bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of the emergency extra-intracranial bypass in acute occlusive arterial disease: evidence in the literature as to the benefit to young patients and an illustrative case of a patient with extra- and intracranial traumatic internal carotid artery occlusion
Authors: Castro-Flores Juan Antonio , Roelke Carlos Eduardo , Falcão Luis Fernando , Becco de Souza Rodrigo , Moon Tae Yoon , Santos Raimundo , Brasileiro de Aguiar Guilherme , Nóbrega Bruno
Published: January 2018

The extra-intracranial bypass has been used in the treatment of patients with chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency. More recent studies have demonstrated the benefit of this technique to patients with arterial occlusion in the acute phase. We relate the case of a 19-year-old patient, victim of cervical trauma, who presented evidence of intra- and extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion and progressive intra hospital clinical worsening. He underwent a high-flow bypass surgery with NIHSS at 17, progressing with progressive intra hospital improvement and in the outpatient segment achieved a NIHSS of 2 in 6 months of follow-up. We discuss the role of high- and low-flow bypass in chronic occlusive arterial disease, based on a review of the literature. We conclude that in spite of there being a divergence as to the indication for, and benefits of, these techniques in chronic occlusive arterial disease, in the acute phase, there appears to be a more evident benefit mainly in the young patients, whose etiology is the dissection of the ICA.
Multispectral surface plasmon resonance approach for ultra-thin silver layer characterization: Application to top-emitting OLED cathode
Authors: Taverne S. , Caron B. , Gétin S. , Lartigue O. , Lopez C. , Meunier-Della-Gatta S. , Gorge V. , Reymermier M. , Racine B. , Maindron T. , Quesnel E.
Published: January 2018

While dielectric/metal/dielectric (DMD) multilayer thin films have raised considerable interest as transparent and conductive electrodes in various optoelectronic devices, the knowledge of optical characteristics of thin metallic layers integrated in such structures is still rather approximate. The multispectral surface plasmon resonance characterization approach described in this work precisely aims at providing a rigorous methodology able to accurately determine the optical constants of ultra-thin metallic films. As a practical example, the refractive index and extinction dispersion curves of 8 to 25 nm-thick silver layers have been investigated. As a result, their extreme dependence on the layer thickness is highlighted, in particular in a thickness range close to the critical threshold value (∼10 nm) where the silver film becomes continuous and its electrical conductance/optical transmittance ratio particularly interesting. To check the validity of the revisited Ag layers constant dispersion curves deduced from this study, they were introduced into a commercial optical model software to simulate the behavior of various optoelectronic building blocks from the simplest ones (DMD electrodes) to much more complex structures [full organic light emitting device (OLED) stacks]. As a result, a much better prediction of the emission spectrum profile as well as the angular emission pattern of top-emitting OLEDs is obtained. On this basis, it is also shown how a redesign of the top encapsulation thin film of OLEDs is necessary to better take benefit from the advanced DMD electrode. These results should particularly interest the micro-OLED display field where bright and directive single color pixel emission is required.
Defects induced in cerium dioxide single crystals by electron irradiation
Authors: Costantini Jean-Marc , Miro Sandrine , Touati Nadia , Binet Laurent , Wallez Gilles , Lelong Gérald , Guillaumet Maxime , Weber William J.
Published: January 2018

Micro-Raman spectroscopy, X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and UV-visible optical absorption spectroscopy were used to study the damage production in cerium dioxide (CeO2) single crystals by electron irradiation for three energies (1.0, 1.4, and 2.5 MeV). The Raman-active T2g peak was left unchanged after 2.5-MeV electron irradiation at a high fluence. This shows that no structural modifications occurred for the cubic fluorite structure. UV-visible optical absorption spectra exhibited a characteristic sub band-gap tail for 1.4-MeV and 2.5-MeV energies, but not for 1.0 MeV. Narrow EPR lines were recorded near liquid-helium temperature after 2.5-MeV electron irradiation; whereas no such signal was found for the virgin un-irradiated crystal or after 1.0-MeV irradiation for the same fluence. The angular variation of these lines in the {111} plane revealed a weak g-factor anisotropy assigned to Ce3+ ions (with the 4f1 configuration) in a high-symmetry local environment. It is concluded that Ce3+ ions may be produced by a reduction resulting from the displacement damage process. However, no evidence of F+ or F0 center or hole center formation due to irradiation was found from the present EPR and optical absorption spectra.
Ultrathin metasurface with high absorptance for waterborne sound
Authors: Mei Jun , Zhang Xiujuan , Wu Ying
Published: January 2018

We present a design for an acoustic metasurface which can efficiently absorb low-frequency sound energy in water. The metasurface has a simple structure and consists of only two common materials: i.e., water and silicone rubber. The optimized material and geometrical parameters of the designed metasurface are determined by an analytic formula in conjunction with an iterative process based on the retrieval method. Although the metasurface is as thin as 0.15 of the wavelength, it can absorb 99.7% of the normally incident sound wave energy. Furthermore, the metasurface maintains a substantially high absorptance over a relatively broad bandwidth, and also works well for oblique incidence with an incident angle of up to 50°. Potential applications in the field of underwater sound isolation are expected.
Dynamic model for piezotronic and piezo-phototronic devices under low and high frequency external compressive stresses
Authors: Jin Leisheng , Yan Xiaohong , Wang Xiangfu , Hu Weijun , Zhang Yan , Li Lijie
Published: January 2018

