bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Usefulness of Age-Stratified N-Terminal Prohormone of Brain Natriuretic Peptide for Diagnosing Kawasaki Disease
Authors: Lee Sang Hoon , Song Eun Song , Yoon Somy , Hong Seunghee , Cho Hwa Jin , Yang Eun Mi , Eom Gwang Hyeon , Kang Gaeun , Cho Young Kuk
Published: November 2017

N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was recently reported as a biomarker for diagnosing Kawasaki disease (KD). The basal NT-proBNP level, however, gradually decreases with age. We investigated the usefulness of an age-stratified cutoff value of NT-proBNP for diagnosing KD. All the patients enrolled in this study visited Chonnam National University Hospital between December 2007 and March 2016. The KD groups consisted of 214 patients with complete KD and 129 patients with incomplete KD. The control group included 62 children with simple febrile illness but without heart disease. Laboratory data including NT-proBNP level were evaluated. Each group was divided into subgroups according to patient age (<6 months, 6–12 months, 12–24 months, and >24 months), and different cutoff values of NT-proBNP were calculated. The cutoff values of NT-proBNP used to diagnose total KD and incomplete KD were 762 and 762 pg/mL (<6 months), 310 and 310 pg/mL (6–12 months), 326 and 326 pg/mL (12–24 months), and 208 and 137 pg/mL (>24 months), respectively. In conclusion, age-stratified NT-proBNP is a useful biomarker for the differential diagnosis of KD in patients with a simple febrile illness.
Methanol Extract of Holarrhena antidysenterica Inhibits the Growth of Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells and Osteoclastogenesis of Bone Marrow Macrophages
Authors: Yoon Heein , Park Junhee , Park Kwang-Kyun , Kim Jin , Bandara N. Champika , Bandara B. M. R. , Tilakaratne Wanninayake M. , Chung Won-Yoon
Published: November 2017

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) frequently invades mandibular bone, and outcomes for treatment with surgical resection are typically poor, ultimately resulting in death. Holarrhena antidysenterica L. (Apocynaceae), distributed throughout Sri Lanka and India, has been used as a folk remedy to treat various diseases. Treatment with methanol extract of H. antidysenterica bark (HABE) inhibited cell viability and BrdU incorporation and induced apoptotic cell death in Ca9‐22 gingival and HSC‐3 tongue SCC cells. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that HABE treatment preferentially induces apoptotic cell death via increasing the sub‐G1 peak in Ca9‐22 cells and cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase in HSC‐3 cells. HABE treatment in the presence of zVAD‐fmk, a pan‐caspase inhibitor, rescued cell viabilities in both OSCC cell lines. The ratio of Bax to Bcl‐2 increased with reductions in the Bcl‐2 protein expression, and the activation of caspase 3 and subsequent cleavage of PARP was detected in HABE‐treated Ca9‐22 and HSC‐3 cells. Furthermore, HABE treatment at noncytotoxic concentrations inhibited osteoclast formation in RANKL‐stimulated bone marrow macrophages. Taken together, HABE possesses the inhibitory activity on the growth of OSCC cells and antiosteoclastogenic activity. Therefore, HABE may be a promising alternative and complementary agent for preventing and treating OSCC.
TB Risk Perceptions among Medical Residents at a Tertiary Care Center in India
Authors: Pardeshi Geeta S. , Kadam Dileep , Chandanwale Ajay , Deluca Andrea , Khobragade Pranali , Parande Malan , Suryavanshi Nishi , Kinikar Aarti , Basavaraj Anita , Girish Sunita , Shelke Sangita , Gupte Nikhil , Farley Jason , Bollinger Robert
Published: November 2017

Setting. Government tertiary health care center in India.Objective. To understand the perceptions of medical residents about their risk of developing TB in the workplace.Design. Cross-sectional study in which a semistructured questionnaire which included an open-ended question to assess their main concerns regarding TB in workplace was used to collect data.Results. Out of 305 resident doctors approached, 263 (94%) completed a structured questionnaire and 200 of these responded to an open-ended question. Daily exposure to TB was reported by 141 (64%) residents, 13 (5%) reported a prior history of TB, and 175 (69%) respondents were aware of TB infection control guidelines. A majority reported concerns about acquiring TB (78%) and drug-resistant TB (88%). The key themes identified were concerns about developing drug-resistant TB (n=100; 50%); disease and its clinical consequences (n=39; 20%); social and professional consequences (n=37; 19%); exposure to TB patients (n=32; 16%); poor infection control measures (n=27; 14%); and high workload and its health consequences (n=16; 8%).Conclusion. Though many resident doctors were aware of TB infection control guidelines, only few expressed concern about lack of TB infection control measures. Doctors need to be convinced of the importance of these measures which should be implemented urgently.
Effects of Face-to-Face and Telephone-Based Family-Oriented Education on Self-Care Behavior and Patient Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Hemmati Maslakpak Masumeh , Razmara Somaieh , Niazkhani Zahra
Published: November 2017

