bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Real-time interactive motion control of virtual human in virtual maintenance based on limited information
Authors: Li Xiangyang , Zhang Zhili , Liang Feng , Tong Zhao
Published: January 2015

In order to provide a simple and efficient approach to perform the real-time interactive motion control of virtual human in virtual maintenance environment (VME), the motion control method of virtual human based on limited input information is proposed. With the space position tracking system with only one sensor the action sequences and motion models of virtual human, the human motions and hand actions in VME are driven by the sensor data in stages and in real time through the transmission condition control in the process of maintenance operation. And the input data and information is processed based on the method of Kalman filtering and wavelet transforming to improve the control effects. An experimental VME is also established to validate the control efficiency, and the experiment results show that the space motion control of virtual human in VME can be performed based on limited information with proposed control strategy.
The Indo-European Homeland from Linguistic and Archaeological Perspectives
Authors: Anthony David W. , Ringe Don
Published: January 2015

Archaeological evidence and linguistic evidence converge in support of an origin of Indo-European languages on the Pontic-Caspian steppes around 4,000 years BCE. The evidence is so strong that arguments in support of other hypotheses should be reexamined.
Cross-Linguistic Temporal Reference
Authors: Tonhauser Judith
Published: January 2015

Tense, the grammaticalized marking of location in time, has played a central role in analyses of temporal reference even since before the inception of the formal study of meaning. However, research on a wide range of typologically diverse languages over the past 40 years has revealed that many languages do not have tenses and that there are a variety of other means, both linguistic and contextual, that affect temporal reference besides tense. These empirical findings refute the universality of tense and have significant implications for the role of tense in theoretical analyses of temporal reference. This review catalogues the means that affect temporal reference across tensed and tenseless languages, and offers a theoretical perspective on temporal reference that deemphasizes the centrality of tense.
Advances in Nanoparticle Imaging Technology for Vascular Pathologies
Authors: Annapragada Ananth
Published: January 2015

Nanoparticle imaging agents for vascular pathologies are in development, and some agents are already in clinical trials. Untargeted agents, with long circulation, are excellent blood-pool agents, but molecularly targeted agents have significant advantages due to the signal enhancement possible with nanoparticle presentation of the contrast agent molecules. Molecular targets that are accessible directly from the vasculature are optimal for such agents. Targets that are removed from the vasculature, such as those on tumor cell surfaces, have limited accessibility owing to the enhanced permeation and retention effect. Yet, efforts at molecular targeting have tested small molecules, peptides, antibodies, and most recently aptamers as possible targeting ligands. The future is bright for nanoparticle-based imaging of vascular pathologies.
The JAK-STAT Pathway: Impact on Human Disease and Therapeutic Intervention
Authors: O'Shea John J. , Schwartz Daniella M. , Villarino Alejandro V. , Gadina Massimo , McInnes Iain B. , Laurence Arian
Published: January 2015

The Janus kinase (JAK)–signal transducer of activators of transcription (STAT) pathway is now recognized as an evolutionarily conserved signaling pathway employed by diverse cytokines, interferons, growth factors, and related molecules. This pathway provides an elegant and remarkably straightforward mechanism whereby extracellular factors control gene expression. It thus serves as a fundamental paradigm for how cells sense environmental cues and interpret these signals to regulate cell growth and differentiation. Genetic mutations and polymorphisms are functionally relevant to a variety of human diseases, especially cancer and immune-related conditions. The clinical relevance of the pathway has been confirmed by the emergence of a new class of therapeutics that targets JAKs.
ADAMTS13 and von Willebrand Factor in Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
Authors: Zheng X. Long
Published: January 2015

Pathogenesis of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) was a mystery for over half a century until the discovery of ADAMTS13. ADAMTS13 is primarily synthesized in the liver, and its main function is to cleave von Willebrand factor (VWF) anchored on the endothelial surface, in circulation, and at the sites of vascular injury. Deficiency of plasma ADAMTS13 activity (<10%) resulting from mutations of the ADAMTS13 gene or autoantibodies against ADAMTS13 causes hereditary or acquired (idiopathic) TTP. ADAMTS13 activity is usually normal or modestly reduced (>20%) in other forms of thrombotic microangiopathy secondary to hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation, infection, and disseminated malignancy or in hemolytic uremic syndrome. Plasma infusion or exchange remains the initial treatment of choice to date, but novel therapeutics such as recombinant ADAMTS13 and gene therapy are under development. Moreover, ADAMTS13 deficiency has been shown to be a risk factor for the development of myocardial infarction, stroke, cerebral malaria, and preeclampsia.
Lysosomal Storage Diseases: From Pathophysiology to Therapy
Authors: Parenti Giancarlo , Andria Generoso , Ballabio Andrea
Published: January 2015

Lysosomal storage diseases are a group of rare, inborn, metabolic errors characterized by deficiencies in normal lysosomal function and by intralysosomal accumulation of undegraded substrates. The past 25 years have been characterized by remarkable progress in the treatment of these diseases and by the development of multiple therapeutic approaches. These approaches include strategies aimed at increasing the residual activity of a missing enzyme (enzyme replacement therapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, pharmacological chaperone therapy and gene therapy) and approaches based on reducing the flux of substrates to lysosomes. As knowledge has improved about the pathophysiology of lysosomal storage diseases, novel targets for therapy have been identified, and innovative treatment approaches are being developed.
The human motor system alters its reaching movement plan for task-irrelevant, positional forces
Authors: Cashaback Joshua G. A. , McGregor Heather R. , Gribble Paul L.
Published: January 2015