In this work, we aim to establish a theoretical method for modelling the dynamic characteristics of piezotronics and piezo-phototronic devices. By taking the simplest piezotronic device, PN junction as an example, we combine the small signal model and the unified approach to investigate its diffusion capacitance and conductance when it is under both low and high frequency external compressive stresses. This approach is different from the traditional considerations that treat the piezopotential as a static value. Furthermore, we expand the theory into piezo-phototronic devices, e.g., a light emitting diode. The dynamic recombination rate and light emitting intensity are quantitatively calculated under different frequencies of external compressive stresses.
Exploration of near the origin and the asymptotic behaviors of the Kohn-Sham kinetic energy density for two-dimensional quantum dot systems with parabolic confinement
Authors: Jana Subrata , Samal Prasanjit
Published: January 2018

The behaviors of the positive definite Kohn-Sham kinetic energy density near the origin and at the asymptotic region play a major role in designing meta-generalized gradient approximations (meta-GGAs) for exchange in low-dimensional quantum systems. It is shown that near the origin of the parabolic quantum dot, the Kohn-Sham kinetic energy differs from its von Weizsäcker counterpart due to the p orbital contributions, whereas in the asymptotic region, the difference between the above two kinetic energy densities goes as ∼ρ(r)r2. All these behaviors have been explored using the two-dimensional isotropic quantum harmonic oscillator as a test case. Several meta-GGA ingredients are then studied by making use of the above findings. Also, the asymptotic conditions for the exchange energy density and the potential at the meta-GGA level are proposed using the corresponding behaviors of the two kinetic energy densities.
A general way of analyzing EPR spectroscopy for a pair of magnetically equivalent lanthanide ions in crystal: A case study of BaY2F8:Yb3+ crystal
Authors: Liu Honggang , Zheng Wenchen
Published: January 2018

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) is an important tool to study the complex interactions (e.g., exchange and magnetic dipole-dipole interactions) for a pair of lanthanide (Ln) ions in crystals. How to analyze these EPR spectra and obtain the strength of each interaction is a challenge for experimentalists. In this work, a general way of calculating the EPR lines for two magnetically equivalent Ln ions is given by us to solve this problem. In order to explain their EPR spectra and obtain exchange interaction parameters Ji (i = x, y, z) between them, we deduce the analytic formulas for computing the angular dependent EPR lines for such Ln pairs under the condition of weak coupling (|Ji| ≪ hv, where v is the microwave frequency in the EPR experiment) and set up the spin-Hamiltonian energy matrix that should be diagonalized to obtain these lines if intermediate (|Ji| ∼ hv) and strong (|Ji| > hv) couplings are encountered. To verify our method, the experimental EPR spectra for the Yb3+ doped BaY2F8 crystal are considered by us and the EPR lines from the isolated Yb3+ ion and Yb3+-Yb3+ pair with distance R equal to 0.371 nm are identified clearly. Moreover, exchange interaction parameters (Jx ≈ –0.04 cm–1, Jy ≈ –0.24 cm–1, and Jz ≈ –0.1 cm–1) for such a pair are also determined by our calculations. This case study demonstrates that the theoretical method given in this work would be useful and could be applied to understand interactions between Ln ions in crystals.
Opto-acoustic microscopy reveals adhesion mechanics of single cells
Authors: Abi Ghanem Maroun , Dehoux Thomas , Liu Liwang , Le Saux Guillaume , Plawinski Laurent , Durrieu Marie-Christine , Audoin Bertrand
Published: January 2018

Laser-generated GHz-ultrasonic-based technologies have shown the ability to image single cell adhesion and stiffness simultaneously. Using this new modality, we here demonstrate quantitative indicators to investigate contact mechanics and adhesion processes of the cell. We cultured human cells on a rigid substrate, and we used an inverted pulsed opto-acoustic microscope to generate acoustic pulses containing frequencies up to 100 GHz in the substrate. We map the reflection of the acoustic pulses at the cell-substrate interface to obtain images of the acoustic impedance of the cell, Zc, as well as of the stiffness of the interface, K, with 1 μm lateral resolution. Our results show that the standard deviation ΔZc reveals differences between different cell types arising from the multiplicity of local conformations within the nucleus. From the distribution of K-values within the nuclear region, we extract a mean interfacial stiffness, Km, that quantifies the average contact force in areas of the cell displaying weak bonding. By analogy with classical contact mechanics, we also define the ratio of the real to nominal contact areas, Sr/St. We show that Km can be interpreted as a quantitative indicator of passive contact at metal-cell interfaces, while Sr/St is sensitive to active adhesive processes in the nuclear region. The ability to separate the contributions of passive and active adhesion processes should allow gaining insight into cell-substrate interactions, with important applications in tissue engineering.
Visual cues from an underwater illusion increase relative abundance of highly reef-associated fish on an artificial reef
Authors: Paxton Avery B. , Smith Derek
Published: January 2018