Background. Education of patients and their families is the cornerstone of effective diabetes care. The present study aimed to compare the effects of a face-to-face and telephone-based family-oriented educational program on self-care behavior and patient outcomes in type 2 diabetes patients. Methods. In the present randomized controlled trial, 90 type 2 diabetes patients were randomly divided into three groups of 30 participants: a face-to-face education group, a telephone-based education group, and a control group. The educational program lasted for 3 months. Outcomes evaluated included self-care, fasting blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, cholesterol, and triglyceride. Results. The overall self-care scores in the intervention groups were significantly higher than that in the control group (P=0.0001). In addition, lipid profiles significantly improved in the interventions compared to the control (P<0.05). Comparing the two interventions showed better results for the face-to-face group regarding dietary adherence and physical activity, but the latter group had comparable results in blood glucose monitoring, foot care, and cholesterol level. Conclusions. This study shows the beneficiary effects of a family-oriented education on self-care and patient outcomes. It also shows the potential value of low-cost telephone technology in delivering effective diabetes care.
PTEN Loss Promotes Intratumoral Androgen Synthesis and Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling via Aberrant Activation of RUNX2 in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Yang Yinhui , Bai Yang , He Yundong , Zhao Yu , Chen Jiaxiang , Ma Linlin , Pan Yunqian , Hinten Michael , Zhang Jun , Karnes R. Jeffrey , Kohli Manish , Westendorf Jennifer J. , Li Benyi , Zhu Runzhi , Huang Haojie , Xu Wanhai
Published: November 2017

Purpose: Intratumoral androgen synthesis (IAS) is a key mechanism promoting androgen receptor (AR) reactivation and antiandrogen resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, signaling pathways driving aberrant IAS remain poorly understood.

Experimental Design: The effect of components of the AKT-RUNX2-osteocalcin (OCN)–GPRC6A–CREB signaling axis on expression of steroidogenesis genes CYP11A1 and CYP17A1 and testosterone level were examined in PTEN-null human prostate cancer cell lines. Pten knockout mice were used to examine the effect of Runx2 heterozygous deletion or abiraterone acetate (ABA), a prodrug of the CYP17A1 inhibitor abiraterone on Cyp11a1 and Cyp17a1 expression, testosterone level and tumor microenvironment (TME) remodeling in vivo.

Results: We uncovered that activation of the AKT–RUNX2–OCN–GPRC6A–CREB signaling axis induced expression of CYP11A1 and CYP17A1 and testosterone production in PTEN-null prostate cancer cell lines in culture. Deletion of Runx2 in Pten homozygous knockout prostate tumors decreased Cyp11a1 and Cyp17a1 expression, testosterone level, and tumor growth in castrated mice. ABA treatment also inhibited testosterone synthesis and alleviated Pten loss-induced tumorigenesis in vivo. Pten deletion induced TME remodeling, but Runx2 heterozygous deletion or ABA treatment reversed the effect of Pten loss by decreasing expression of the collagenase Mmp9.

Conclusions: Abnormal RUNX2 activation plays a pivotal role in PTEN loss-induced IAS and TME remodeling, suggesting that the identified signaling cascade represents a viable target for effective treatment of PTEN-null prostate cancer, including CRPC. Clin Cancer Res; 24(4); 834–46. ©2017 AACR.
Range Extension and Behavioural Observations of the Recently Described Sheth's Dwarf Lemur (Cheirogaleus shethi)
Authors: Hending Daniel , Andrianiaina Angelo , Rakotomalala Zafimahery , Cotton Sam
Published: November 2017

