 118 patients of MB who underwent surgical treatment at National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, India, over a 7-year period (2005–2011) is presented. The clinical profile, radiologic characteristics, surgical nuances, and survival patterns are discussed. The relevant statistical analysis was done using SPSS software, version 22.0. Results: The mean age of the cohort was 12 years (12.3 ± 8.7). The primary manifestation was raised intracranial tension headache in 53 patients (44.9%), which was the predominant symptom in large cell/anaplastic (LCA)- and WNT-activated subgroups. The median preoperative Karnofsky performance score was 60 (60.6 ± 12.9). Vermian and hemispheric location of tumor was most commonly observed in non-WNT/non-SHH (groups 3 and 4; 91.7%) and SHH-activated (42.9%) subgroups, respectively. Ninety-two patients (78%) underwent preoperative ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS) for obstructive hydrocephalus (HCP) and 14 patients (11.8%) underwent VPS in the postoperative period. The median overall survival (OS) for the whole group was 82.1 ± 5.7 months and the median recurrence-free survival was 51.0 ± 4.8 months. While radiotherapy had a significant influence on OS, progression-free survival was influenced by radiotherapy as well as chemotherapy in both pediatric and adult cohort. Desmoplastic/nodular subtype and WNT-activated subgroup had the best prognosis; LCA and non-WNT/non-SHH had the worst prognosis. Conclusions: Majority of the patients were pediatric in the study. Age, hemispheric location of tumor, extent of resection, and adjuvant treatment status were the important clinical prognostic factors for survival. Surgery for MB is formidable, and VPS can be considered in persistent symptomatic and progressive HCP. Our study on pediatric and adult MB validates the prognostic significance of various clinical, radiologic, and histo-molecular parameters of MB.
Subcortical Volume Correlates of Psychological Distress in Early Adolescence
Authors: Broadhouse Kathryn M. , Boyes Amanda , Winks Natalie , Dokonal Tayla , McLoughlin Larisa , Parker Marcella , Beaudequin Denise , Simcock Gabrielle , Lagopoulos Jim , Hermens Daniel F.
Published: September 2019

The hippocampus and amygdala have justifiably been the focus of much mental health research due to their putative roles in top-down processing control of emotion, fear, and anxiety. However, understanding the causal relationship between these regions and mental illness has been limited as current literature is lacking in the observation of neuro-structural changes preceding first episodes. Here, we report whole and sub-structural hippocampal and amygdala volume correlates of psychological distress in early adolescence. Automated hippocampal subfield and amygdala nuclei segmentation was carried out in 32 participants (12–13 years old) recruited for the Longitudinal Adolescent Brain Study (LABS) who had psychological distress scores measured by the Kessler-10. Partial correlation analyses revealed significant negative association between left whole amygdala volume and psychological distress. Sub-structure analysis revealed that smaller left hippocampal CA1 volume and left basal and accessory basal amygdala nuclei volumes were all significantly associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Four-month follow-up analysis also revealed an association between change in K10 and CA1 volume suggesting a continued relationship between this hippocampal substructure and psychological distress. Grey matter volume of subcortical sub-structures involved within the hippocampal-basolateral amygdala-prefrontal cortex loop are highly correlated and are significantly reduced in adolescents with higher levels of psychological distress, indicating these nuclei and subfields play an important role in the emergence of mental illness.
Efficacy of Vinorelbine Monotherapy as Third- or Further-Line Therapy in Patients with Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Kang Da Hyun , Kim Ju Ock , Jung Sung Soo , Park Hee Sun , Chung Chaeuk , Park Dongil , Lee Jeong Eun
Published: September 2019