Cues from visual, auditory and olfactory stimuli affect habitat selection by reef fish, yet questions remain regarding how fish use visual cues to select habitats. With growing numbers of human-made structures, such as artificial reefs, deployed on ocean floors, understanding how visual cues influence fish selection of human-made habitats is timely. We conducted a field experiment to test whether visual stimuli influenced the relative abundance of fish on an artificial reef. We discovered that visual cues from an illusion created by a mirror installed on the reef increased the relative abundance of highly reef-associated fish. Specifically, when exposed to the mirror, numbers of highly reef-associated fish increased 35% relative to an experimental control treatment with a transparent added structure and 54% relative to a full control without an added structure. These results demonstrate that visual cues, such as illusions of additional habitat and more fish, can entice more highly reef-associated fish to use artificial reefs and play a more substantial role in habitat selection than the effects of added physical structures alone. As numbers of human-made marine structures continue to increase, simple augmentations enhancing visual evidence of available habitat structure or relative fish abundance may serve to increase the local abundance of fish.
On the relationality of centers, peripheries and interactional regimes
Authors: Baynham Mike , Hanušová Jolana
Published: January 2018

In this paper we discuss a multilingual interactional event that involves both interpreting and literacy work, part of a large scale study on translanguaging in superdiverse urban settings.1 In the first part of the interaction, the center/periphery dynamic is played out in what might be called “contested translanguaging” between Standard Czech and a Slovak influenced dialect of Czech, in the second part in contested translanguaging between Standard Czech and English. The center/periphery dynamic, we argue can be understood in terms of attraction/repulsion. The translanguaging involves a struggle over both meaning and form in which some participants lose out. The second part of the interaction is a dramatic reverse in what is treated as central and dominant in the first part, suggesting a hierarchical ordering of interactional regimes. We will argue for the necessity of taking into account these hierarchically ordered interactional regimes and the linguistic ideologies associated with them in the shaping of translanguaging practices.
Pragmatic functions of gestures
Authors: Kendon Adam
Published: January 2018

In the eighteenth century and before, gesture was considered from the point of view of how it should be used in oratory, as a part
of the art of engaging in persuasive discourse. This contrasts with the interest pursued in modern gesture studies where, for the
most part, the hand movements that people make when they speak have been studied as representations of the substantive or
propositional content of the utterance, seen as providing clues about the mental or cognitive processes governing speaking.
Speaking is also a form of social action, however, and gestures play an important role in this. An historical perspective on the
study of gesture from a pragmatic point of view is provided, followed by a summary of the main features of the pragmatic
functioning of gesture.
How recurrent gestures mean
Authors: Müller Cornelia
Published: January 2018

Drawing upon corpus analyses of recurrent gestures, a pragmatics perspective on gestural meaning and conventionalization will be developed. Gesture pragmatics is considered in terms of usage-based, embodied and interactively emerging meaning. The article brings together cognitive linguistic, cognitive semiotic and interactional perspectives on meaning making.

How the interrelation between different types of context (interactional, semantic/pragmatic/syntactic, distribution across a corpus) with the embodied motivation of kinesic forms in actions and movement experiences of the body might play out in the process of conventionalization is illustrated by discussing threerecurrent gestures: thePalm-Up-Open-Hand, theHolding Away, and theCyclic gesture. By merging conventional and idiosyncratic elements recurrent gestures occupy a place between spontaneously created (singular) gestures and emblems as fully conventionalized gestural expressions on a continuum of increasing conventionalization (cf. Kendon’s continuum:McNeill, 1992,2000).

Recurrent gestures are an interesting case to study how processes of conventionalization may involve emergent de-compositions of gestural movements into smaller concomitant Gestalts (cf.Kendon, 2004, Chapters 15 & 16). They are particularly revealing in showing how those de-compositional processes are grounded experientially in contexts-of-use and remain grounded in conventionalized, yet still embodied, experiential frames.
BAUM: improving genome assembly by adaptive unique mapping and local overlap-layout-consensus approach
Authors: Wang Anqi , Wang Zhanyu , Li Zheng , Li Lei M
Published: January 2018

Motivation

It is highly desirable to assemble genomes of high continuity and consistency at low cost. The current bottleneck of draft genome continuity using the second generation sequencing (SGS) reads is primarily caused by uncertainty among repetitive sequences. Even though the single-molecule real-time sequencing technology is very promising to overcome the uncertainty issue, its relatively high cost and error rate add burden on budget or computation. Many long-read assemblers take the overlap-layout-consensus (OLC) paradigm, which is less sensitive to sequencing errors, heterozygosity and variability of coverage. However, current assemblers of SGS data do not sufficiently take advantage of the OLC approach.

Results

Aiming at minimizing uncertainty, the proposed method BAUM, breaks the whole genome into regions by adaptive unique mapping; then the local OLC is used to assemble each region in parallel. BAUM can (i) perform reference-assisted assembly based on the genome of a close species (ii) or improve the results of existing assemblies that are obtained based on short or long sequencing reads. The tests on two eukaryote genomes, a wild rice Oryza longistaminata and a parrot Melopsittacus undulatus, show that BAUM achieved substantial improvement on genome size and continuity. Besides, BAUM reconstructed a considerable amount of repetitive regions that failed to be assembled by existing short read assemblers. We also propose statistical approaches to control the uncertainty in different steps of BAUM.