The minimum intervention principle and the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis state that our nervous system only responds to force perturbations and sensorimotor noise if they affect task success. This idea has been tested in muscle and joint coordinate frames and more recently using workspace redundancy (e.g., reaching to large targets). However, reaching studies typically involve spatial and or temporal constraints. Constrained reaches represent a small proportion of movements we perform daily and may limit the emergence of natural behavior. Using more relaxed constraints, we conducted two reaching experiments to test the hypothesis that humans respond to task-relevant forces and ignore task-irrelevant forces. We found that participants responded to both task-relevant and -irrelevant forces. Interestingly, participants experiencing a task-irrelevant force, which simply pushed them into a different area of a large target and had no bearing on task success, changed their movement trajectory prior to being perturbed. These movement trajectory changes did not counteract the task-irrelevant perturbations, as shown in previous research, but rather were made into new areas of the workspace. A possible explanation for this behavior change is that participants were engaging in active exploration. Our data have implications for current models and theories on the control of biological motion.
Part I: Basic Considerations and Recommendations for Preparation, Measurement and Interpretation
Authors: Haroske G. , Giroud F. , Reith A. , Böcking A.
Published: January 2015

A task force of invited experts in the field of diagnostic DNA image cytometry, especially consisting of participants from the PRESS (Prototype Reference Standard Slides) and EUROPATH (European Pathology Assisted by Telematics for Healthcare) projects, but open to any other scientist or physician revealing experience in that new diagnostic procedure (names are given in the Annex A) agreed upon the following updated consensus report during the 5th International Congress of the ESACP 1997 in Oslo. This report is based on the preceeding one [9] and on results of the above mentioned European research projects. It deals with the following items:

– Biological background and aims of DNA image cytometry,

– Principles of the method,

– Basic performance standards,

– Diagnostic interpretation of DNA measurements,

– Recommendations for practical use.
Utility of Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration in Diagnosis of Intrathoracic Lymphadenopathy in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Authors: Han Audrey Yan Yi , Tan Aik Hau , Koh Mariko Siyue
Published: January 2015

Objective. Intrathoracic lymphadenopathy (LAD) in patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is common, with wide-ranging diagnoses, from benign to malignant causes. Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a relatively new technology with established applications in lung cancer, sarcoidosis, and tuberculosis. We sought to find out whether the addition of EBUS-TBNA to the diagnostic algorithm for LAD in HIV patients will reduce the need for mediastinoscopy.Methods. Retrospective chart review of all EBUS-TBNA procedures performed in our centre from August 2008 to December 2012.Results. 513 patients had EBUS-TBNA performed during this period. We identified nine HIV-infected patients who had LAD of unknown cause and underwent EBUS-TBNA. The procedure reduced the need for mediastinoscopy in eight patients (89%).Conclusions. Potential mediastinoscopies can be avoided by utilising EBUS-TBNA in HIV patients with LAD.
A Rare Emergency: Testicular Torsion in the Inguinal Canal
Authors: Şener Nevzat Can , Bas Okan , Karakoyunlu Nihat , Ercil Hakan , Yesil Suleyman , Zengin Kursad , Imamoglu Abdurrahim
Published: January 2015

Objectives. To report our experience and present the largest series of testicular torsion cases in the inguinal canal.Material and Methods. The clinical data of 13 patients with testicular torsion in the inguinal canal treated between 2005 and 2013 were reviewed. Recorded patient age, whether the testes were palpable or not, side of the affected testes, the presence of hernia, ischemia time, and operation outcomes were assessed.Results. Patient age ranged from 8 to 70 months (29.15 ± 20.22). Mean ischemia time was 16.5 ± 21.3 hours. Accompanying inguinal hernia was present in 92% of the cases (12/13). Four of the thirteen patients (30.8%) were treated by orchiectomy because the necrosis was present after prolonged ischemia time. Nine patients (69.2%) were treated by single session orchidopexy.Conclusion. Torsion of testes in the inguinal canal is a rare disease, but with rapid diagnosis, affected testes can be salvaged, but the key factor is to keep this condition in mind.
Computational Investigations on the Effects of Gurney Flap on Airfoil Aerodynamics
Authors: Jain Shubham , Sitaram Nekkanti , Krishnaswamy Sriram
Published: January 2015

The present study comprises steady state, two-dimensional computational investigations performed on NACA 0012 airfoil to analyze the effect of Gurney flap (GF) on airfoil aerodynamics usingk-εRNG turbulence model of FLUENT. Airfoil with GF is analyzed for six different heights from 0.5% to 4% of the chord length, seven positions from 0% to 20% of the chord length from the trailing edge, and seven mounting angles from 30° to 120° with the chord. Computed values of lift and drag coefficients with angle of attack are compared with experimental values and good agreement is found at low angles of attack. In addition static pressure distribution on the airfoil surface and pathlines and turbulence intensities near the trailing edge are present. From the computational investigation, it is recommended that Gurney flaps with a height of 1.5% chord be installed perpendicular to chord and as close to the trailing edge as possible to obtain maximum lift enhancement with minimum drag penalty.
Microinflammation Factors in the Common Diseases of the Heart and Kidneys
Authors: Tasic Danijela , Radenkovic Sonja , Kocic Gordana , Deljanin Ilic Marina , Ignjatovic Aleksandra
Published: January 2015