Sheth's dwarf lemur, Cheirogaleus shethi, is a small, recently discovered nocturnal primate endemic to northern Madagascar. Unlike many other nocturnal lemurs, C. shethi lives sympatrically with morphologically similar species of its cryptic genus, making it difficult for biologists to determine its population density and distribution. Here, we present new data and observations of this species. During a series of rapid biodiversity assessments in the SAVA region of north-eastern Madagascar, we observed C. shethi in 10 different sites, 9 of which were not previously known to harbour C. shethi populations. More significantly, 2 of these sites, in Analamanara, were situated approximately 20 km south of the previously known southern extremity of this species' distribution. This represents a large increase in the previously limited geographic range of this species. Moreover, our relatively high encounter rates at these sites suggest that C. shethi population densities may be high. We also observed C. shethi in human-altered (e.g., vanilla plantations) and non-forest, savannah environments, suggesting that this species can tolerate disturbed habitats. Our findings therefore provide important additional information on the distribution of C. shethi populations and highlight the necessity of further study for the conservation of this species.
The Protean Neuropsychiatric and Vestibuloauditory Manifestations of Neurosarcoidosis
Authors: Greene Jacqueline J. , Naumann Ilka C. , Poulik Janet M. , Nella Kevin T. , Weberling Lindsay , Harris Jeffrey P. , Matsuoka Akihiro J.
Published: November 2017

Background: A rare subset of sarcoidosis, neurosarcoidosis, is reported to occur in 5-7% of sarcoid patients and can manifest in a variety of ways. The most common are facial paralysis and optic neuritis, less commonly causing cochleovestibulopathy, blindness, anosmia, and other cranial nerve (CN) palsies. The sensory deficit may be severe and psychiatric symptoms may result from the effects of the disease or steroid treatment. Although MRI-compatible cochlear implants are now available, concerns about the feasibility of recoverable hearing with cochlear implantation in these patients as well as the practical difficulty of disease monitoring due to implant artifact must be considered. Results: We present 3 recent cases from different institutions. The first is a 39-year-old man with a history of progressively worsening hearing loss, followed by visual loss, delusions, agitation, ataxia, and musical auditory hallucinations, diffuse leptomeningeal enhancement on MRI with a normal serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) level but elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ACE levels, suggesting neurosarcoidosis, was treated with corticosteroids, and underwent successful cochlear implantation. The second is a 36-year-old woman with rapid-onset horizontal diplopia, left mixed severe sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and tinnitus, diffuse leptomeningeal enhancement on MRI, and progressive palsy of the left CNs IV, VI, VII, IX, X and XI, with altered mental status requiring admission following high-dose intravenous corticosteroids. The third is a 15-year-old boy who presented with sudden, bilateral, profound SNHL, recurrent headaches, and left facial weakness refractory to antivirals, ultimately diagnosed with neurosarcoidosis following an aborted cochlear implantation where diffuse inflammation was found, and histopathology revealed Schaumann bodies; he was treated with methotrexate and later underwent successful cochlear implantation. Conclusions: Neurosarcoidosis is an elusive diagnosis and can cause hearing loss and psychiatric symptoms. Cochlear implantation for patients with severe hearing loss should be considered once the diagnosis is confirmed, as it is possible to achieve a successful level of hearing. Psychiatric symptoms can manifest with the onset of neurosarcoidosis, result from CN deficits, or develop as a side effect from long-term, high-dose corticosteroids, and should be monitored carefully in patients with neurosarcoidosis.
Cylindromatosis (CYLD), a Deubiquitinase, Attenuates Inflammatory Signaling Pathways by Activating Toll-Like Receptor 3 in Human Mesangial Cells
Authors: Imaizumi Tadaatsu , Hayakari Ryo , Watanabe Shojiro , Aizawa Tomomi , Matsumiya Tomoh , Yoshida Hidemi , Tsuruga Kazushi , Kawaguchi Shogo , Tanaka Hiroshi
Published: November 2017