Availability and implementation

http://www.zhanyuwang.xin/wordpress/index.php/2017/07/21/baum

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Culturally Reflexive Stewardship
Authors: Winthrop Robert H.
Published: January 2018

This article is concerned with caring for place, the interweaving of community, landscape, and culture. Culturally reflexive stewardship (crs) involves actions to sustain a way of life, motivated by a shared appreciation of place, landscape, and region, and expressed through practices that transmit cultural knowledge and affirm a social identity. The article first contrasts two resource regimes, one based on a logic of tradeoffs and markets, the other on a logic of stewardship. Second, it presents the key characteristics of crs, emphasizing the linkage of intellectual content (local knowledge) with an ethical imperative based in the symbolic qualities of place. Finally, the article explores the relationship of stewardship to social organization, and offers examples of crs in three modes, termed “living in place,” “conservation and recovery,” and “polarization and protest.”
Space and National Security
Authors: Johnson-Freese Joan
Published: January 2018

Space assets have provided the U.S. military a demonstrable edge against adversaries since the 1990–1991 Gulf War. Most space technology is dual-use, meaning it has both civil and military applications; this creates an ambiguity to know whether military applications are intended as offensive or defensive. This chapter examines four schools of thought on how to preserve U.S. space dominance, and what that realistically means, discussed within the context of issues related to dual-use technology, sustaining the space environment, and international law within which the schools have developed. The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 celebrated its fifty-year anniversary in 2017, making those legal considerations especially appropriate. Whether further legal, even ‘soft law” approaches to optimizing the U.S. use of space, or whether preparing for what some consider “inevitable” space war should prevail in guiding future U.S. space security policy is the question planners and analysts must address.
The New Hunter and Local Food
Authors: List Charles
Published: January 2018

This chapter, first, looks critically at reasons offered for a renewed interest in hunting, which are shared by locavores. These involve considerations of health, animal suffering, and transparency. Second, reasons are examined for hunting for meat that contrast with and go beyond buying local meat. There is an emphasis among the new hunters on the ethical importance of actually killing and butchering animals oneself, the kind of gratitude and respect this entails, and the do-it-yourself virtue of sustenance, activities not typically available to meat buyers. Third, two criticisms of local food assumptions are extended to apply to locavore sustenance hunting: (1) they remain merely personal ethical responses to food systems and (2) they continue to endorse an ecologically uninformed concept of “nature” and “wildness.” Fourth, it is argued that to overcome these criticisms, new hunters must accept and become part of the broader community of ecologically motivated conservationists.
Racial Imperialism and Food Traditions
Authors: Mcbride Lee A.
Published: January 2018

This chapter draws questions of race into food ethics. Appropriating a conception of race articulated by Alain Locke (1885‒1954), it is suggested that racial imperialism and the attending drive to claim proprietary ownership of racialized cultural products is responsible for much of the intercultural strife and race-based injustice in the modern world. Foods and foodways, understood as cultural products, are then discussed against the backdrop of racial partisanship in the exchange and consumption of foods and cuisine. Notions of authenticity and cultural appropriation are discussed in this light. It is argued that there is a place for race in the discussion of food ethics and that racial imperialism and racial partisanship in the exchange and consumption of foods should be repudiated.
The History of Aphasiology
Authors: Kertesz Andrew
Published: January 2018

This chapter charts the history of aphasiology from antiquity to the recent past. An arbitrary line is drawn to include paragraphs of only those who passed, to avoid the review of large amounts of currently active research. References are provided for original work as well as other historical reviews, the review groups, scientific and conceptual developments in historical time periods, regions of work, disciplines, and schools of thought. Contemporary aphasiology is part of the neurosciences, both basic and applied, advancing at a pace so precipitous as to be almost disorienting. We are benefiting from today’s incredible advances in MRI, PET, functional MRI, voxel-based morphometry, transcortical stimulation and white matter diffusion imaging, genetic and molecular biology laboratory work, and continuing clinical experience. History is being made at almost every minute and is better recorded than ever before. An update is already overdue.
CE: Original Research: Physical Activity Among Chinese American Immigrants with Prediabetes or Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Hu Sophia H. , Fu Mei R. , Liu Shan , Lin Yen-Kuang , Chang Wen-Yin
Published: January 2018

Background: Although the benefits of aerobic exercise and strength training for patients with type 2 diabetes have been studied extensively, research on physical activity among Chinese American immigrants diagnosed with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes has been limited.

Purpose: We sought to learn more about this population's knowledge of physical activity, the types and intensity levels performed, and the barriers to such activity.

Design and methods: A concurrent mixed-methods design was used. The short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Chinese was used to quantitatively measure participants’ levels of exercise intensity. Semistructured face-to-face interviews were conducted to obtain qualitative information regarding participants’ knowledge about physical activity, the types performed, and the barriers to such activity.