Background: The survival rate of patients with lung cancer has increased significantly over the years, but there has been no further progress in third- or fourth-line therapy. We investigated the efficacy and tolerability of monotherapy with weekly vinorelbine, a semi-synthetic vinca alkaloid, in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who had previously been treated several times. Methods: In all, 159 NSCLC patients who received vinorelbine monotherapy as third- or further-line therapy between January 2008 and July 2017 were included in this study. Patients received vinorelbine intravenously at a dose of 25–30 mg/m2/week. Results: Their mean age was 62.4 years. The histologic types of tumor were adenocarcinoma (50.9%), squamous cell carcinoma (42.8%), and others (6.2%). The overall response rate was 19.5% (31/159). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.5–3.5 months), and the median overall survival (OS) after vinorelbine use was 7.6 months (95% CI 6.2–9.0 months). Vinorelbine therapy showed significantly higher efficacy in patients with adenocarcinoma, and these patients had a longer PFS than patients with other types of cancer. Patients who received vinorelbine as fifth- or further-line treatment had a higher response rate and longer PFS and OS than those who received vinorelbine as third- or fourth-line treatment. Conclusions: Weekly vinorelbine monotherapy may be a feasible therapeutic option for patients with heavily treated, advanced NSCLC, particularly lung adenocarcinoma.
Performance of Laboratories after 10 Years of Participating in External Quality Monitoring in Cervical Cytology
Authors: de Morais Leonarda Silvestre Faria , Magalhães Juliana Cristina , Braga Iara da Silva , Marega Luiza Alessandra , Tavares Suelene Brito do Nascimento , Amaral Rita Goreti
Published: September 2019

Objective: To evaluate the performance of laboratories accredited by the National Health System that perform cytopathology examination of the uterine cervix after 10 years of participation in external quality monitoring (eQM). Study Design: Seven laboratories were assessed in this study. To assess the concordance of the representation of epithelia and results, 6,536 examinations (3,433 in 2007 and 3,103 in 2017) were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed using the κ coefficient as well as the χ2 and the Fisher exact test (p < 0.05). Results: All laboratories showed adequate infrastructure and internal quality monitoring. Regarding the representation of the epithelia, the concordance remained excellent (κ between 0.84 and 0.94). In 2007, 26 false-negative results (FN), 157 false-positive results (FP), and 79 delays in clinical conduct (DCC) were identified (κ = 0.80). In 2017, 24 FN, 42 FP, and 38 DCC were identified (κ = 0.90). Five laboratories showed improvement in concordance from 2007 to 2017. We observed significant improvement in cytomorphological criteria of the results: atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (p < 0.001), atypical squamous cells cannot exclude high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (p < 0.016), and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (p < 0.001). We also observed a considerable improvement in the results of cellular abnormalities in glandular epithelium (p < 0.0504). Conclusions: Ten years after the implementation of eQM, improvements in the concordance of results were observed as well as reductions in FN, FP, and DCC in all laboratories monitored.
Do pageant da greve de Paterson à Frente Popular
Authors: Bustamante Fernando
Published: September 2019

O acirramento da luta de classes em escala mundial no início do século XX, com o crescimento do movimento operário em partidos e sindicatos de massas, a Primeira Guerra Mundial e, principalmente, a revolução socialista na Rússia e as revoluções alemãs derrotadas agudizaram conflitos políticos e ideológicos também no campo das artes. O teatro operário trouxe revoluções estéticas na Europa, mas também nos Estados Unidos. O pageant da greve de Paterson foi um evento precursor, e as décadas de 1920 e 1930 aceleraram o desenvolvimento das novas formas cênicas, bem como os debates acerca destas. Contudo, a política de Frente Popular adotada pela Comintern e pelo Partido Comunista Americano, com a consequente integração deste e seus apoiadores à base de apoio do governo Roosevelt, atuam na contramão dos avanços políticos, estéticos e organizativos. Este artigo apresenta algumas questões que marcaram esse complexo processo.
O teatro de guerrilha segundo R. G. Davis
Authors: Goes Maria Lívia Nobre
Published: September 2019

A expressão “teatro de guerrilha” aparece pela primeira vez em um ensaio de R. G. Davis, então diretor da San Francisco Mime Troupe, publicado na Tulane Drama Review em 1966 e rapidamente ganha adesão no ambiente de efervescência política e experimentação contracultural do teatro alternativo nos anos 1960 e 1970. Este artigo analisa o desenvolvimento das formulações de Davis sobre o tema entre 1965 e 1971, com destaque para as experiências da San Francisco Mime Troupe.
Stanislávski e Sulerjítski
Authors: Zaltron Michele Almeida
Published: September 2019

