bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Indirubin and Indirubin Derivatives for Counteracting Proliferative Diseases
Authors: Blažević Tina , Heiss Elke H. , Atanasov Atanas G. , Breuss Johannes M. , Dirsch Verena M. , Uhrin Pavel
Published: September 2015

Indirubin is the active component of Danggui Longhui Wan, a traditional Chinese medicine formulation. The encouraging clinical results from the 1980s obtained in chronic myelocytic leukemia patients treated with indirubin stimulated numerous studies on this compound. These investigations explored the use of indirubin in different types of cancer and reported the synthesis of novel derivatives with improved chemical and pharmacokinetic properties. In this paper, we review the impressive progress that has been made in elucidating the mechanistic understanding of how indirubin and its derivatives affect physiological and pathophysiological processes, mainly by inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of cell death. Furthermore, we survey the therapeutic use of these compounds in combating proliferative diseases such as cancer, restenosis, and psoriasis.
A High-Performance Multiplex Immunoassay for Serodiagnosis of Flavivirus-Associated Neurological Diseases in Horses
Authors: Beck Cécile , Desprès Philippe , Paulous Sylvie , Vanhomwegen Jessica , Lowenski Steeve , Nowotny Norbert , Durand Benoit , Garnier Annabelle , Blaise-Boisseau Sandra , Guitton Edouard , Yamanaka Takashi , Zientara Stéphan , Lecollinet Sylvie
Published: September 2015

West Nile virus (WNV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) are flaviviruses responsible for severe neuroinvasive infections in humans and horses. The confirmation of flavivirus infections is mostly based on rapid serological tests such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). These tests suffer from poor specificity, mainly due to antigenic cross-reactivity among flavivirus members. Robust diagnosis therefore needs to be validated through virus neutralisation tests (VNTs) which are time-consuming and require BSL3 facilities. The flavivirus envelope (E) glycoprotein ectodomain is composed of three domains (D) named DI, DII, and DIII, with EDIII containing virus-specific epitopes. In order to improve the serological differentiation of flavivirus infections, the recombinant soluble ectodomain of WNV E (WNV.sE) and EDIIIs (rEDIIIs) of WNV, JEV, and TBEV were synthesised using theDrosophilaS2 expression system. Purified antigens were covalently bonded to fluorescent beads. The microspheres coupled to WNV.sE or rEDIIIs were assayed with about 300 equine immune sera from natural and experimental flavivirus infections and 172 nonimmune equine sera as negative controls. rEDIII-coupled microspheres captured specific antibodies against WNV, TBEV, or JEV in positive horse sera. This innovative multiplex immunoassay is a powerful alternative to ELISAs and VNTs for veterinary diagnosis of flavivirus-related diseases.
Simultaneous Determination of Salicylic Acid, Jasmonic Acid, Methyl Salicylate, and Methyl Jasmonate fromUlmus pumilaLeaves by GC-MS
Authors: Huang Zhi-hong , Wang Zhi-li , Shi Bao-lin , Wei Dong , Chen Jian-xin , Wang Su-li , Gao Bao-jia
Published: September 2015

Salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, methyl salicylate, and methyl jasmonate are important phytohormones and defensive signaling compounds, so it is of great importance to determine their levels rapidly and accurately. The study usesUlmus pumilaleaves infected byTetraneura akinire Sasakiat different stages as materials; after extraction with 80% methanol and ethyl acetate and purification with primary secondary amine (PSA) and graphitized carbon blacks (GCB), the contents of signal compounds salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, methyl salicylate, and methyl jasmonate were determined by GC-MS. The results showed that the level of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, methyl salicylate, and methyl jasmonate increased remarkably inU. pumilaonce infected byT. akinire Sasaki, but the maximums of these four compounds occurred at different times. Salicylic acid level reached the highest at the early stage, and jasmonic acid level went to the maximum in the middle stage; by contrast, change of content of methyl salicylate and methyl jasmonate was the quite opposite.
Semisupervised Tangent Space Discriminant Analysis
Authors: Zhou Yang , Sun Shiliang
Published: September 2015

A novel semisupervised dimensionality reduction method named Semisupervised Tangent Space Discriminant Analysis (STSD) is presented, where we assume that data can be well characterized by a linear function on the underlying manifold. For this purpose, a new regularizer using tangent spaces is developed, which not only can capture the local manifold structure from both labeled and unlabeled data, but also has the complementarity with the Laplacian regularizer. Furthermore, STSD has an analytic form of the global optimal solution which can be computed by solving a generalized eigenvalue problem. To perform nonlinear dimensionality reduction and process structured data, a kernel extension of our method is also presented. Experimental results on multiple real-world data sets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Correlation between TLR9 Expression and Cytokine Secretion in the Clinical Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Rao Hui , Zeng Qinghua , Liang Yumei , Xiao Changjuan , Xie Shuoshan , Xu Xiangyu
Published: September 2015