Results: A total of 100 Chinese American immigrants were recruited for the study from January to July 2012 in New York City. On average, participants had lived with a diagnosis of prediabetes or type 2 diabetes for 3.3 years and had lived in the United States for 21.5 years. Energy expenditure was measured in metabolic equivalent of task (MET) units; intensity was measured in cumulative MET-minutes per week. The mean total intensity score was 2,744 MET-minutes per week. This was achieved mainly through walking. The mean intensity score for walking was 1,454 MET-minutes per week; the mean duration was 79 minutes per day. Vigorous physical activity was least common. The mean intensity score for vigorous physical activity was 399 MET-minutes per week, and the mean duration was 17 minutes per week. Regarding types of physical activity, the most common were housekeeping, walking up stairs, and taking walking or stretching breaks every hour during the workday. Based on the interviews, three themes emerged regarding barriers to moderate or vigorous physical activity: insufficient education about physical activity, health concerns about physical activity, and work-related barriers to physical activity.

Conclusions: The majority of Chinese American immigrants with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes do not engage in sufficient physical activity, performing at a rate significantly below that of the general U.S. population. Increases in the intensity and duration of physical activity should be promoted as part of diabetes management for Chinese American immigrants.
Multisource Feedback and Narrative Comments: Polarity, Specificity, Actionability, and CanMEDS Roles
Authors: Lockyer Jocelyn M. , Sargeant Joan , Richards Suzanne H. , Campbell John L. , Rivera Laura A.
Published: January 2018

Introduction:

Multisource feedback is a questionnaire-based assessment tool that provides physicians with data about workplace behaviors and may combine numeric and narrative (free-text) comments. Little attention has been paid to wording of requests for comments, potentially limiting its utility to support physician performance. This study tested the phrasing of two different sets of questions.

Methods:

Two sets of questions were tested with family physicians, medical and surgical specialists, and their medical colleague and coworker respondents. One set asked respondents to identify one thing the participant physician does well and one thing the physician could target for action. Set 2 questions asked what does the physician do well and what might the physician do to enhance practice. Resulting free-text comments provided by respondents were coded for polarity (positive, neutral, or negative), specificity (precision and detail), actionability (ability to use the feedback to direct future activity), and CanMEDS roles (competencies) and analyzed descriptively.

Results:

Data for 222 physicians (111 physicians per set) were analyzed. A total of 1824 comments (8.2/physician) were submitted, with more comments from coworkers than medical colleagues. Set 1 yielded more comments and were more likely to be positive, semi specific, and very actionable than set 2. However, set 2 generated more very specific comments. Comments covered all CanMEDS roles with more comments for collaborator and leader roles.

Discussion:

The wording of questions inviting free-text responses influences the volume and nature of the comments provided. Individuals designing multisource feedback tools should carefully consider wording of items soliciting narrative responses.
Family history of autoimmune diseases and risk of gastric cancer: a national cohort study
Authors: Ji Jianguang , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina
Published: January 2018

A personal history of autoimmune diseases is associated with an increased incidence of gastric cancer, but whether they share familial susceptibility is still unknown. The contribution of shared environmental or genetic factors toward the observed familial aggregation has not been determined. We used a few Swedish registers, including the Swedish Multigeneration Register and the Cancer Register, to examine the familial risk of gastric cancer among individuals with a family history of a set of autoimmune diseases. Standardized incidence ratios were used to calculate the relative risk. The overall risk of gastric cancer was 1.22 (95% confidence interval: 1.14–1.30) among individuals with a sibling affected with any of the 33 autoimmune diseases. For specific disease, siblings of individuals with Crohn’s diseases, diabetes type 1, Graves’/hyperthyroidism, myasthenia gravis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, and uncreative colitis showed an association with an increased incidence of gastric cancer, with a standardized incidence ratio ranging between 1.17 and 1.64. Familial aggregation was found only for corpus cancer. No association was observed between spouses. Gastric cancer, mainly corpus cancer, shares familial susceptibility with a few autoimmune diseases, suggesting that shared genetic polymorphisms may contribute toward both Helicobacter pylori infection and autoimmune diseases.
Synovial sarcomas of the upper aero-digestive tract: is there a role for conservative surgery?
Authors: Paderno Alberto , Gronchi Alessandro , Piazza Cesare
Published: January 2018

Purpose of review

To present the current state of knowledge concerning the role of conservative surgery in the treatment of synovial sarcomas of the upper aero-digestive tract (UADT).

Recent findings

The wider experience on synovial sarcomas involving the extremities and the results of retrospective reports focused on head and neck synovial sarcomas tend to justify a conservative surgical approach when dealing with tumors involving the UADT.