Aim. To determine levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in different cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) modalities and to compare findings to some already investigated direct and indirect parameters of inflammation and atherosclerosis.Materials and Methods. Testing involved 114 examinees, divided into control and clinical groups suffering from different modalities and were formed according to the basis of a valid classification for CRS.Results. C-reactive protein (CRP) was significantly higher in all CRSs in comparison to the control groupP<0.05. PAI-1 in CRSs was statistically higher than in the control group. IL-8 was increased in all CRSs, and especially in CRS-5, where no significance was found. PAI-1 correlated with IL-8 in all CRSs, with significant value in CRS-2 and CRS-5. Correlation for PAI-1 and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) was found in CRS-4, while IL-8 was found to be related to CRP level in all CRSs, with significance only in CRS-1P<0.001.Conclusions. C-reactive protein, IL-8, and PAI-1 could be useful for clinical differentiation of chronic modalities of CRSs. Inflammation was the most pronounced in CRS-4. Lipid status parameters could be useful for differentiation of CRSs. Furthermore, HDL in chronic primary kidney diseases and triglycerides and total cholesterol in CRS-5 could be valuable.
Research on Online Moisture Detector in Grain Drying Process Based on V/F Conversion
Authors: Liu Zhe , Wu Zidan , Zhang Zhongjie , Wu Wenfu , Li Hexin
Published: January 2015

An online resistance grain moisture detector is designed, based on the model of the relationship between measurement frequency and grain moisture and the nonlinear correction method of temperature. The detector consists of lower computer, the core function of which is the sensing of grain resistance values which is based on V/F conversion, and upper computer, the core function of which is the conversion of moisture and frequency and the nonlinear correction of temperature. The performance of the online moisture detector is tested in a self-designed experimental system; the test and analysis results indicate that the precision and stability of the detector can reach the level of the similar products, which can be still improved.
Alterations in the Rate of Limb Movement Using a Lower Body Positive Pressure Treadmill Do Not Influence Respiratory Rate or Phase III Ventilation
Authors: Buono Michael J. , Burnsed-Torres Marissa , Hess Bethany , Lopez Kristine , Ortiz Catherine , Girodo Ariel , Lolli Karen , Bloom Brett , Bailey David , Kolkhorst Fred W.
Published: January 2015

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of alterations in rate of limb movement on Phase III ventilation during exercise, independent of metabolic rate, gait style, and treadmill incline. Subjects completed five submaximal exercise bouts on a lower body positive pressure treadmill (AlterG P 200). The percent body weight for the five exercise bouts was 100, 87, 75, 63, and 50% and each was matched for carbon dioxide production (VCO2). Naturally, to match theVCO2while reducing the body weight up to 50% of normal required a significant increase in the treadmill speed from3.0±0.1to4.1±0.2mph, which resulted in a significant(P<0.05)increase in the mean step frequency (steps per minute) from118±10at 3 mph (i.e., 100% of body weight) to133±6at 4.1 mph (i.e., 50% of body weight). The most important finding was that significant increases in step frequency did not significantly alter minute ventilation or respiratory rate. Such results do not support an important role for the rate of limb movement in Phase III ventilation during submaximal exercise, when metabolic rate, gait style, and treadmill incline are controlled.
The Effect of a 12‐Week Moderate Intensity Interval Training Program on the Antioxidant Defense Capability and Lipid Profile in Men Smoking Cigarettes or Hookah: A Cohort Study
Authors: Koubaa Abdessalem , Triki Moez , Trabelsi Hajer , Baati Hamza , Sahnoun Zouhair , Hakim Ahmed
Published: January 2015

Aim. To examine the impact of interval training program on the antioxidant defense capability and lipid profile in men smoking cigarettes or hookah unable or unwilling to quit smoking. Methods. Thirty‐five participants performed an interval training (2 : 1 work : rest ratio) 3 times a week for 12 weeks at an intensity of 70% of VO2max. All subjects were subjected to a biochemical test session before and after the training program. Results. The increase of total antioxidant status (TAS), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and α‐tocopherol, is significant only for cigarette smokers (CS) and hookah smokers (HS) groups. The decrease of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the increase of glutathione reductase (GR) are more pronounced in smokers groups compared to those of nonsmokers (NS). Superoxide dismutase (SOD) increases in NS, CS, and HS groups by 10.1%, 19.5%, and 13.3%, respectively (P < 0.001). Likewise, a significant improvement of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) and TC/HDL‐C ratio was observed in CS and HS groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Although the interval training program does not have a significant effect on blood lipid levels, it seems to be very beneficial in the defense and prevention programs of oxidative stress.
Epidemiological and Molecular Characteristics of the PB1-F2 Proteins in H7N9 Influenza Viruses, Jiangsu
Authors: Wei Pingmin , Li Wei , Zi Hairong , Cunningham Michael , Guo Yan , Xuan Yang , Musa Taha Hussein , Luo Pengfei
Published: January 2015

