Salvation Abroad: Macedonian Migration to North America and the Making of Modern Macedonia, 1870-1970

This dissertation explores the establishment of Macedonian diaspora communities in North America, and the concurrent development of Macedonian national identity, between 1870 and 1970. Taking a transnational approach to cultural history, it ultimately finds a reciprocal relationship between Macedonian migration and identity by focusing on key nationalist leaders and organizations, as well as the crucial points of transformation in the evolution of Macedonian national identity. By blurring the boundary between Canada and the United States - as did many migrants from Macedonia who saw the two countries as "Upper" and "Lower" America - this study emphasizes migration rather than settlement in order to unveil nationalism's religious, cultural and political components. The dissertation, therefore, is grounded not in the cement of a single national narrative, but in the cultural products that result from passages - physical, spiritual, and social - among nations. As the nineteenth century ended, a climate of deprivation and violence compelled tens of thousands of men from the Macedonian region to depart their troubled corner of the Balkans and find economic salvation abroad. Like their fellow villagers, most of the migrants considered themselves to be geographically Macedonian but culturally Bulgarian. Almost none identified with a nationality in the modern sense. This study argues, however, that more than simply fulfilling an economic mission abroad, the migrant men, and later their families, capitalized on the freedoms North America offered to forge a broader "salvation" that fundamentally changed their national and ethnic worldview. Put another way, migration catalyzed a process in which the migrants became, simply, "Macedonians." Far from leaving behind the political and cultural battles of their homeland, the migrant communities formed political, cultural, and religious organizations that sought to influence the policies of both their host and home countries. But defining the new Macedonian nation proved a contentious issue. As the migrant communities cleaved into left- and right-leaning factions during the middle and latter years of the twentieth century, the nature of Macedonian identity, which, I argue, was intimately connected to notions of Macedonian cultural history, became a fiercely contested subject, and remains so today

Effect of the Independent Acid Base Variables on Anion Gap Variation in Cardiac Surgical Patients: A Stewart-Figge Approach

Purpose. To determine the effect of each of independent acid base variables on the anion gap (AG) value in cardiac surgical patients. Methods. This retrospective study involved 128 cardiac surgical patients admitted for postoperative care. The variation of AG (AGvar) between the day of admission and the first postoperative day was correlated via a multiple linear regression model with the respective variations of the independent acid base variables, that is, apparent strong ion difference (SIDa), strong ion gap (SIG), carbon dioxide (PCO2), and albumin and phosphate concentrations. Results. The variations of all the above variables contributed significantly to the prediction of AGvar (adjusted R2=0.9999, F=201890.24, and P<0.001). According to the standardized coefficients (β),  SIGvar (β = 0.948, P<0.001), [Albumin]var (β = 0.260, P<0.001), and [Phosphate]var (β = 0.191, P<0.001) were the major determinants of AGvar with lesser contributions from SIDa, var (β = 0.071, P<0.001) and PCO2, var (β = −0.067, P<0.001). Conclusions. All the independent acid base variables contribute to the prediction of the AG value. However, albumin and phosphate and SIG variations seem to be the most important predictors, while AG appears to be rather stable with changes in PCO2 and SIDa

Optical coherence tomography angiography findings in pigmented paravenous chorioretinal atrophy

Purpose:To analyze the retino-choroidal vascular characteristics of patients affected by pigmented paravenous chorio-retinal atrophy by means of optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography.Methods:This study was designed as an observational, cross-sectional case series. Multimodal imaging included fundus autofluorescence, structural OCT, and OCT angiography. The quantitative OCT angiography analyses included the calculation of the vessel density and choriocapillaris porosity.Results:Overall, 12 patients (24 eyes) affected by pigmented paravenous chorio-retinal atrophy were recruited. Structural OCT of the areas involved by pigmented paravenous chorio-retinal atrophy as visualized on the fundus autofluorescence showed a complete ellipsoid zone and external limiting membrane absence, with thinning of ganglion cell complex, outer nuclear layer, and outer plexiform layer, but associated with the optical partial preservation of the retinal pigment epithelium. Optical coherence tomography angiography quantitative assessment of the retinal regions affected by PPRCA, as visualized by fundus autofluorescence, was characterized by normal vessel density at the level of superficial capillary plexus but significantly altered vessel density of deep capillary plexus and choriocapillaris, with higher choriocapillaris porosity. The presence of macular atrophy was significantly correlated with worse deep capillary plexus and choriocapillaris vessel density values. Furthermore, a statistically significant correlation between the fundus autofluorescence patterns and the retinal vascular status was found.Conclusion:Optical coherence tomography angiography quantitative analyses in pigmented paravenous chorio-retinal atrophy demonstrate a specific impairment at the level of the deep capillary plexus, which could in turn bring about a thinning of ganglion cell complex and outer nuclear layer. The alterations at the level of the choriocapillaris and the choroid, in general, could then represent a secondary effect