Background/Aims: Cylindromatosis (CYLD), a deubiquitinase, negatively regulates nuclear factor-κB in various cells. However, its potential roles in glomerular inflammation remain unclear. Because the activation of the Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3)/type I interferon (IFN) pathways plays a pivotal role in chronic kidney diseases (CKD), we examined the role of CYLD in the TLR3 signaling in cultured human mesangial cells (MCs). Methods: We stimulated CYLD-silenced MCs with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly IC), a synthetic analogue of dsRNA, and studied representative TLR3/IFN-β pathways (i.e., TLR3/IFN-β/retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)/CCL5, and TLR3/IFN-β/melanoma differentiation associated gene 5 (MDA5)/CXCL10 axes) using RT-PCR, western blotting, and ELISA. We also used immunofluorescence staining and microscopy to examine mesangial CYLD expression in biopsied specimens from patients with CKD. Results: CYLD silencing resulted in an increase of poly IC-induced RIG-I and MDA5 protein levels and increased CCL5 and CXCL10 mRNA and protein expression, but unexpectedly decreased mRNA expressions of RIG-I and MDA5. Interestingly, CYLD silencing did not affect IFN-β or the phosphorylated STAT1 (signal transducers and activator of transcription protein 1). CYLD was highly expressed in biopsied specimens from patients with proliferative lupus nephritis (LN). Conclusion: CYLD inhibits post-transcriptional regulation of RIG-I and MDA5 expression following TLR3 activation in MCs. CYLD may be involved in the pathogenesis of CKD, especially pathogenesis of LN.
Pericardial Adipose Tissue Regulates Granulopoiesis, Fibrosis, and Cardiac Function After Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Horckmans Michael , Bianchini Mariaelvy , Santovito Donato , Megens Remco T.A. , Springael Jean-Yves , Negri Irene , Vacca Michele , Di Eusanio Marco , Moschetta Antonio , Weber Christian , Duchene Johan , Steffens Sabine
Published: November 2017

Background:

The pericardial adipose tissue (AT) contains a high density of lymphoid clusters. It is unknown whether these clusters play a role in post–myocardial infarction (MI) inflammatory responses and cardiac outcome.

Methods:

Lymphoid clusters were examined in epicardial AT of humans with or without coronary artery disease. Murine pericardial lymphoid clusters were visualized in mice subjected to coronary artery ligation. To study the relevance of pericardial clusters during inflammatory responses after MI, we surgically removed the pericardial AT and performed B-cell depletion and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor blockade. Leukocytes in murine hearts, pericardial AT, spleen, mediastinal lymph nodes, and bone marrow were quantified by flow cytometry. Cannabinoid receptor CB2 (CB2
–/–
) mice were used as a model for enhanced B-cell responses. The effect of impaired dendritic cell (DC) trafficking on pericardial AT inflammatory responses was tested in CCR7
–/–
mice subjected to MI. Cardiac fibrosis and ventricular function were assessed by histology and echocardiography.

Results:

We identified larger B-cell clusters in epicardial AT of human patients with coronary artery disease in comparison with controls without coronary artery disease. Infarcted mice also had larger pericardial clusters and 3-fold upregulated numbers of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor–producing B cells within pericardial AT, but not spleen or lymph nodes. This was associated with higher DC and T-cell counts in pericardial AT, which outnumbered DCs and T cells in lymph nodes. Analysis of DC maturation markers, tracking experiments with fluorescently labeled cells, and use of CCR7-deficient mice suggested that activated DCs migrate from infarcts into pericardial AT via CCR7. B-cell depletion or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor neutralization inhibited DC and T-cell expansion within pericardial AT, and translated into reduced bone marrow granulopoiesis and cardiac neutrophil infiltration 3 days after MI. The relevance of the pericardial AT in mediating all these effects was confirmed by removal of pericardial AT and ex vivo coculture with pericardial AT and granulocyte progenitors. Finally, enhanced fibrosis and worsened ejection fraction in CB2
–/–
mice were limited by pericardial AT removal.

Conclusions:

Our findings unveil a new mechanism by which the pericardial AT coordinates immune cell activation, granulopoiesis, and outcome after MI.
Ischemic Stroke Profile, Risk Factors, and Outcomes in India
Authors: Sylaja P.N. , Pandian Jeyaraj Durai , Kaul Subhash , Srivastava M.V. Padma , Khurana Dheeraj , Schwamm Lee H. , Kesav Praveen , Arora Deepti , Pannu Aman , Thankachan Tijy K. , Singhal Aneesh B.
Published: November 2017

Background and Purpose—

The Indo-US Collaborative Stroke Project was designed to characterize ischemic stroke across 5 high-volume academic tertiary hospitals in India.

Methods—

From January 2012 to August 2014, research coordinators and physician coinvestigators prospectively collected data on 2066 patients with ischemic stroke admitted <2 weeks after onset. Investigator training and supervision and data monitoring were conducted by the US site (Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston).