The recent sporadic infections of humans in China with previously unrecognized avian influenza A virus of the H7N9 subtype (A(H7N9)) have caused concern. The aim is to find out the epidemiological and molecular analysis of the PB1-F2 proteins in H7N9 influenza viruses, in Jiangsu province. Sequences were obtained from GISAID database. Data were analyzed by using Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis software and Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method. From March 1, 2013, to May 31, 2014, 53 patients were confirmed to be infected with the H7N9 virus; one was a retrospective case in Jiangsu province. 38 sequences of PB1 in H7N9 of Jiangsu were obtained from the GISAID online and were then divided into three lineages. Of these sequences, 4 sequences and 3 sequences encode an N-terminally truncated PB1-F2 (52aa)polypeptide and C-terminally truncated PB1-F2 (76aa) polypeptide, respectively. The remaining sequences encode a full-length PB1-F2 (90aa). We estimated a mean evolutionary rate of 3.053 × 10−3 subs/site/year (95% HPD: 2.021 × 10−3–4.051 × 10−3). The site-by-site analysis of selection pressure analysis revealed positively and negatively (12, 3), respectively, selected sites. Influenza A (H7N9) virus adapting into new host, PB1-F2 of H7N9, might be faced with higher selection pressures.
Meningeal Melanomatosis: A Challenge for Timely Diagnosis
Authors: Berzero Giulia , Diamanti Luca , Di Stefano Anna Luisa , Bini Paola , Franciotta Diego , Imarisio Ilaria , Pedrazzoli Paolo , Magrassi Lorenzo , Morbini Patrizia , Farina Lisa Maria , Bastianello Stefano , Ceroni Mauro , Marchioni Enrico
Published: January 2015

Neoplastic meningitis is a central nervous system complication that occurs in 3–5% of patients with cancer. Although most commonly seen in patients with disseminated disease, in a small percentage of patients, it may be the initial manifestation of cancer or even primitive in origin. In the absence of cancer history, the diagnosis of neoplastic meningitis may be challenging even for expert neurologists. Prognosis is poor, with a median overall survival of weeks from diagnosis. In the retrospective study herein, we described three cases of meningeal melanomatosis in patients without previous cancer history. The patients were diagnosed with significant delay (17 to 47 weeks from symptom onset) mainly due to the deferral in performing the appropriate testing. Even when the diagnosis was suspected, investigations by MRI, cerebrospinal fluid, or both proved at times unhelpful for confirmation. Prognosis was dismal, with a median survival of 4 weeks after diagnosis. Our observations are a cue to analyze the main pitfalls in the diagnosis of neoplastic meningitis in patients without cancer history and emphasize key elements that may facilitate early diagnosis.
SIMMER-III Analyses of Local Fuel-Coolant Interactions in a Simulated Molten Fuel Pool: Effect of Coolant Quantity
Authors: Cheng Songbai , Matsuba Ken-ichi , Isozaki Mikio , Kamiyama Kenji , Suzuki Tohru , Tobita Yoshiharu
Published: January 2015

Studies on local fuel-coolant interactions (FCI) in a molten pool are important for the analyses of severe accidents that could occur for sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs). To clarify the mechanisms underlying this interaction, in recent years, several experimental tests, with comparatively larger difference in coolant volumes, were conducted at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency by delivering a given quantity of water into a molten pool formed with a low-melting-point alloy. In this study, to further understand this interaction, interaction characteristics including the pressure buildup as well as mechanical energy release and its conversion efficiency are investigated using the SIMMER-III, an advanced fast reactor safety analysis code. It is found that the SIMMER-III code not only reasonably simulates the transient pressure and temperature variations during local FCIs, but also supports the limited tendency of pressurization and resultant mechanical energy release as observed from experiments when the volume of water delivered into the pool increases. The performed analyses also suggest that the most probable reason leading to such limited tendency should be primarily due to an isolation effect of vapor bubbles generated at the water-melt interface.
Regulation of Differentiation and Function of Helper T Cells by Lymphocyte-Derived Catecholamines via α1- and β2-Adrenoceptors
Authors: Huang Hui-Wei , Fang Xiao-Xia , Wang Xiao-Qin , Peng Yu-Ping , Qiu Yi-Hua
Published: January 2015