Cost-effectiveness of programs to eliminate disparities in elderly vaccination rates in the United States

Background: There are disparities in influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates among elderly minority groups and little guidance as to which intervention or combination of interventions to eliminate these disparities is likely to be most cost-effective. Here, we evaluate the cost-effectiveness of four hypothetical vaccination programs designed to eliminate disparities in elderly vaccination rates and differing in the number of interventions. Methods. We developed a Markov model in which we assumed a healthcare system perspective, 10-year vaccination program and lifetime time horizon. The cohort was the combined African-American and Hispanic 65 year-old birth cohort in the United States in 2009. We evaluated five different vaccination strategies: no vaccination program and four vaccination programs that varied from "low intensity" to "very high intensity" based on the number of interventions deployed in each program, their cumulative cost and their cumulative impact on elderly minority influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates. Results: The very high intensity vaccination program ($24,479/ quality-adjusted life year; QALY) was preferred at willingness-to-pay-thresholds of$50,000 and $100,000/QALY and prevented 37,178 influenza cases, 342 influenza deaths, 1,158 invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) cases and 174 IPD deaths over the birth cohort's lifetime. In one-way sensitivity analyses, the very high intensity program only became cost-prohibitive (>$100,000/QALY) at less likely values for the influenza vaccination rates achieved in year 10 of the high intensity (>73.5%) or very high intensity (<76.8%) vaccination programs. Conclusions: A practice-based vaccination program designed to eliminate disparities in elderly minority vaccination rates and including four interventions would be cost-effective. © 2014 Michaelidis et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Heat hardening enhances mitochondrial potential for respiration and oxidative defence capacity in the mantle of thermally stressed Mytilus galloprovincialis

Ectotherms are exposed to a range of environmental temperatures and may face extremes beyond their upper thermal limits. Such temperature extremes can stimulate aerobic metabolism toward its maximum, a decline in aerobic substrate oxidation, and a parallel increase of anaerobic metabolism, combined with ROS generation and oxidative stress. Under these stressful conditions, marine organisms recruit several defensive strategies for their maintenance and survival. However, thermal tolerance of ectothermic organisms may be increased after a brief exposure to sub- lethal temperatures, a process known as "hardening". In our study, we examined the ability of M. galloprovincialis to increase its thermal tolerance under the effect of elevated temperatures (24, 26 and 28 °C) through the "hardening" process. Our results demonstrate that this process can increase the heat tolerance and antioxidant defense of heat hardened mussels through more efficient ETS activity when exposed to temperatures beyond 24 °C, compared to non-hardened individuals. Enhanced cell protection is reflected in better adaptive strategies of heat hardened mussels, and thus decreased mortality. Although hardening seems a promising process for the maintenance of aquacultured populations under increased seasonal temperatures, further investigation of the molecular and cellular mechanisms regulating mussels’ heat resistance is required

Effects of high CO2 seawater on the copepod (Acartia tsuensis) through all life stages and subsequent generations

We studied the effects of exposure to seawater equilibrated with CO2-enriched air (CO2 2380 ppm) from eggs to maturity and over two subsequent generations on the copepod Acartia tsuensis. Compared to the control (CO2 380 ppm), high CO2 exposure through all life stages of the 1st generation copepods did not significantly affect survival, body size or developmental speed. Egg production and hatching rates were also not significantly different between the initial generation of females exposed to high CO2 and the 1st and 2nd generation females developed from eggs to maturity in high CO2. Thus, the copepods appear more tolerant to increased CO2 than other marine organisms previously investigated for CO2 tolerance (i.e., sea urchins and bivalves). However, the crucial importance of copepods in marine ecosystems requires thorough evaluation of the overall impacts of marine environmental changes predicted to occur with increased CO2 concentrations, i.e., increased temperature, enhanced UV irradiation, and changes in the community structure and nutritional value of phytoplankton