UADT synovial sarcomas is an extremely rare clinical entity (only around 50 cases reported in the literature, with four more herein presented from our own surgical series), with no clear guidelines concerning its treatment. Resection should be aimed to an en-bloc removal of the tumor within uninvolved surgical margins. In fit patients, a conservative surgical approach should be preferred if it does not interfere with a complete resection and reasonable functional outcomes. Adjuvant treatments (radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy) are frequently needed in view of the aggressive behavior of such tumor, but they should be balanced according to patient's characteristics and tumor risk factors (grade, size, and previous treatments).
Evidence for a hyper-reductive redox in a sub-set of heart failure patients
Authors: Thiagarajan Sairam , Patel Amit N. , Subrahmanian Meenu , Gopalan Rajendran , Pogwizd Steven M. , Ramalingam Sudha , Ramalingam Sankaran , Rajasekaran Namakkal S.
Published: January 2018

Background

Oxidative stress has been linked to heart failure (HF) in humans. Antioxidant-based treatments are often ineffective. Therefore, we hypothesize that some of the HF patients might have a reductive stress (RS) condition. Investigating RS-related mechanisms will aid in personalized optimization of redox homeostasis for better outcomes among HF patients.

Methods

Blood samples were collected from HF patients (n=54) and healthy controls (n=42) and serum was immediately preserved in –80°C for redox analysis. Malondialdehyde (MDA; lipid peroxidation) levels by HPLC, reduced glutathione (GSH) and its redox ratio (GSH/GSSG) using enzymatic-recycling assay in the serum of HF patients were measured. Further, the kinetics of key enzymatic-antioxidant enzymes was analyzed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Non-invasive echocardiography was used to relate circulating redox status with cardiac function and remodeling.

Results

The circulatory redox state (GSH/MDA ratio) was used to stratify the HF patients into normal redox (NR), hyper-oxidative (HO), and hyper-reductive (HR) groups. While the majority of the HF patients exhibited the HO (42%), 41% of them had a normal redox (NR) state. Surprisingly, a subset of HF patients (17%) belonged to the hyper-reductive group, suggesting a strong implication for RS in the progression of HF. In HF patients, SOD, GPx and catalase were significantly increased while GR activity was significantly reduced relative to healthy controls. Furthermore, echocardiography analyses revealed that 55% of HO patients had higher systolic dysfunction while 75% of the hyper-reductive patients had higher diastolic dysfunction.

Conclusion

These results suggest that RS may be associated with HF pathogenesis for a subset of cardiac patients. Thus, stratification of HF patients based on their circulating redox status may serve as a useful prognostic tool to guide clinicians designing personalized antioxidant therapies.
Manganese(II), lead(II) and cadmium(II) coordination complexes containing a tetrazole-based acylamide ligand: synthesis and the influence of the metal ions on the structures
Authors: Lin Xiao-Ying , Zheng Qin-Qin , Gong Ling-Zhu , Liu Ya-Min , Liu Min-Yi , Liu Xin-Zhong
Published: January 2018

Three new manganese(II), lead(II) and cadmium(II) coordination complexes have been prepared by reaction of N-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)cinnamamide (HNTCA) with divalent metal salts (MnCl2, PbCl2 and CdCl2) in a mixed-solvent system, affording mononuclear to trinuclear structures namely, bis(methanol-κO)bis[5-(3-phenylprop-2-enamido)-1H-1,2,3,4-tetrazol-1-ido-κ2
N
1,O]manganese(II), [Mn(C10H8N5O)2(CH3OH)2], (1), bis[μ-5-(3-phenylprop-2-enamido)-1H-1,2,3,4-tetrazol-1-ido]-κ3
N
1,O:N
2;κ3
N
2:N
1,O-bis{aqua[5-(3-phenylprop-2-enamido)-1H-1,2,3,4-tetrazol-1-ido-κ2
N
1,O]lead(II)}, [Pb2(C10H8N5O)4(H2O)2], (2), and hexakis[μ2-5-(3-phenylprop-2-enamido)-1H-1,2,3,4-tetrazol-1-ido-κ3
N
1,O:N
2]tricadmium(II), [Cd3(C10H8N5O)6], (3). The structures of these three compounds reveal that the nature of the metal ions and the side groups of the organic building blocks have a significant effect on the structures of the coordination compounds formed. Intermolecular hydrogen bonds link the molecules into two-dimensional [complex (1)] and three-dimensional hydrogen-bonded networks. Complexes (2) and (3) show significant fluorescence, while complex (1) displays no fluorescence.
Hybrid fire testing
Authors: Sauca Ana , Gernay Thomas , Robert Fabienne , Tondini Nicola , Franssen Jean-Marc
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a method for hybrid fire testing (HFT) which is unconditionally stable, ensures equilibrium and compatibility at the interface and captures the global behavior of the analyzed structure. HFT is a technique that allows assessing experimentally the fire performance of a structural element under real boundary conditions that capture the effect of the surrounding structure.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper starts with the analysis of the method used in the few previous HFT. Based on the analytical study of a simple one degree-of-freedom elastic system, it is shown that this previous method is fundamentally unstable in certain configurations that cannot be easily predicted in advance. Therefore, a new method is introduced to overcome the stability problem. The method is applied in a virtual hybrid test on a 2D reinforced concrete beam part of a moment-resisting frame.

Findings

It is shown through analytical developments and applicative examples that the stability of the method used in previous HFT depends on the stiffness ratio between the two substructures. The method is unstable when implemented in force control on a physical substructure that is less stiff than the surrounding structure. Conversely, the method is unstable when implemented in displacement control on a physical substructure stiffer than the remainder. In multi-degrees-of-freedom tests where the temperature will affect the stiffness of the elements, it is generally not possible to ensure continuous stability throughout the test using this former method. Therefore, a new method is proposed where the stability is not dependent on the stiffness ratio between the two substructures. Application of the new method in a virtual HFT proved to be stable, to ensure compatibility and equilibrium at the interface and to reproduce accurately the global structural behavior.