Objective: Recently, we have reported that lymphocyte-derived endogenous catecholamines (CAs) facilitate a shift in the T helper (Th)1/Th2 balance towards Th2. The purpose of this study was to explore the involvement of adrenoreceptors (ARs) in Th differentiation and function modulation by lymphocyte-derived CAs. Methods: Lymphocytes were separated from the mesenteric lymph nodes of mice, stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A) and treated with pargyline, an inhibitor of CA degradation. Results: Pargyline downregulated the expression of Th1-relative factors, T-bet, interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-2, but upregulated the expression of Th2-relative factors, GATA-3, IL-4 and IL-10. Pargyline reduced the percentage of IFN-γ-producing CD4+ cells and the CD4+IFN-γ+/CD4+IL-4+ cell ratio, although it did not alter the proportion of IL-4-producing CD4+ cells. In addition, the percentage of CD4+CD26+ T cells and the CD4+CD26+/CD4+CD30+ cell ratio were also reduced in the pargyline-treated group. Furthermore, Con A-activated T cells treated with pargyline produced a lower level of IFN-γ and a higher level of IL-4 than the control group. All these effects were blocked by the α1-AR antagonist corynanthine or the β2-AR antagonist ICI 118551, but not by the α2-AR antagonist yohimbine or β1-AR antagonist atenolol. Conclusions: These results imply that lymphocyte-derived CAs promote polarization of differentiation and function towards Th2 cells and that this effect is mediated by α1-AR and β2-AR.
Activation of a7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Prevents Monosodium Iodoacetate-Induced Osteoarthritis in Rats
Authors: Liu Yuan , Wu Dongying , Song Fanglong , Zhu Chenlei , Hui Yujian , Zhu Qingcheng , Wu Jie , Fan Weimin , Hu Jun
Published: January 2015

Background/Aims: Although some evidence suggests that the prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) is lower in smokers compared to nonsmokers, the mechanisms of nicotine-induced protection remain unclear. Stimulation of the a7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (a7-nAChR) appears to be a critical mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory potential of cholinergic agonists in immune cells. The inhibition of secreted inflammatory molecules and the subsequent inflammatory processes have been proposed as a novel strategy for the treatment of OA. The objective of the present study was to determine whether nicotine-induced protection in a monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) rat model of OA occurs via a7-nAChR-mediated inhibition of chondrocytes. Methods: Both in vivo (MIA) and in vitro (MIA; Interleukin-1ß, IL-1ß) models of OA were used to investigate the roles and the possible mechanisms whereby a7-nAChRs protect against knee joint degradation. Multiple experimental approaches, including macroscopic, histological analysis, chondrocyte cell cultures, confocal microscopy, and western blotting, were employed to elucidate the mechanisms of a7-nAChR-mediated protection. Results: Systemic administration of nicotine alleviated MIA-induced joint degradation. The protective effects of nicotine were abolished by administration of the a7-nAChR-selective antagonist methyllycaconitine (MLA). In primary cultured rat chondrocytes, pretreatment with nicotine suppressed both p38, extracellular regulated kinase (Erk) 1/2 and c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) phosphorylation and phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 activation induced by MIA- or IL-1ß, and these effects were also reversed by MLA. Conclusion: Taken together, our results suggest that activation a7-nAChRs is an important mechanism underlying the protective effects of nicotine.
EGR1 Induces Tenogenic Differentiation of Tendon Stem Cells and Promotes Rabbit Rotator Cuff Repair
Authors: Tao Xu , Liu Junpeng , Chen Lei , Zhou You , Tang Kanglai
Published: January 2015

Background/Aims: The rate of healing failure after surgical repair of chronic rotator cuff tears is considerably high. The aim of this study was to investigate the function of the zinc finger transcription factor early growth response 1 (EGR1) in the differentiation of tendon stem cells (TSCs) and in tendon formation, healing, and tendon tear repair using an animal model of rotator cuff repair. Methods: Tenocyte, adipocyte, osteocyte, and chondrocyte differentiation as well as the expression of related genes were determined in EGR1-overexpressing TSCs (EGR1-TSCs) using tissue-specific staining, immunofluorescence staining, quantitative PCR, and western blotting. A rabbit rotator cuff repair model was established, and TSCs and EGR1-TSCs in a fibrin glue carrier were applied onto repair sites. The rabbits were sacrificed 8 weeks after repair operation, and tissues were histologically evaluated and tenocyte-related gene expression was determined. Results: EGR1 induced tenogenic differentiation of TSCs and inhibited non-tenocyte differentiation of TSCs. Furthermore, EGR1 promoted tendon repair in a rabbit model of rotator cuff injury. The BMP12/Smad1/5/8 signaling pathway was involved in EGR1-induced tenogenic differentiation and rotator cuff tendon repair. Conclusion: EGR1 plays a key role in tendon formation, healing, and repair through BMP12/Smad1/5/8 pathway. EGR1-TSCs is a promising treatment for rotator cuff tendon repair surgeries.
Oncological Impact of Laparoscopic Lymphadenectomy with Preservation of the Left Colic Artery for Advanced Sigmoid and Rectosigmoid Colon Cancer
Authors: Yamamoto Masashi , Okuda Junji , Tanaka Keitaro , Ishii Masatsugu , Hamamoto Hiroki , Uchiyama Kazuhisa
Published: January 2015