To investigate the correlation between TLR9 and cytokine secretion in SLE diagnosis and treatment. A total of 66 cases (39 SLE and 27 healthy donors) were enrolled in this study. The CD20+ labeled B cells were isolated from SLE patients. TLR9 mRNA expression from SLE tissues and B cells was detected using RT‐PCR. The cytokine secretion in B cells were measured using ELISA. Correlation between TLR9 expression and cytokines secretion was analyzed using gene silencing method. Compared with the controls, TLR9 expression was significantly high in SLE patients tissues, as well as in B cells. Expressions of IL‐6 and ds‐DNA antibody were high in SLE patients serum and were positively correlated with TLR9 level in SLE patients (IL‐6, R2 = 0.768; ds‐DNA antibody, R2 = 0.730). The IL‐6 and ds‐DNA expression were significantly decreased by silencing TLR9 compared to the controls. Moreover, silencing TLR9 significantly decreased cytokines secretion including IL‐6, IL‐10, and IL‐1rα, as well as the pathway‐associated protein expression, including ICOS and Foxp3. The successful application of TLR9 silencing method in human SLE B cells may loan theatrical basis for the possibility of TLR9 genetic therapy in SLE diagnosis and treatment.
The Arclight Ophthalmoscope: A Reliable Low-Cost Alternative to the Standard Direct Ophthalmoscope
Authors: Lowe James , Cleland Charles R. , Mgaya Evarista , Furahini Godfrey , Gilbert Clare E. , Burton Matthew J. , Philippin Heiko
Published: September 2015

Background. The Arclight ophthalmoscope is a low-cost alternative to standard direct ophthalmoscopes. This study compared the Arclight ophthalmoscope with the Heine K180 direct ophthalmoscope to evaluate its reliability in assessing the vertical cup disc ratio (VCDR) and its ease of use (EOU).Methods. Eight medical students used both the Arclight and the Heine ophthalmoscopes to examine the optic disc in 9 subjects. An EOU score was provided after every examination (a higher score indicating that the ophthalmoscope is easier to use). A consultant ophthalmologist provided the reference standard VCDR.Results. 288 examinations were performed. The number of examinations that yielded an estimation of the VCDR was significantly higher for the Arclight ophthalmoscope (125/144, 85%) compared to the Heine ophthalmoscope (88/144, 61%) (p<0.001). The mean difference from the reference standard VCDR was similar for both instruments, with a mean of −0.078 (95% CI: −0.10 to −0.056) for the Arclight and −0.072 (95% CI: −0.097 to −0.046) for Heine (p=0.69). The overall EOU score was significantly higher for the Arclight ophthalmoscope (p<0.001).Conclusion. The Arclight ophthalmoscope performs as well as, and is easier to use than, a standard direct ophthalmoscope, suggesting it is a reliable, low-cost alternative.
Development of the Asphalt Multi-Integrated Roller Field and Experimental Studies
Authors: Omar Abd El Halim Abd El Halim , Abd El Halim Amir Omar , Awadalla Moustafa , Adel Hassanin Mohamed
Published: September 2015

Asphalt pavements have been compacted using steel drum rollers for a century. However, the problems that are observed today on these pavements are universal with no solution in sight. Intensive research work has been invested to identify the mechanisms that cause these problems. A recent development was the introduction of SuperPave mix design, GP asphalt cements, and the use of reinforcing elements ranging from polymer to steel bars. Yet it seems that none of these solutions have succeeded in eliminating any of the old problems. The pavements suffer from serious distresses regardless of the geographic location of the pavements and its design, materials, traffic loads, and climate condition. This paper presents a new approach to deal with the problems facing the asphalt pavements. While the research efforts to date concentrated on materials-related solutions, this paper identifies conventional compaction equipment as the cause of many problems observed on the pavements. The paper provides the development of the new Asphalt Multi-Integrated Roller, AMIR, and discusses new developments leading to a number of commercial field trials on several Ontario highways. The paper concludes that current compactors must be replaced with soft flat plates in order to achieve the required specifications for long term performance.
New Delay-Dependent Exponential Stability Criteria for Neural Networks with Mixed Time-Varying Delays
Authors: Wen Wu , Shi Kaibo
Published: September 2015

This study is concerned with the problem of new delay-dependent exponential stability criteria for neural networks (NNs) with mixed time-varying delays via introducing a novel integral inequality approach. Specifically, first, by taking fully the relationship between the terms in the Leibniz-Newton formula into account, several improved delay-dependent exponential stability criteria are obtained in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Second, together with some effective mathematical techniques and a convex optimization approach, less conservative conditions are derived by constructing an appropriate Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional (LKF). Third, the proposed methods include the least numbers of decision variables while keeping the validity of the obtained results. Finally, three numerical examples with simulations are presented to illustrate the validity and advantages of the theoretical results.
Lithium Battery Ingestion: An Unusual Cause of Bilateral Cord Palsy
Authors: Singh Gautam Bir , Chauhan Ravinder , Kumar Deepak , Arora Rubeena , Ranjan Shruti
Published: September 2015