Heat hardening enhances metabolite-driven thermoprotection in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Introduction: Temperature affects organisms’ metabolism and ecological performance. Owing to climate change, sea warming constituting a severe source of environmental stress for marine organisms, since it increases at alarming rates. Rapid warming can exceed resilience of marine organisms leading to fitness loss and mortality. However, organisms can improve their thermal tolerance when briefly exposed to sublethal thermal stress (heat hardening), thus generating heat tolerant phenotypes.Methods: We investigated the “stress memory” effect caused by heat hardening on M. galloprovincialis metabolite profile of in order to identify the underlying biochemical mechanisms, which enhance mussels’ thermal tolerance.Results: The heat hardening led to accumulation of amino acids (e.g., leucine, isoleucine and valine), including osmolytes and cytoprotective agents with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can contribute to thermal protection of the mussels. Moreover, proteolysis was inhibited and protein turnover regulated by the heat hardening. Heat stress alters the metabolic profile of heat stressed mussels, benefiting the heat-hardened individuals in increasing their heat tolerance compared to the non-heat-hardened ones.Discussion: These findings provide new insights in the metabolic mechanisms that may reinforce mussels’ tolerance against thermal stress providing both natural protection and potential manipulative tools (e.g., in aquaculture) against the devastating climate change effects on marine organisms

Mobility, proprioception, strength and FMS as predictors of injury in professional footballers

Background The premise of this study was to investigate if anthropometric variables such as mobility, proprioception, strength and modified Functional Movement Screen (mFMS) could be used as primary indicators of injury risk in an English Championship division football team. This study focused on moderate injuries occurring in the lower extremities, during the 2014/2015 competitive season. Methods To differentiate between minor, moderate and severe injuries, this study classified moderate injuries as an injury with an average injury severity of 2–28 days. This study is composed of 4 individual investigations. Each variable was assessed against 2 groups: injured (n=6) and non-injured (n=10). The 2 groups were compiled from the first team, with the criteria that each participant of this study required: full preseason assessment and injury history for the time period, 1 July 2014 to 19 March 2015. A Mann-Whitney U test (0.05% significance) was applied to statistically analyse if each variable showed any variation across the 2 groups. Effect size was estimated with Cliff's d. Results Strength asymmetry displayed significant difference (p=0.007), mobility, proprioception and mFMS did not (p=0.263, p=0.792 and p=0.181, respectively). Mean scores for mobility, proprioception, strength asymmetry and mFMS for injured versus non-injured players (effect size) were: 40.00 vs 38.00 (0.37), 10.33 vs 10.20 (0.10), 61.13 vs 30.40 (0.80) and 7.33 vs 8.90 (−0.4), respectively. Conclusions This study found no relationship between mobility/proprioception and injury risk; however, strength asymmetry was statistically significant in predicting injury and mFMS exhibited enough positive difference for recommendation of further investigation

Flow Cytometry as a Diagnostic Tool in the Early Diagnosis of Aggressive Lymphomas Mimicking Life-Threatening Infection

Aggressive lymphomas can present with symptoms mimicking life-threatening infection. Flow cytometry (FC) is usually recommended for the classification and staging of lymphomas in patients with organomegaly and atypical cells in effusions and blood, after the exclusion of other possible diagnoses. FC may also have a place in the initial diagnostic investigation of aggressive lymphoma. Three cases are presented here of highly aggressive lymphomas in young adults, which presented with the clinical picture of fever of unknown origin (FUO) in patients severely ill. All followed a life-threatening clinical course, and two developed the hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS), but microbiological, immunological, and morphological evaluation and immunohistochemistry (IHC) failed to substantiate an early diagnosis. FC was the technique that provided conclusive diagnostic evidence of lymphoma, subsequently verified by IHC. Our experience with these three cases highlights the potential role of FC as an adjunct methodology in the initial assessment of possible highly aggressive lymphoma presenting with the signs and symptoms of life-threatening infection, although the definitive diagnosis should be established by biopsy. In such cases, FC can contribute to the diagnosis of lymphoma, independently of the presence of HPS

Effects of ocean acidification on invertebrate settlement at volcanic CO<inf>2</inf> vents

We present the first study of the effects of ocean acidification on settlement of benthic invertebrates and microfauna. Artificial collectors were placed for 1 month along pH gradients at CO2 vents off Ischia (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Seventy-nine taxa were identified from six main taxonomic groups (foraminiferans, nematodes, polychaetes, molluscs, crustaceans and chaetognaths). Calcareous foraminiferans, serpulid polychaetes, gastropods and bivalves showed highly significant reductions in recruitment to the collectors as pCO2 rose from normal (336-341 ppm, pH 8.09-8.15) to high levels (886-5,148 ppm) causing acidified conditions near the vents (pH 7.08-7.79). Only the syllid polychaete Syllis prolifera had higher abundances at the most acidified station, although a wide range of polychaetes and small crustaceans was able to settle and survive under these conditions. A few taxa (Amphiglena mediterranea, Leptochelia dubia, Caprella acanthifera) were particularly abundant at stations acidified by intermediate amounts of CO2 (pH 7. 41-7.99). These results show that increased levels of CO2 can profoundly affect the settlement of a wide range of benthic organisms. © 2010 Springer-Verlag