Background: Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy around the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) with preservation of the left colic artery (LCA) remains a controversial approach. The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical outcomes. Methods: This study analysed 211 patients who underwent laparoscopic resection of advanced (≥T3) sigmoid and rectosigmoid colon cancers with D3 lymphadenectomy including 91 high ligations of the IMA (HL) and 120 low ligations with preservation of the LCA (LL) from January 1998 to December 2009. Results: There were no significant differences in operative result between the groups. In stage II cancer, the overall survival rate (94.8% HL vs. 91.8% LL; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.8 to 0.68, p = 0.920) and disease-free survival (93.0% HL vs. 87.6% LL; 95% CI, -0.8 to 0.40, p = 0.540) did not differ significantly between the two groups. A similar tendency in overall survival was observed in patients with stage III cancer (88.3% HL vs. 86.9% LL; 95% CI, -0.44 to 0.57, p = 0.989) and disease-free survival (71.4% HL vs. 69.8% LL; 95% CI, -0.38 to 0.40, p = 0.637). Conclusions: Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy around the IMA with preservation of the LCA resulted in acceptable clinical outcomes in patients with advanced sigmoid and rectosigmoid colon cancer.
Necrotizing Encephalitis Caused by Disseminated Aspergillus Infection after Orthotopic Liver Transplantation
Authors: Barrera-Herrera Luis E. , Vera Alonso , Álvarez Johanna , Lopez Rocio
Published: January 2015

Liver transplantation is the only available treatment for some patients with end-stage liver disease. Despite reduction in mortality rates due to advances related to surgical techniques, intensive medical management and immunosuppressive therapy, invasive fungal infections remain a serious complication in orthotopic liver transplantation. We report the case of an 18-year-old male diagnosed with autoimmune cirrhosis in 2009 who was assessed and listed for liver transplantation for massive variceal hemorrhage. One year after listing a successful orthotopic liver transplantation was performed. Uneventful early recovery was achieved; however, he developed pulmonary and neurological Aspergillus infection 23 and 40 days after surgery, respectively. Antibiotic therapy with voriconazole and amphotericin was started early, with no major response. Neuroimaging revealed multiple right frontal and right parietal lesions with perilesional edema; surgical management of the brain abscesses was performed. A biopsy with periodic acid-Schiff and Gomori stains revealed areas with mycotic microorganisms morphologically consistent with Aspergillus, later confirmed by culture. The patient developed necrotizing encephalitis secondary to aspergillosis and died. Necrotizing encephalitis as a clinical presentation of Aspergillus infection in an orthotopic liver transplant is not common, and even with adequate management, early diagnosis and prompt antifungal treatment, mortality rates remain high.
Systematic Review of Patients Presenting With Suspected Myocardial Infarction and Nonobstructive Coronary Arteries
Authors: Pasupathy Sivabaskari , Air Tracy , Dreyer Rachel P. , Tavella Rosanna , Beltrame John F.
Published: January 2015

Background—

Myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is a puzzling clinical entity with no previous evaluation of the literature. This systematic review aims to (1) quantify the prevalence, risk factors, and 12-month prognosis in patients with MINOCA, and (2) evaluate potential pathophysiological mechanisms underlying this disorder.

Methods and Results—

Quantitative assessment of 28 publications using a meta-analytic approach evaluated the prevalence, clinical features, and prognosis of MINOCA. The prevalence of MINOCA was 6% [95% confidence interval, 5%–7%] with a median patient age of 55 years (95% confidence interval, 51–59 years) and 40% women. However, in comparison with those with myocardial infarction associated with obstructive coronary artery disease, the patients with MINOCA were more likely to be younger and female but less likely to have hyperlipidemia, although other cardiovascular risk factors were similar. All-cause mortality at 12 months was lower in MINOCA (4.7%; 95% confidence interval, 2.6%–6.9%) compared with myocardial infarction associated with obstructive coronary artery disease (6.7%, 95% confidence interval, 4.3%–9.0%). Qualitative assessment of 46 publications evaluating the underlying pathophysiology responsible for MINOCA revealed the presence of a typical myocardial infarct on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in only 24% of patients, with myocarditis occurring in 33% and no significant abnormality in 26%. Coronary artery spasm was inducible in 27% of MINOCA patients, and thrombophilia disorders were detected in 14%.

Conclusions—

MINOCA should be considered as a working diagnosis with multiple potential causes that require evaluation so that directed therapies may improve its guarded prognosis.
Hypothermic Neuroprotection Is Associated With Recovery of Spectral Edge Frequency After Asphyxia in Preterm Fetal Sheep
Authors: Wassink Guido , Barrett Robert D. , Davidson Joanne O. , Bennet Laura , Galinsky Robert , Dragunow Michael , Gunn Alistair J.
Published: January 2015

Background and Purpose—

Electroencephalographic recovery is predictive of outcome after perinatal hypoxia–ischemia, but it is unknown whether early changes in electroencephalographic can predict the response to therapeutic hypothermia in the preterm brain.

Methods—

0.7 gestation fetal sheep received umbilical cord occlusion or sham occlusion for 25 minutes, followed by sham hypothermia or whole-body cooling started either 30 minutes or 5 hours after occlusion and continued for 72 hours.

Results—

Early but not delayed hypothermia reduced neuronal loss and microglial induction in the striatum, with faster recovery of spectral edge frequency, reduced seizure burden, and less suppression of electroencephalographic amplitude (
P
<0.05).

Conclusions—

Recovery of higher electroencephalographic frequencies may be a biomarker of effective hypothermic neuroprotection in the preterm-equivalent brain.
Treatment of postnatal depression with cognitive behavioural therapy, sertraline and combination therapy: A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Milgrom Jeannette , Gemmill Alan W , Ericksen Jennifer , Burrows Graham , Buist Anne , Reece John
Published: January 2015

Objectives:

Both antidepressant medications and psychological therapy are common treatments for depression in postpartum women. Antidepressant treatment may have a number of practical disadvantages, including a preference by women to avoid medication while breastfeeding. Consequently, more information about the relative benefits of the two modalities in the perinatal period is helpful. In the treatment of depressive disorders there is some evidence that combination therapies (pharmacological plus psychological treatment) may be more efficacious than either form of mono-therapy in isolation. However, in the treatment of postnatal depression, such evidence is limited.