Bilateral vocal cord palsy is a rare but life threatening complication of lithium battery ingestion in children. This complication is mostly missed by otorhinolaryngologists due to lack of awareness on the cited subject. We present one such rare case in an infant, where the clinical presentation was found to be unique but hitherto unreported in the medical literature. This clinical record discusses this case in light of the scant current medical literature on the subject and highlights the importance of cautious monitoring of patients presenting with signs of respiratory distress after lithium battery removal.
Multiple Scattering Using Parallel Volume Integral Equation Method: Interaction of SH Waves with Multiple Multilayered Anisotropic Elliptical Inclusions
Authors: Lee Jungki , Lee Hyechang , Jeong Hogwan
Published: September 2015

The parallel volume integral equation method (PVIEM) is applied for the analysis of elastic wave scattering problems in an unbounded isotropic solid containing multiple multilayered anisotropic elliptical inclusions. This recently developed numerical method does not require the use of Green’s function for the multilayered anisotropic inclusions; only Green’s function for the unbounded isotropic matrix is needed. This method can also be applied to solve general two- and three-dimensional elastodynamic problems involving inhomogeneous and/or multilayered anisotropic inclusions whose shape and number are arbitrary. A detailed analysis of the SH wave scattering is presented for multiple triple-layered orthotropic elliptical inclusions. Numerical results are presented for the displacement fields at the interfaces for square and hexagonal packing arrays of triple-layered elliptical inclusions in a broad frequency range of practical interest. It is necessary to use standard parallel programming, such as MPI (message passing interface), to speed up computation in the volume integral equation method (VIEM). Parallel volume integral equation method as a pioneer of numerical analysis enables us to investigate the effects of single/multiple scattering, fiber packing type, fiber volume fraction, single/multiple layer(s), multilayer’s shape and geometry, isotropy/anisotropy, and softness/hardness of the multiple multilayered anisotropic elliptical inclusions on displacements at the interfaces of the inclusions.
Reducing Sun Exposure for Prevention of Skin Cancers: Factorial Invariance and Reliability of the Self-Efficacy Scale for Sun Protection
Authors: Babbin Steven F. , Yin Hui-Qing , Rossi Joseph S. , Redding Colleen A. , Paiva Andrea L. , Velicer Wayne F.
Published: September 2015

The Self-Efficacy Scale for Sun Protection consists of two correlated factors with three items each for Sunscreen Use and Avoidance. This study evaluated two crucial psychometric assumptions, factorial invariance and scale reliability, with a sample of adults(N=1356)participating in a computer-tailored, population-based intervention study. A measure has factorial invariance when the model is the same across subgroups. Three levels of invariance were tested, from least to most restrictive: (1) Configural Invariance (nonzero factor loadings unconstrained); (2) Pattern Identity Invariance (equal factor loadings); and (3) Strong Factorial Invariance (equal factor loadings and measurement errors). Strong Factorial Invariance was a good fit for the model across seven grouping variables: age, education, ethnicity, gender, race, skin tone, and Stage of Change for Sun Protection. Internal consistency coefficient Alpha and factor rho scale reliability, respectively, were .84 and .86 for Sunscreen Use, .68 and .70 for Avoidance, and .78 and .78 for the global (total) scale. The psychometric evidence demonstrates strong empirical support that the scale is consistent, has internal validity, and can be used to assess population-based adult samples.
Analytical Modeling of Hard-Coating Cantilever Composite Plate considering the Material Nonlinearity of Hard Coating
Authors: Sun Wei , Liu Ying , Du Guangyu
Published: September 2015

Due to the material nonlinearity of hard coating, the coated structure produces the nonlinear dynamical behaviors of variable stiffness and damping, which make the modeling of hard-coating composite structure become a challenging task. In this study, the polynomial was adopted to characterize this material nonlinearity and an analytical modeling method was developed for the hard-coating composite plate. Firstly, to relate the hard-coating material parameters obtained by test and the analytical model, the expression of equivalent strain of composite plate was derived. Then, the analytical model of hard-coating composite plate was created by energy method considering the material nonlinearity of hard coating. Next, using the Newton-Raphson method to solve the vibration response and resonant frequencies of composite plate and a specific calculation procedure was also proposed. Finally, a cantilever plate coated with MgO + Al2O3hard coating was chosen as study case; the vibration response and resonant frequencies of composite plate were calculated using the proposed method. The calculation results were compared with the experiment and general linear calculation, and the correctness of the created model was verified. The study shows the proposed method can still maintain an acceptable precision when the material nonlinearity of hard coating is stronger.
Treatment Regimen, Surgical Outcome, and T-cell Differentiation Influence Prognostic Benefit of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Wouters Maartje C.A. , Komdeur Fenne L. , Workel Hagma H. , Klip Harry G. , Plat Annechien , Kooi Neeltje M. , Wisman G. Bea A. , Mourits Marian J.E. , Arts Henriette J.G. , Oonk Maaike H.M. , Yigit Refika , de Jong Steven , Melief Cornelis J.M. , Hollema Harry , Duiker Evelien W. , Daemen Toos , de Bruyn Marco , Nijman Hans W.
Published: September 2015

Purpose: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) are associated with a better prognosis in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC). However, it is largely unknown how this prognostic benefit of TIL relates to current standard treatment of surgical resection and (neo-)adjuvant chemotherapy. To address this outstanding issue, we compared TIL infiltration in a unique cohort of patients with advanced-stage HGSC primarily treated with either surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Experimental Design: Tissue microarray slides containing samples of 171 patients were analyzed for CD8+ TIL by IHC. Freshly isolated CD8+ TIL subsets were characterized by flow cytometry based on differentiation, activation, and exhaustion markers. Relevant T-cell subsets (CD27+) were validated using IHC and immunofluorescence.