Results—

The mean age was 58.3±14.7 years, 67.2% men. The median admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 10 (interquartile range, 5–15) and 24.5% had National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ≥16. Hypertension (60.8%), diabetes mellitus (35.7%), and tobacco use (32.2%, including bidi/smokeless tobacco) were common risk factors. Only 4% had atrial fibrillation. All patients underwent computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging; 81% had cerebrovascular imaging. Stroke etiologic subtypes were large artery (29.9%), cardiac (24.9%), small artery (14.2%), other definite (3.4%), and undetermined (27.6%, including 6.7% with incomplete evaluation). Intravenous or intra-arterial thrombolysis was administered in 13%. In-hospital mortality was 7.9%, and 48% achieved modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 2 at 90 days. On multivariate analysis, diabetes mellitus predicted poor 3-month outcome and younger age, lower admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and small-artery etiology predicted excellent 3-month outcome.

Conclusions—

These comprehensive and novel clinical imaging data will prove useful in refining stroke guidelines and advancing stroke care in India.
Feedforward Approximations to Dynamic Recurrent Network Architectures
Authors: Muir Dylan R.
Published: November 2017

Recurrent neural network architectures can have useful computational properties, with complex temporal dynamics and input-sensitive attractor states. However, evaluation of recurrent dynamic architectures requires solving systems of differential equations, and the number of evaluations required to determine their response to a given input can vary with the input or can be indeterminate altogether in the case of oscillations or instability. In feedforward networks, by contrast, only a single pass through the network is needed to determine the response to a given input. Modern machine learning systems are designed to operate efficiently on feedforward architectures. We hypothesized that two-layer feedforward architectures with simple, deterministic dynamics could approximate the responses of single-layer recurrent network architectures. By identifying the fixed-point responses of a given recurrent network, we trained two-layer networks to directly approximate the fixed-point response to a given input. These feedforward networks then embodied useful computations, including competitive interactions, information transformations, and noise rejection. Our approach was able to find useful approximations to recurrent networks, which can then be evaluated in linear and deterministic time complexity.
Refusing Treatment Prior to Becoming Incapacitated: Supported Decision-making as an Approach in Advance Directives
Authors: Chan Hui Yun
Published: November 2017

Advance directives (ads) provide people with the opportunity to express their wishes about treatment preferences prior to becoming incapacitated. While the normative logic behind ads remain straightforward, as instruments of law they are not always effective because of questions about their validity and applicability. It is on this basis that this article attempts to resolve the legal intricacies on ads refusing treatment prior to becoming incapacitated. The author advances a thesis in support of a modification of an approach known as supported decision-making to facilitate people in making ads. This approach pre-empts most of the doubts about an ad’s validity. The argument is founded on the presumption that an ad made using the supported decision-making approach provides a higher degree of assurance about the circumstances surrounding the making of ads, rendering it more likely to be binding on healthcare professionals.
Contributions to the taxonomy of Vilga Stål (Hemiptera, Coreidae, Pseudophloeinae) with the description of a new species from southern Brazil
Authors: COSTA WANESSA DA SILVA , BARCELLOS ALINE
Published: November 2017

A new species belonging to the subgenus Laevivilga is described, as well as the female of Vilga (L.) sanctipauli and male of V. (L.) brasiliensis that were unknown until now. We complement original descriptions, update the distribution records and include the new species in the Dolling’s identification key to species of Vilga.
Schistura larketensis, a new cavernicolous fish (Teleostei: Nemacheilidae) from Meghalaya, Northeast India
Authors: CHOUDHURY HRISHIKESH , MUKHIM D. KHLUR B. , BASUMATARY SUDEM , WARBAH DEISAKEE P. , SARMA DANDADHAR
Published: November 2017

Schistura larketensis, a new species of cavernicolous loach, is described from Khung, a limestone cave in Meghalaya, India. The species differs from Schistura papulifera, its only troglomorphic congener from northeast India, in having a smooth ventral surface of the head, the presence of a small cylindrical axillary pelvic lobe, and the presence of three pores in the supratemporal canal of the cephalic lateral-line system. Apart from these differences, the species can be immediately distinguished from all other species of Schistura from the Brahmaputra River and neighboring basins by the complete absence (or only vestigial presence) of eyes.
Annotated checklist of aquatic beetles (Coleoptera) and true bugs (Heteroptera) in the Azores Islands: new records and corrections of colonization status
Authors: LAMELAS-LÓPEZ LUCAS , RAPOSEIRO PEDRO MIGUEL , BORGES PAULO A. V. , FLORENCIO MARGARITA
Published: November 2017