Originality/value

The paper provides a method to perform hybrid fire tests which overcomes the stability problem lying in the former method. The efficiency of the new method is demonstrated in a virtual HFT with three degrees-of-freedom at the interface, the next step being its implementation in a real (laboratory) hybrid test.
Obstetrical providers’ preferred mode of delivery and attitude towards non‐medically indicated caesarean sections: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Rivo JC , Amyx M , Pingray V , Casale RA , Fiorillo AE , Krupitzki HB , Malamud JD , Mendilaharzu M , Medina ML , del Pino AB , Ribola L , Schvartzman JA , Tartalo GM , Trasmonte M , Varela S , Althabe F , Belizán JM ,   Feasibility of ‘Mode of Delivery Trial’ Study Group
Published: January 2018

Objective

To describe obstetrical providers’ delivery preferences and attitudes towards caesarean section without medical indication, including on maternal request, and to examine the association between provider characteristics and preferences/attitudes.

Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Setting

Two public and two private hospitals in Argentina.

Population

Obstetrician‐gynaecologists and midwives who provide prenatal care and/or labour/delivery services.

Methods

Providers in hospitals with at least 1000 births per year completed a self‐administered, anonymous survey.

Main outcome measures

Provider delivery preference for low‐risk women, perception of women's preferred delivery method, support for a woman's right to choose her delivery method and willingness to perform caesarean section on maternal request.

Results

168 providers participated (89.8% coverage rate). Providers (93.2%) preferred a vaginal delivery for their patients in the absence of a medical indication for caesarean section. Whereas 74.4% of providers supported their patient's right to choose a delivery method in the absence of a medical indication for caesarean section and 66.7% would perform a caesarean section upon maternal request, only 30.4% would consider a non‐medically indicated caesarean section for their own personal delivery or that of their partner. In multivariate adjusted analysis, providers in the private sector [odds ratio (OR) 4.70, 95% CI 1.19–18.62] and obstetrician‐gynaecologists (OR 4.37, 95% CI 1.58–12.09) were more willing than either providers working in the public/both settings or midwives to perform a caesarean section on maternal request.

Conclusions

Despite the ethical debate surrounding non‐medically indicated caesarean sections, we observe very high levels of support, especially by providers in the private sector and obstetrician‐gynaecologists, as aligned with the high caesarean section rates in Argentina.

Tweetable abstract

Non‐medically indicated c‐section? 74% of sampled Argentine OB providers support women's right to choose
Political Economy of Agricultural Reform in Japan under Abe's Administration
Authors: Honma Masayoshi , George Mulgan Aurelia
Published: January 2018

As a symbol of regulations as “solid as bedrock,” Japanese agriculture is a key target for structural reform under the Abe administration's “Abenomics” growth strategy. Its reform proposals have encompassed long‐standing rice production regulations, agricultural organizations, including the agricultural cooperatives (JA), and the controlled system of milk distribution. The government also seeks to promote agricultural exports and farmers’ participation in processing and distributing agricultural products. Led by the Prime Minister's Office, and taking advantage of changes in the political environment of agriculture that have weakened the political power of farmers and JA, the government has launched a reform offensive with variable impact: progress has been made in some areas (e.g. JA reform) but little change in others (such as rice production adjustment). The most significant challenge lies ahead in reforming the farmland system, which is yet to be tackled.
Propensity score‐matched outcomes after thoracic epidural or paravertebral analgesia for thoracotomy
Authors: Blackshaw W. J. , Bhawnani A. , Pennefather S. H. , Al‐Rawi O. , Agarwal S. , Shaw M.
Published: January 2018

It is not known which regional analgesic technique is most effective or safest after open lung resection. We retrospectively examined outcomes in 828 patients who received thoracic epidural analgesia and 791 patients who received paravertebral block after lung resection between 2008 and 2012. We analysed outcomes for 648 patients, 324 who had each analgesic technique, matched by propensity scores generated with peri‐operative data. There were 22 out of 324 (7%) postoperative respiratory complications after thoracic epidural and 23 out of 324 (7%) after paravertebral block, p = 0.88. For any postoperative complication, there were 80 out of 324 (25%) and 78 out of 324 (24%) complications, respectively, p = 0.85. There were 17 out of 324 (5%) re‐admissions to intensive care after thoracic epidural and 17 out of 324 (5%) after paravertebral block, p > 0.99, and the number of deaths before discharge were 6 out of 324 (2%) and 4 out of 324 (1%), respectively, p = 0.53. There was no significant difference in median (IQR [range]) hospital stay after thoracic epidural or paravertebral block, 6 (5–9 [2–94]) days vs. 6 (5–9 [2–122]), respectively, p = 0.83. Our study suggests that rates of complications as well as length of hospital stay after thoracic epidural analgesia and paravertebral blockade are similar. We were unable to compare analgesic efficacy due to incomplete data.
“I carry her in my heart”: An exploration of the experience of bereavement for people with learning disability
Authors: Thorp Nicki , Stedmon Jacqui , Lloyd Helen
Published: January 2018

Accessible summary

Four people with learning disability talked about what it was like when someone they cared about had died.