Method:

Forty five postpartum women with a DSM-IV diagnosis of depression were randomised to receive either: 1) cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT); 2) sertraline, or 3) a combination of both treatment modalities. Psychometric measures were collected weekly for 12 weeks, with a follow-up at 24 weeks.

Results:

Symptoms of depression and anxiety were reduced to a significant degree following all three treatments. CBT mono-therapy was found to be superior to both sertraline mono-therapy and combination therapy after 12 weeks. The CBT mono-therapy group appeared to display the most rapid initial gains after treatment commencement.

Conclusions:

In this sample, a specialised CBT program for postnatal depression was found to be superior as a mono-therapy compared to sertraline, a commonly prescribed SSRI antidepressant. This is in contrast to previous studies which have found no detectable difference in the efficacies of drug and psychological treatment for postnatal depression. Unlike some previous work, this study allowed a statistically independent evaluation of CBT mono-therapy for postnatal depression compared to both antidepressant and combination therapy. In line with previous studies in postpartum women, there was no detectable advantage of combining pharmacological and psychological treatments in the short term.
Trust, reflexivity and knowledge integration: Toward a conceptual framework concerning mobile engineers
Authors: Sankowska Anna , Söderlund Jonas
Published: January 2015

Reduced team membership intensity and flux have triggered the emergence of a new cadre of professional workers. In an increasing number of industries, mobile engineers and other types of flexible human resources contribute significantly to team processes and the integration of team members’ knowledge. Little is known about the factors influencing their knowledge integration performance. Addressing this gap by focusing on the transitional nature of their work, we introduce a conceptual framework that models the influence of trust on knowledge integration through reflexivity. Principally, we argue that social and technical reflexivity are processes that transmit the effects of trust on knowledge integration. The interaction between trust and the proposed construct of perceived value of the assignment affects reflexivity’s overall impact on knowledge integration through different constellations of social and technical reflexivity. This interaction explains the paradoxical situation that high trust levels do not necessarily translate into higher knowledge integration performance and accounts for mobile engineers’ varied outcomes as knowledge integrators.
Motivated Processing of Peripheral Advertising Information in Video Games
Authors: Chung Sungwon , Sparks Johnny V.
Published: January 2015

An experiment, guided by the Limited Capacity Model of Motivated Mediated Message Processing (LC4MP), manipulated players’ motivational activation states during play of a custom-built first-person shooter video game and examined memory of billboard advertisements embedded in the game’s peripheral content. In line with the LC4MP, a memory sensitivity test demonstrated that encoding of peripheral billboard advertisements was greatest during moderate-medium aversive activation and worst with moderate-high aversive activation. However, storage, measured using cued recall, was greater with moderate-medium appetitive activation when compared with other motivational states. The findings extend understandings of motivated cognitive processing of secondary advertising information in video game contexts.
Urban Triage, City Systems, and the Remnants of Community
Authors: Kirkpatrick L. Owen
Published: January 2015

Detroit’s long-range planning agenda—as articulated in the Detroit Future City (DFC) plan—is based on an innovative vision of a smaller, greener city. Implementing this vision rests on clearing the city’s most abandoned and deteriorated neighborhoods and transforming the area into vast green spaces. Eventually, therefore, the eighty-eight thousand people currently residing in this zone must (be) relocate(d). As services are phased out and infrastructure networks decommissioned, it is reasoned outmigration will accelerate; this strategy of “urban triage” geographically targets expenditures on the basis of viability, such that the flow of public resources to “nonviable” neighborhoods is constricted. This article explores one assumption that underlies triage-based policy and planning. Namely, it is believed that by removing infrastructures and services (“city systems”) from a given area, people will leave that area, a causal proposition that can be broken into two constituent parts. First, there is nothing unproblematic about removing, no matter how incrementally, the city systems that serve as the skeletal framework of the city. City systems are politically and institutionally embedded within a complex web of intersecting structures, processes, relationships, and interests—a “stickiness” that complicates efforts to dismantle them. The second half of the proposition is that removing city systems will provide the needed incentive for people to voluntarily move out of the targeted areas. This assumption, however, may not appreciate the degree of socio-spatial persistence that can be exhibited by groups occupying abandoned spaces. Thus, even if efforts to geographically shrink city systems are successful, there is reason to believe that social remnants of community may indefinitely persist in target areas even in the face of great hardship—including the cessation of basic services. The present analysis suggests that the burden of proof falls on those predicting that the withdrawal of city systems will succeed where decades of generalized deprivation have failed.
Filial or Rebellious Daughters? Dagongmei in the Pearl River Delta Region, South China, in the 1990s
Authors: Woon Yuen-Fong
Published: January 2015