In comparison with other Macaronesian archipelagos, Azorean freshwater macroinvertebrates are characterized by a smaller list of species at the archipelago regional scale. Although knowledge of the freshwater fauna of the Azores has improved in recent years through the implementation of the "Water Framework Directive", we are still far from having a complete inventory and even further from knowing the precise distribution and biology of each species. The lack of knowledge about Azorean freshwater species is coupled with the vulnerability of their habitats to anthropogenic disturbances and the introduction of non-native species. In contributing to overcome Wallacean and Hutchinsonian biodiversity shortfalls, we here provide expanded knowledge on the distribution and biology of the freshwater species of Coleoptera and Heteroptera in the Azores. We compile data from various fieldwork performed between 2006 and 2014, encompassing four islands in the archipelago. We detected new records of two aquatic Heteroptera species (belonging to the families Corixidae and Notonectidae) and six of aquatic Coleoptera (belonging to the families Dytiscidae, Gyrinidae, Hydrophilidae and Hydraenidae) in these islands, and also a new record (Enochrus fuscipennis) for the Azorean archipelago. We also suggest that the introduced colonization status of three Coleoptera species of the family Hydrophilidae should be reformulated as possibly native, with implications for conservation.
Impact of Traditional Versus Flavored Tongue Depressors on Pediatric Oropharynx Exam
Authors: Murray Brian , Gore Marina , Leonard Nicole R. , Pearson Nadia M. , Johnson Jeremiah J. , April Michael D.
Published: November 2017

We compared patient-reported discomfort associated with oropharynx examination using traditional (unflavored) versus flavored tongue depressors among pediatric patients presenting to the emergency department in a single-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized trial using a convenience sample ages 3 to 12 years. Our primary outcome was patient discomfort. Secondary outcomes included provider perceptions of patient discomfort, provider-reported examination ease, and caregiver perceptions of patient discomfort. Of 96 recruited patients, 92 (95.8%) completed the study. Forty-six (50%) were randomized to a traditional tongue depressor. Mean patient-reported oropharynx examination discomfort scores were 2.3 cm (95% confidence interval = 1.4-3.2 cm) with traditional tongue depressors versus 1.9 cm (95% confidence interval = 1.0-2.8 cm) with flavored tongue depressors ( P = .72). There were similarly no significant differences between the 2 arms with regard to any of the secondary outcomes. We conclude that the use of flavored tongue depressors does not appear to significantly alleviate discomfort associated with examination of the oropharynx in pediatric patients.
State-Nation Dilemma and Kurdish Issue: Crisis of Governability in West Asia
Authors: Singh Ripu Sudan
Published: November 2017

Ever since the signing of the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, the process of state and nation making in modern times is going on. The collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991 and post-Cold War period saw the emergence of fifteen new states and several other sovereign states from the ruins of Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia in Eastern Europe. The problems of governance and political legitimacy are directly linked with the demand for new nation-states globally. The threats unleashed by interstate Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) in Syria and Iraq have substantially posed problems of governance and legitimacy threatening the survival of several states in the Middle East. The question of nation-state was almost accepted as resolved and settled in the region but the end of Cold War and Soviet collapse again brought the issue on the global forefront and the political structure of several states have been challenged. The state-centred, faith-centred and ethnicity-centred forces are confronting each other and the nation-state dilemma has got more pronounced and complicated, as states are not in a position to manage the nations within. This article tries to probe the issues of governance, political legitimacy and gross violation of basic human rights of the ethno-national groups, minority ethnic groups and weaker sections of society. It also makes an attempt to look for and devise certain alternatives and methods to resolve the dilemma of nation-state in the Middle East in general and drawing lessons for the rest of the globe. The Kurdish issue may be taken as a case study which has once again become a matter of deep concern and its timely resolution has drawn worldwide attention and concern. The survival of a large number of people is at stake as a result of the nation-state dilemma, and if this is not properly taken care of, it will spread globally and affect world peace and order.
Influence of patch length and thickness on strength and stiffness of patched laminates
Authors: Horn Bernhard , Neumayer Johannes , Drechsler Klaus
Published: November 2017