Results: A prognostic benefit for patients with high intratumoral CD8+ TIL was observed if primary surgery had resulted in a complete cytoreduction (no residual tissue). By contrast, optimal (<1 cm of residual tumor) or incomplete cytoreduction fully abrogated the prognostic effect of CD8+ TIL. Subsequent analysis of primary TIL by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence identified CD27 as a key marker for a less-differentiated, yet antigen-experienced and potentially tumor-reactive CD8+ TIL subset. In line with this, CD27+ TIL were associated with an improved prognosis even in incompletely cytoreduced patients. Neither CD8+ nor CD27+ cell infiltration was of prognostic benefit in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that treatment regimen, surgical result, and the differentiation of TIL should all be taken into account when studying immune factors in HGSC or, by extension, selecting patients for immunotherapy trials. Clin Cancer Res; 22(3); 714–24. ©2015 AACR.
p53 Deletion or Hotspot Mutations Enhance mTORC1 Activity by Altering Lysosomal Dynamics of TSC2 and Rheb
Authors: Agarwal Stuti , Bell Catherine M. , Taylor Shirley M. , Moran Richard G.
Published: September 2015

The activity of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is frequently enhanced in carcinomas, an effect thought to contribute to the malignant phenotype. Here, it is demonstrated that either deletion or mutation of TP53 in colon or lung carcinoma cells substantially enhances mTORC1 kinase activity by an effect downstream of and independent of AMPK. Mechanistically, it was determined that loss or mutation of p53 decreased expression of TSC2 and Sestrin2 (SESN2). Complementation of p53 null cells with TSC2 or Sestrin2 reduced mTORC1 activity to levels found in p53 wild-type (wt) cells, whereas their genetic depletion enhanced mTORC1 activity in p53 wt cells. However, the primary causal event in enhanced mTORC1 activity upon loss of p53 appeared to be a diminished distribution of TSC2 to lysosomal membranes containing mTOR. Subsequently, there was increased Rheb in the lysosomal compartment, and a higher mTOR association with Raptor. Transfection of TSC2 into p53 null cells replaced TSC2 and diminished Rheb at the lysosome, recapitulating cells with wt p53. In contrast, transfection of Sestrin2 decreased mTOR in lysosomes, but the lower levels of Sestrin2 in p53 null cells did not change lysosomal mTOR. In summary, loss of the transcriptional activity of p53, either by deletion or by key mutations in the DNA-binding domain, diminishes expression of TSC2 and Sestrin2, thus, shifting membrane-bound TSC2 out of lysosomal membranes, increasing lysosomal Rheb and increasing the kinase activity of mTORC1.

Implications: This study establishes that loss of p53 function decreases lysosomal TSC2 and increases lysosomal Rheb resulting in hyperactive mTORC1, findings that are consistent with a more malignant phenotype. Mol Cancer Res; 14(1); 66–77. ©2015 AACR.
Catheter Ablation of Fascicular Ventricular Tachycardia
Authors: Liu Yaowu , Fang Zhen , Yang Bing , Kojodjojo Pipin , Chen Hongwu , Ju Weizhu , Cao Kejiang , Chen Minglong , Zhang Fengxiang
Published: September 2015

Background—

Fascicular ventricular tachycardia (FVT) is a common form of sustained idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia with an Asian preponderance. This study aimed to prospectively investigate long-term clinical outcomes of patients undergoing ablation of FVT and identify predictors of arrhythmia recurrence.

Methods and Results—

Consecutive patients undergoing FVT ablation at a single tertiary center were enrolled. Activation mapping was performed to identify the earliest presystolic Purkinje potential during FVT that was targeted by radiofrequency ablation. Follow-up with clinic visits, ECG, and Holter monitoring was performed at least every 6 months. A total of 120 consecutive patients (mean age, 29.3±12.7 years; 82% men; all patients with normal ejection fraction) were enrolled. FVT involved left posterior fascicle and left anterior fascicle in 118 and 2 subjects, respectively. VT was noninducible in 3 patients, and ablation was acutely successful in 117 patients. With a median follow-up of 55.7 months, VT of a similar ECG morphology recurred in 17 patients, and repeat procedure confirmed FVT recurrence involving the same fascicle. Shorter VT cycle length was the only significant predictor of FVT recurrence (
P
=0.03). Six other patients developed new-onset upper septal FVT that was successfully ablated.