Economic opportunities in the Pearl River Delta region in Southern China have attracted a large number of unmarried female temporary workers or dagongmei from the central and western regions of the country. Existing literature on the dagongmei tend to cast them into either “rebellious” or “filial” daughters. This study reexamines these ideal types based mainly on data gathered from in-depth interviews with 75 female and 55 male factory workers in 1993 and 1994. Data gathered from male workers allowed the study to compare behavior patterns and life plans of male and female temporary labor migrants. The study suggests that it might be more meaningful to understand the tension the dagongmei face in their desire to be independent and their sense of family obligation.
Push-and-Pull Migration and Satisficing versus Optimizing Migratory Behavior: A Review and Nepalese Evidence
Authors: Tisdell Clem , Regmi Gopal
Published: January 2015

Most theories of migration assume homogenous optimizing behavior by economic agents. In contrast Lipton assumes heterogeneity of group behavior — rich persons optimize whereas poor persons are more reactive than proactive. Hence, the migratory decisions of the rural poor are more likely to be influenced by push factors while pull factors more likely apply to the rural rich. In this article, push and pull factors are associated with satisficing and optimizing migratory behavior, respectively. To some extent, Nepalese data support Lipton's hypotheses concerning migration and remitting behavior of poor and rich families.
Culture and Social Adjustment: Migrant Workers in Korea and Local Workers in Overseas Korean Firms
Authors: Chung Kiseon , Seok Hyunho
Published: January 2015

This study offers a comparative perspective of the social adjustment of migrant workers in Korea and local workers employed in Korean firms in four Asian countries. Data for the study came from surveys conducted in Korea (n=742 migrant workers from China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam) and Korean firms overseas (n=1,078 local workers in the same countries where migrants come from). In addition, interviews were also conducted for supervisors, managers and top managers of firms in Korea and overseas. The study found differences in perceptions of cultural gap and work conditions and levels of social adjustment by ethnic group and migration status. The persistence of ethnic differences in workers' social adjustment suggests the possible influence of cultural factors.
Participating in the Ethnic Economy and Psychological Well-Being
Authors: Fong Eric
Published: January 2015

Although there had been various studies on the consequences of participating in the ethnic economy, there has been a notable absence of research exploring the life satisfaction of those participating in it. A 1998/1999 survey of Chinese immigrants in metropolitan Toronto was analyzed to measure the life satisfaction of those participating in and outside the ethnic economy. Those working in the ethnic economy reported higher levels of life satisfaction than those working outside it. Five models were tested and the results suggest that the life satisfaction of immigrants does not relate to participation in the ethnic economy when workplace factors are taken into account. While the study did not find any specific effect on participation in the ethnic economy and life satisfaction, it invites further study on other aspects such as job satisfaction.
Chinese Canadians in Business
Authors: Li Peter S.
Published: January 2015

Conventionally, restricted opportunities in the open market, in combination with the presence of suitable ethnic resources, provide the explanation as to why some immigrant groups are more inclined towards business undertakings than others. More recently, the immigrant enclave thesis developed in the US suggests that some immigrant entrepreneurs are attracted to ethnic business because of its lucrative returns. Using the case of Chinese Canadians from the microdata of the 1996 Census of Canada, this paper finds that the net returns of self-employment vary among Chinese Canadians. Self-employment brings a net earning disadvantage for foreign-born Chinese-Canadian men, as well as for women irrespective of nativity. Only native-born Chinese-Canadian men in self-employment maintain a net advantage over their counterpart wage workers. These findings suggest that the Chinese Canadians engage in self-employment for different reasons, depending on gender and nativity. Thus, both the argument of business engagement as a “last choice” as implied in the blocked mobility thesis, and that of a “first option” as suggested in the immigrant enclave thesis can be valid even for the same ethnic group.
The New Chinese Community in New Zealand: Local Outcomes of Transnationalism
Authors: Friesen Manying Ip Wardlow
Published: January 2015

The new Chinese community in New Zealand (formed since 1987) is made up of immigrants from the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia as well as other countries. Initially looked upon as harbingers of the “Asian economic miracle” by the New Zealand government, the new arrivals met with numerous unforeseen difficulties.

This article is based on the findings of surveys and in-depth interviews in which the primary migrants were asked about their motives for migration, the economic and social outcomes of their migration, their perception of the comparative strengths of their native land and New Zealand, and their long-term view on settlement and return migration. The surveys are also set against background statistics from the 1996 census as well as immigration figures up to 2000.

The findings challenge the assumption of the importance of the economic motivation of migration, and point to the primacy of social and environmental factors. They also suggest that transnationalism is a long-term strategy, instead of a temporary expediency, but also that most Chinese migrants in New Zealand have tried to integrate with the host society when possible.
Filipino Navy Stewards and Filipina Health Care Professionals: Immigration, Work and Family Relations
Authors: Espiritu Yen Le
Published: January 2015

Drawing from in-depth interviews of more than 100 Filipino Americans in San Diego, California, this article analyzes the migrations and changing family relations of Filipino Navy stewards and Filipina health care professionals. The first section details the racialized and gendered experiences of Filipino Navy stewards, paying particular attention to the men's efforts to reclaim their masculinity in both the private and public spheres. Focusing on Filipina health professionals, the second half of the paper explores how marriage and family relations are reconstituted in the United States when it was the wives who pioneered migration.