They said that it was important they were included, but that it was hard.

They said they carried on loving the person after they died and that they missed them.

Background

Bereavement is a universal experience, yet little research has explored the lived experience of bereavement for people with learning disability (PWLD).

Materials and methods

Four PWLD were interviewed about their experience of bereavement. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Results

Four themes were identified: “Needing to know: Being included,” “Struggling to say: The emotional experience,” “Love after death: A continuing relationship” and “Missing their presence: The wider impact of death.”

Conclusions

PWLD should have the opportunity to make informed choices about their level of involvement and to develop their emotional experience. PWLD should be supported to develop a continued bond with the deceased and the wider impact of their loss recognised.
Non‐occupational allergic contact dermatitis caused by long‐lasting nail polish kits for home use: ‘the tip of the iceberg’
Authors: Gatica‐Ortega María‐Elena , Pastor‐Nieto María‐Antonia , Gil‐Redondo Rocío , Martínez‐Lorenzo Elena‐Remedios , Schöendorff‐Ortega Cristina
Published: January 2018

Background

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) from (meth)acrylates caused by long lasting nail polish (also known as “permanent”, “semi‐permanent” or “gel nail polish”) has been described both in occupational and non‐occupational settings. Inexpensive kits for home use have been available for purchase in many stores or through the Internet.

Objective

To report on several further cases of consumers sensitised to these nail products.

Methods

Patch test results and evaluation of ingredient labelling of products brought in by the patients.

Results

Four new cases are presented. Three of the patients reacted to 2‐hydroxypropyl methacrylate, 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and all 4 to 2‐hydroxy ethylacrylate.

Conclusions

Acrylates are present in a wide range of products including medical materials. Sensitization from (meth)acrylates caused by a merely aesthetic procedure might significantly impact health by jeopardizing access to several types of medical interventions. Policies should be implemented restricting the use of long‐lasting nail polishes to qualified professionals and banning the indiscriminate sale of kits for home use.
NARRATING THE TWENTY‐FIRST CENTURY: TOBIAS HÜLSWITT'S EXPLORATION OF NONLINEARITY AND TRANSMEDIALITY
Authors: Halverson Rachel J.
Published: January 2018

The German author Tobias Hülswitt came of age professionally in the twenty‐first century, a time when writing for print, digital, and multimedia platforms has become a professional reality for contemporary authors. His diverse publications certainly can be analysed using either a traditional thematic or genre‐based approach. However, I choose to read his work through the lens of transmedial narrative analysis in order to reveal the implications writing for numerous publication venues has for authors and the stories they tell. In this article, I focus on four representative texts: Handbuch des Nonlinearen Erzählens (2011); Dinge bei Licht (2008); REVOLUTION – Die Wissensshow zur Digitalen Gesellschaft (2014), an interactive video project; and his essay ‘Mesokosmos’ (2011). Ultimately, my examination will reveal to what degree Hülswitt is able to incorporate his work on narrative theory into his own writing and conversely whether his ability to write successfully in multiple genres and media is key to his exploration of narrative nonlinearity. Within the broader context of contemporary German literature, my analysis offers an opportunity to examine storytelling through a transmedial lens to expose the implications genre and medium multitasking have for the stories an author tells.
Crucial role of Mer tyrosine kinase in the maintenance of SIGN‐R1+ marginal zone macrophages
Authors: Soni Chetna , Schell Stephanie L , Fasnacht Melinda J , Chodisetti Sathi Babu , Rahman Ziaur SM
Published: January 2018

Mer Tyrosine Kinase receptor (Mer) is involved in anti‐inflammatory efferocytosis. Here we report elevated spontaneous germinal center (Spt‐GC) responses in Mer‐deficient mice (Mer−/−) that are associated with the loss of SIGN‐R1+ marginal zone macrophages (MZMs). The dissipation of MZMs in Mer−/− mice occurs independently of reduced cellularity or delocalization of marginal zone B cells, sinusoidal cells or of CD169+ metallophillic macrophages. We find that MZM dissipation in Mer−/− mice contributes to apoptotic cell (AC) accumulation in Spt‐GCs and dysregulation of the GC checkpoint, allowing an expansion of DNA‐reactive B cells in GCs. We further observe that bone marrow derived macrophages from Mer−/− mice produce more TNFα, and are susceptible to cell death upon exposure to ACs compared to WT macrophages. Anti‐TNFα Ab treatment of Mer−/− mice is, however, unable to reverse MZM loss, but results in reduced Spt‐GC responses, indicating that TNFα promotes Spt‐GC responses in Mer−/− mice. Contrary to an anti‐TNFα Ab treatment, treatment of Mer−/− mice with a synthetic agonist for the transcription factor LXRα rescues a significant number of MZMs in vivo. Our data suggest that Mer‐LXRα signaling plays an important role in the differentiation and maintenance of MZMs, which in turn regulate Spt‐GC responses and tolerance.