Conclusions—

Ablation of FVT guided by activation mapping is associated with a single procedural success rate without the use of antiarrhythmic drugs of 80.3%. Arrhythmia recurrences after an initially successful ablation were caused by recurrent FVT involving the same fascicle in two thirds of patients or new onset of upper septal FVT in the remainder.
Short QT Interval Prevalence and Clinical Outcomes in a Pediatric Population
Authors: Guerrier Karine , Kwiatkowski David , Czosek Richard J. , Spar David S. , Anderson Jeffrey B. , Knilans Timothy K.
Published: September 2015

Background—

Risk associated with short QT interval has recently received recognition. European studies suggest a prevalence of 0.02% to 0.1% in the adult population, but similar studies in pediatric patients are limited. We sought to determine the prevalence of short QT interval in a pediatric population and associated clinical characteristics and outcomes.

Methods and Results—

Retrospective review of an ECG database at a single pediatric institution. The database was queried for ECGs on patients ≤21 years with electronically measured QTc of 140 to 340 ms. Patients with QTc of 140 to 340 ms confirmed by a pediatric electrophysiologist were identified for chart review for associated clinical characteristics, symptoms, and outcome. Patients with and without symptoms were compared in an attempt to identify variables associated with outcome. The query included 272 504 ECGs on 99 380 unique patients. Forty-five patients (35 men, 76%) had QTc ≤340 ms, for a prevalence of 0.05%. Median age was 15 years (interquartile range, 2–17), median QT 330 ms (interquartile range, 280–360), and median QTc 323 ms (IQR, 313–332). Women had significantly shorter QTc compared with men (312 versus 323 ms;
P
=0.03). Two deaths were noted in chart review—one from respiratory failure and the second of unknown pathogenesis in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Conclusions—

Short QT interval was a rare finding in this pediatric population, with a prevalence of 0.05%. Male predominance was identified, although the median QT interval was significantly shorter in women. There seem to be no unifying clinical characteristics for this pediatric patient cohort with short QT interval.
Association of Race With Mortality and Cardiovascular Events in a Large Cohort of US Veterans
Authors: Kovesdy Csaba P. , Norris Keith C. , Boulware L. Ebony , Lu Jun L. , Ma Jennie Z. , Streja Elani , Molnar Miklos Z. , Kalantar-Zadeh Kamyar
Published: September 2015

Background—

In the general population, blacks experience higher mortality than their white peers, attributed in part to their lower socioeconomic status, reduced access to care, and possibly intrinsic biological factors. Patients with kidney disease are a notable exception, among whom blacks experience lower mortality. It is unclear if similar differences affecting outcomes exist in patients with no kidney disease but with equal or similar access to health care.

Methods and Results—

We compared all-cause mortality, incident coronary heart disease, and incident ischemic stroke using multivariable-adjusted Cox models in a nationwide cohort of 547 441 black and 2 525 525 white patients with baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥60 mL·min
−1
·1.73 m
−2
receiving care from the US Veterans Health Administration. In parallel analyses, we compared outcomes in black versus white individuals in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999 to 2004. After multivariable adjustments in veterans, black race was associated with 24% lower all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.75–0.77;
P
<0.001) and 37% lower incidence of coronary heart disease (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.62–0.65;
P
<0.001) but a similar incidence of ischemic stroke (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.97–1.01;
P
=0.3). Black race was associated with a 42% higher adjusted mortality among individuals with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥60 mL·min
−1
·1.73 m
−2
in NHANES (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.09–1.87).

Conclusions—

Black veterans with normal estimated glomerular filtration rate and equal access to healthcare have lower all-cause mortality and incidence of coronary heart disease and a similar incidence of ischemic stroke. These associations are in contrast to the higher mortality experienced by black individuals in the general US population.
Association of Physician Certification in Interventional Cardiology With In-Hospital Outcomes of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Fiorilli Paul N. , Minges Karl E. , Herrin Jeph , Messenger John C. , Ting Henry H. , Nallamothu Brahmajee K. , Lipner Rebecca S. , Hess Brian J. , Holmboe Eric S. , Brennan Joseph J. , Curtis Jeptha P.
Published: September 2015

Background—

The value of American Board of Internal Medicine certification has been questioned. We evaluated the Association of Interventional Cardiology certification with in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in 2010.

Methods and Results—

We identified physicians who performed ≥10 PCIs in 2010 in the CathPCI Registry and determined interventional cardiology (ICARD) certification status using American Board of Internal Medicine data. We compared in-hospital outcomes of patients treated by certified and noncertified physicians using hierarchical multivariable models adjusted for differences in patient characteristics and PCI volume. Primary end points were all-cause in-hospital mortality and bleeding complications. Secondary end points included emergency coronary artery bypass grafting, vascular complications, and a composite of any adverse outcome. With 510 708 PCI procedures performed by 5175 physicians, case mix and unadjusted outcomes were similar among certified and noncertified physicians. The adjusted risks of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.19) and emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (odds ratio, 1.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.12–1.56) were higher in the non–ICARD-certified group, but the risks of bleeding and vascular complications and the composite end point were not statistically significantly different between groups.