O encontro de Konstantin Stanislávski com Leopold Sulerjítski, um de seus mais importantes colaboradores, acontece após Sulerjítski assistir a um ensaio do espetáculo Um inimigo do povo, de Henrik Ibsen, no Teatro de Arte de Moscou, e se sentir profundamente impactado com a atuação de Stanislávski como Dr. Stockmann. A partir da relação construída entre ambos e das experiências realizadas no Primeiro Estúdio do Teatro de Arte de Moscou, foram desenvolvidos princípios fundamentais do Sistema de Stanislávski, como a importância do coletivo e da ética, na arte e na vida. Este artigo analisa esses princípios a partir da compreensão de que Stanislávski e Sulerjítski acreditavam que o teatro poderia ser um meio de aperfeiçoamento de si mesmo e de transformação da sociedade.
Dentro e fora da cena
Authors: Costa Filho José
Published: September 2019

O artigo debate um corpus formado por alguns dos trabalhos brasileiros exibidos na Mostra Internacional de teatro de São Paulo (MITsp) em 2019. São criações que habitam espaços limítrofes. Situam-se entre diferentes meios expressivos (a dança, o teatro, a performance), como também entre a linguagem artística e certas lutas políticas atuais.
O lugar do trágico no espetáculo Mount Olympus, de Jan Fabre
Authors: Bellotto Lisandro , Isaacsson Marta
Published: September 2019

No centro da reflexão encontra-se o espetáculo Mount Olympus, do renomado criador belga Jan Fabre, obra fundada nas paixões e tramas presentes na dramaturgia clássica grega. A dimensão do trágico torna-se, então, o foco de interesse da análise dessa monumental criação que atualiza, com suas 24 horas de duração, tanto o contexto das longas jornadas dos festivais dionisíacos, quanto a potência catártica do teatro grego por meio da empatia despertada pelo desgaste dos corpos dos performers. A reflexão recorre ao pensamento do filósofo Friedrich Nietzsche e às ideias teatrais de Antonin Artaud para colocar em evidência a importância do coro e a exploração da dilatação do tempo na composição do trágico.
Entrevista com Dulce Muniz – Memórias de 1968
Authors: Carbone Roberta , Cosmo Matheus
Published: September 2019

Entrevista realizada em 18 de outubro de 2018 no Teatro Studio Heleny Guariba, por Matheus Cosmo e Roberta Carbone.
53 Anos de Resistência!!! TUOV – Teatro Popular União e Olho Vivo
Authors: Pivetta Idibal Almeida
Published: September 2019

Depoimento de Idibal Almeida Pivetta (César Vieira), advogado, dramaturgo, autor popular e fundador do TUOV.
Movimento de teatro radical nos EUA em 1968
Authors: Lima Eduardo Luís Campos
Published: September 2019

Este artigo discute as possibilidades e impossibilidades da articulação de um movimento de teatro radical nos Estados Unidos. Em 1968, o diretor teatral R. G. Davis, fundador da San Francisco Mime Troupe, organizou o Festival de Teatro Radical em São Francisco, convidando os grupos El Teatro Campesino e Bread and Puppet a integrar as atividades. Do debate realizado entre os diretores dos três grupos extraímos argumentos centrais para uma análise estético-política da tentativa de articulação entre eles, apontando as prováveis causas do fracasso da iniciativa.
A new genus of the subfamily Hybrizontinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from Japan
Authors: HISASUE YU , KONISHI KAZUHIKO
Published: September 2019

Neohybrizon gen. nov. is described from Japan (type species: Neohybrizon mutus sp. nov.). This new genus is characterized by much reduced mouth parts, long mesoscutum, absence of epicnemial carina, depressed posterocentral area of mesoscutum, slender stigma, short RS+M of fore wing, entirely straight M of fore wing, slender hind wing, long hind femur which is over 5.5 × as long as trochanter, and using the ant Myrmica kotokui Forel, 1911 as its host. A key to genera of Hybrizontinae is also provided.