Conclusions—

We did not observe a consistent association between ICARD certification and the outcomes of PCI procedures. Although there was a significantly higher risk of mortality and emergency coronary artery bypass grafting in patients treated by non–ICARD-certified physicians, the risks of vascular complications and bleeding were similar. Our findings suggest that ICARD certification status alone is not a strong predictor of patient outcomes and indicate a need to enhance the value of subspecialty certification.
Conceptualizing the Foundation of Inequalities in Care Work
Authors: Romero Mary , Pérez Nancy
Published: September 2015

Over the past decade, social science researchers in the area of feminism, labor, immigration, and family have written extensively on the care work crisis and globalized care work. Depending on how broadly care work is conceived, these writings emphasize unique aspects of gender, race, class, and/or citizenship inequalities. Second wave of feminist perspectives, for instance, identify housework and most work culturally defined as “women’s work”—including all paid health occupations dominated by women, such as nurses, direct care workers, and hospital workers but also possibly even health, education, and social service occupations—as central to gender subordination. Another important research stream, focusing on domestic labor as women’s work, but recognizing its traditional outsourcing to slaves, servants, and later employees, highlights the complexities of the inequality generated, not only in terms of gender but race, class, and citizenship as well. Bringing these two bodies of literature together in conversation initially pointed to the inaccurate assumption that care work was valued when it became wage labor. The paid labor of domestics, nannies, and elderly care workers, however, remains deeply devalued, most often with those with limited options entering the profession. This article both assesses contradictions within dominant approaches to care work and highlights the cultural and political foundations of the very inequalities that domestic care workers experience.
Using Video Prompting to Teach Leisure Skills to Students With Significant Disabilities
Authors: Cannella-Malone Helen I. , Miller Olivia , Schaefer John M. , Jimenez Eliseo D. , Page E. Justin , Sabielny Linsey M.
Published: September 2015

Recreational activities are an important part of anyone’s quality of life, owing to the various benefits of participation (e.g., social, physical). For individuals with significant disabilities, engagement in leisure skills continues to be a low priority in many schools, which can adversely affect the level of school and community membership. This study used video prompting to teach leisure skills to 9 students with significant disabilities. Video prompting was effective with all but 1 student. In addition, to explore whether leisure skill acquisition would lead to shifts in preference, this study examined leisure skill preference at pre- and postacquisition. The authors found a dramatic shift in students’ preferences after they acquired new skills.
Dirty Hands
Authors: Daxecker Ursula
Published: September 2015

Existing research suggests that the use of harsh repression can exacerbate the incidence and duration of terrorism. Micro- and macro-level analyses have shown that coercive government responses to terrorism can radicalize sympathizers, increase recruitment, and undermine community support for counterterrorism policies, leading to backlash and increased terrorist activity. Focusing on torture techniques, this article aims to establish mechanisms implicit in the backlash hypothesis. These arguments imply that information about government transgressions is available to potential group sympathizers, but have not examined whether and how variation in the visibility of different torture techniques affects the likelihood of backlash. Scarring torture, a technique that is both more visible and less plausibly deniable than other forms of torture, is expected to produce higher volumes of terrorism. Using disaggregated data on allegations of torture from the Ill-Treatment and Torture project for 1995 to 2005, the analysis shows that scarring torture is consistently associated with increases in terrorism, whereas stealth torture has no statistically discernable effect on terrorism.
International Peacekeeping and Positive Peace
Authors: Mironova Vera , Whitt Sam
Published: September 2015

To what extent can international peacekeeping promote micro-foundations for positive peace after violence? Drawing on macro-level peacekeeping theory, our approach uses novel experimental methods to illustrate how monitoring and enforcement by a neutral third party could conceivably enhance prosocial behavior between rival groups in a tense, postconflict peacekeeping environment. Using a laboratory experiment in postwar Kosovo, we find that third-party enforcement is more effective at promoting norms of trust between ethnic Serbs and Albanians than monitoring alone or no intervention at all. We then consider real-world extensions for building positive peace across different intervention environments. Using a dictator experiment that exploits heterogeneity in NATO peacekeeping in different regions of Kosovo, our inferences about monitoring and enforcement appear robust to ecological conditions in the field.
Assessment of patients’ awareness of their rights in teaching hospitals in Iran
Authors: Bazmi Shabnam , Kiani Mehrzad , Hashemi Nazari Seyed Saeed , Kakavand Mona , Mahmoodzade Razieh
Published: September 2015

Introduction

Respecting patients’ rights is an essential component in health care. Passing a regulation is not a guarantee for the protection of patients’ rights. This article aimed to assess patients’ awareness of the contents of the Patient’s Bill of Rights in Iran and to determine if they had received a service compatible with their rights charter.

Methods

This is a descriptive study in 202 hospitalised patients. A questionnaire was used, and associations between variables were examined using Pearson’s correlation test. The significance level was p < .05.

Results

The patients’ ages ranged from 18 to 87 years of age, 33% were male and 79% were married. Patients’ knowledge was lowest regarding the need for consent for the treatment process and was highest regarding the patient’s right to know the expertise of the treatment team. The mean of patients’ knowledge was 77.56%. As for patients’ exercising their rights, the highest score belonged to the patient’s right for attending doctors and treatment team’s confidentiality; the lowest score belonged to the right to receive necessary information about probable complications, other treatment options and participation in the final selection of treatment method. The mean score of patient satisfaction was 8.06 (out of 11). There was no significant relationship with their education level or the number of admissions.

Conclusion

Health-care professionals can provide care based on patients’ rights, and their knowledge of patients’ rights needs to be evaluated. Educational programmes, leaflets, booklets and posters can be helpful in this regard. In addition, professional organisations and the Ministry of Health need to be more sensitive to this issue.
Examining Jail Isolation
Authors: Haney Craig , Weill Joanna , Bakhshay Shirin , Lockett Tiffany
Published: September 2015

This article addresses the problematic lack of available data on jail isolation. It discusses the potential significance of the practice of isolating jail inmates and the basis for believing that punitive isolation in jails is at least as widespread as in prisons. It also summarizes some of the information that recently has become available about the use of isolation at one notorious jail complex—Rikers Island—where the practice has been reported on and debated perhaps more than any other, and uses Rikers as both an instructive case study and cautionary tale. Finally, the article briefly reviews what is known about the significant risk of serious harm that isolated confinement is known to represent and acknowledges the need for reliable data gathering, meaningful outside monitoring, and effective oversight.
Policing the Nation: Acculturation and Street-Level Bureaucrats in Professional Life
Authors: Gowricharn Ruben , Çankaya Sinan
Published: September 2015

Assimilation of migrants is assumed to happen through acculturation, which is depicted as neutral, unintended and invisible. In most accounts the role of social actors is pushed into the background, and the conditions that shape and determine the direction of the acculturation are ignored. A further critique of the acculturation concept is that the content of the conveyed culture is not disclosed nor are the outcomes hinted at. We argue that the concept of norm images redresses these criticisms by eliciting the cultural content and specifying the role of actors, that is, professionals, in the conveyance of culture. Using the example of the Amsterdam police force, we demonstrate that police officers impose crucial elements of the Dutch nationalistic discourse, specifically language and loyalty, on migrant citizens and migrant colleagues alike. Thus these police officers operate as reproducers of the social order cemented by Dutch nationalism.
A novel method for measuring in-plane liquid dynamic transport in fabric
Authors: Sun Guangwu , Wang Xinhou , Zhou Jiaqi , Sun XiaoXia
Published: September 2015

Fabric liquid dynamic transport capacity is a significant factor on the influence of human clothing comfort. In this study, we present a new approach to test in-plane liquid dynamic transport in a straightforward one-step procedure. In this method, a textile sample is irradiated by a radiation source during wetting. Meanwhile, the optical energy of the transmitted ray is transformed to voltage by a detector and is dynamically recorded by a computer. Eventually, the liquid spread speed and maximum absorption rate of the textile material are defined and obtained on the basis of the voltage. Compared with the standard instrument, the Moisture Management Tester, this new method provides more accurate measuring results for liquid spreading speeds and could be applicable for almost all liquid testing except for volatile fluid.
Future Orientation as a Protective Factor for African American Adolescents Exposed to Community Violence
Authors: So Suzanna , Gaylord-Harden Noni K. , Voisin Dexter R. , Scott Darrick
Published: September 2015

For African American youth disproportionately exposed to community violence and the associated risk of externalizing behaviors, developmental assets that reduce the risk for externalizing behaviors and enhance adaptive coping should be explored. In a sample of 572 African American adolescents ( Mage = 15.85; SD = 1.42), the current study explored whether future orientation or gender buffered the impact of community violence exposure on externalizing behaviors. The current study also examined the interaction between future orientation, gender, and violence-specific coping strategies to determine their association with externalizing behaviors. Future orientation moderated the relationship between violence exposure and delinquent, but not aggressive, behaviors. Future orientation interacted differently with coping for males and females to predict externalizing behaviors. Research and clinical implications are discussed.
Narratives of Response Error From Cognitive Interviews of Survey Questions About Normative Behavior
Authors: Brenner Philip S.
Published: September 2015

That rates of normative behaviors produced by sample surveys are higher than actual behavior warrants is well evidenced in the research literature. Less well understood is the source of this error. Twenty-five cognitive interviews were conducted to probe responses to a set of common, conventional survey questions about one such normative behavior: religious service attendance. Answers to the survey questions and cognitive probes are compared both quantitatively and qualitatively. Half of the respondents amended their answer during cognitive probing, all amendments indicating a lower rate of attendance than originally reported, yielding a statistically significant reduction in reported attendance. Narrative responses shed light onto the source of bias, as respondents pragmatically interpreted the survey question to allow themselves to include other types of religious behavior, to report on a more religious past, and discount current constraints on their religious behavior, in order to report aspirational or normative religious identities.
How Does Polytomous Item Bias Affect Total-group Survey Score Comparisons?
Authors: Hidalgo Ma Dolores , Benítez Isabel , Padilla Jose-Luis , Gómez-Benito Juana
Published: September 2015

The growing use of scales in survey questionnaires warrants the need to address how does polytomous differential item functioning (DIF) affect observed scale score comparisons. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of DIF on the type I error and effect size of the independent samples t-test on the observed total scale scores. A simulation study was conducted, focusing on potential variables related to DIF in polytomous items, such as DIF pattern, sample size, magnitude, and percentage of DIF items. The results showed that DIF patterns and the number of DIF items affected the type I error rates and effect size of t-test values. The results highlighted the need to analyze DIF before making comparative group interpretations.
Understanding Individual-level Change Through the Basis Functions of a Latent Curve Model
Authors: Blozis Shelley A. , Harring Jeffrey R.
Published: September 2015

Latent curve models have become a popular approach to the analysis of longitudinal data. At the individual level, the model expresses an individual’s response as a linear combination of what are called “basis functions” that are common to all members of a population and weights that may vary among individuals. This article uses differential calculus to define the basis functions of a latent curve model. This provides a meaningful interpretation of the unique and dynamic impact of each basis function on the individual-level response. Examples are provided to illustrate this sensitivity, as well as the sensitivity of the basis functions, to changes in the measure of time.
Robust Estimation of Inequality from Binned Incomes
Authors: von Hippel Paul T. , Scarpino Samuel V. , Holas Igor
Published: September 2015

Researchers often estimate income inequality by using data that give only the number of cases (e.g., families or households) whose incomes fall in “bins” such as $ 0 to $9,999, $10,000 to $14,999, . . . , ≥$200,000. We find that popular methods for estimating inequality from binned incomes are not robust in small samples, where popular methods can produce infinite, undefined, or arbitrarily large estimates. To solve these and other problems, we develop two improved estimators: a robust Pareto midpoint estimator (RPME) and a multimodel generalized beta estimator (MGBE). In a broad evaluation using U.S. national, state, and county data from 1970 to 2009, we find that both estimators produce very good estimates of the mean and Gini coefficient but less accurate estimates of the Theil index and mean log deviation. Neither estimator is uniformly more accurate, but the RPME is much faster, which may be a consideration when many estimates must be obtained from many data sets. We have made the methods available as the rpme and mgbe command for Stata and the binequality package for R.
What Increases Public Employees’ Turnover Intention?
Authors: Kim Jungin
Published: September 2015

This research examined the extent to which job motivation, social support, public service motivation (PSM), and burnout are related to turnover intention and whether burnout serves as a mediator for these relations. Using data collected from local revenue officers in South Korea, this research found that intrinsic motivation was significantly and negatively related to employees’ intention to leave their organization, whereas self-sacrifice (one of the PSM elements) was positively associated with turnover intention. In addition, the analyses revealed mediating effects of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (burnout) on both intrinsic motivation and self-sacrifice turnover intention. These findings are relevant for public organizations that are concerned about managing employee turnover intention caused by public reforms dealing with changing environment.
Recognizing Expertise
Authors: Treem Jeffrey W. , Leonardi Paul M.
Published: September 2015

Previous research has demonstrated the critical role communication plays in a group’s ability to recognize its expert members. This study looks broadly at the different forms of communication that might influence expertise recognition and considers how structural, relational, and communicative factors are related to individuals’ success in having their expertise recognized by other group members. In addition, we advance a view of expertise recognition in terms of expertise sharing and consider the circumstances under which an individual’s self-perceived expertise is likely to match the perceptions of other group members. Drawing on survey data from 99 employees at a financial services company, we find that it is communication practices, and not structural influences, that primarily relate to group members having their expertise recognized by coworkers. The findings extend theory that views attributions of individuals’ expertise in organizations as a communicative phenomenon that emerges through work practices.
Neoliberalizing Food Safety Control
Authors: Huang Yu
Published: September 2015

China is the world’s largest aquaculture producer, accounting for 63% of global output by volume. However, since the 2000s, the reputation of China’s seafood has been tainted by a series of drug residue incidents. The need to ensure food safety, combined with the state’s determination to fulfill its responsibility for animal epidemic control in the aftermath of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and avian flu, forced the government to launch a veterinary system reform. This reform sought to transform quasi-public rural vets into market-sensitive and technology-savvy licensed professionals who can discipline unruly fish farmers. However, the vets encountered many dilemmas in balancing food safety versus drug profits, animal health versus human health, and regulatory imperatives versus the practical exigencies of farmers themselves. The article demonstrates how the neoliberal program of cultivating rational and responsible veterinarians redistributes rather than minimizes the risks that result from market-oriented aquaculture production.
Communication with physicians in hospital rounds: An interview with nurses
Authors: Nedfors Karin , Borg Christel , Fagerström Cecilia
Published: September 2015

A hospital round is a long tradition in which nurses and physicians communicate to develop an integrated plan of care together with the patient. There is insufficient knowledge of care professionals’ experiences of communication during hospital rounds, particularly in surgical units, where the physician is frequently absent during daily care. Hence, the aim of this study was to describe nurses’ experiences of communication with physicians during hospital rounds in a surgical unit. Nine qualitative unstructured interviews with nurses were conducted and analysed using Burnard’s description of content analysis. ‘An encounter involving opportunities for and challenges to teamwork’ was found to be the predominant theme. The hospital round in a surgical unit is a short encounter that can be challenged by missing patient care goals, difficulties in transmitting messages and frustration over unshared information. Further studies are needed to overcome existing knowledge gaps about communication during hospital rounds.