Composite laminates made of fiber patches offer a large flexibility in terms of layup design. Geometrical layup parameters such as patch length and patch thickness are unique for this type of laminates. This article presents results on the investigation of the influence of patch length and patch thickness on the tensile strength and stiffness properties of patched laminates to contribute to the material understanding. The results show that an increasing of patch thickness leads to a drastic reduction in tensile strength of up to 48.7% for a triplication in patch thickness. The patch length was varied between 20 and 120 mm. Up to 60 mm, the tensile strength increased by 11.5%, further increase did not contribute to a further improved tensile strength. The influence of patch length and patch thickness on the stiffness was found to have only a minor effect. A three-dimensional numerical model that accounts for delamination failure using cohesive zone elements shows very good correlation with the experimental results. This shows its potential for virtual testing to determine tensile strength and stiffness properties of patched laminates without additional testing effort.
Hemp reinforcement in lightweight geopolymers
Authors: Galzerano B , Formisano A , Durante M , Iucolano F , Caputo D , Liguori B
Published: November 2017

Natural fibres have been widely studied as environment-friendly alternative to synthetic ones in composite manufacturing; they can be considered as reinforcement of geopolymeric foams for use as insulating materials. In this regard, the paper focuses on lightweight geopolymers reinforced with hemp fibre grids. These novel composite materials, produced in different ways, are characterized by means of wide experimental tests and their properties are compared with the ones of the plain geopolymer. Morphological analysis shows good bonding between the matrix and the hemp reinforcement; in addition, the main physical properties of the foam are not negatively affected by the presence of hemp fibres. From a mechanical point of view, the composites when subjected to quasi-static load conditions do not collapse in a brittle manner, and show improved flexural strength under dynamic load conditions. Finally, from thermal analysis, they guarantee a good thermal stability.
Political Socialisation and Regime Change: How the Right Ceased to be Wrong in Post-1974 Greece
Authors: Dinas Elias
Published: November 2017

In established democracies, parties provide ideological cues either with their policy stances or with their social group affiliations. In new democracies, these signals are still ambiguous. What determines the meaning attached to ideological labels in such circumstances? Existing explanations emphasise country-specific ethno-linguistic cleavages. I propose a different explanation, which rests on the ideological legacy of the authoritarian past. Dictatorships are linked either to the left or to the right. This association between ideology and the authoritarian past persists after the democratic transition, distorting people’s perceptions of the meaning of ideological labels. This distortion translates into a bias against the ideology of the dictator. As the party system consolidates, however, the role of history is overcome by the accumulation of democratic experience. Focusing on the case of Greece, I propose a modelling framework to test the presence of this bias, its observational implications and its evolution along the process of party system consolidation.
The economy of publications and citations in educational research: What about the ‘Anglophone bias’?
Authors: Fejes Andreas , Nylander Erik
Published: November 2017

In this piece, we argue that an economy of publication and citations has emerged that not only changes the notion of what is deemed quality in educational research but also changes the incentives of us as researchers. With pressure on publishing in 'international’ journals, education researchers are increasingly pushed to publish their research in the article format, and for many, in their second or third language (English). Additionally, we are to direct the research to an audience who might not at all be interested or knowledgeable about the context under scrutiny. With such pressure to publish in English-language journals, the question of who is allowed to publish and who is cited is of paramount significance. Based on our own empirical research on the adult educational research field as well as other bibliometric research, we propose that there is an ‘Anglophone’ bias in educational research. We end with a discussion on the implications of the current trend to publish in indexed English-language journals and suggest that ‘Anglophone’ as well as non-Anglophone scholars need to start citing other scholars than those from the dominating ‘Anglophone’ countries in order to further enhance knowledge and debate within education. The ultimate irony of the developments described in this piece is that the researchers from non-Anglophone countries actively engage in a publication game that underscores their own subordination.
Early childhood sexuality education: Future educators’ attitudes and considerations
Authors: Brouskeli Vasiliki , Sapountzis Antonis
Published: November 2017

Sexuality education is one of the most disputable health education programs as far as its inclusion in Early Childhood Education is concerned. This study was conducted in order to investigate early childhood future educators’ attitudes and considerations about introducing sexuality education to their future pupils. We used a qualitative research method: semi-structured interviews for two groups of students in the Department of Educational Studies in Early Childhood, University of Northern Greece. The results revealed that the students who had chosen and successfully completed a course about early childhood sexuality education were the ones who indicated the subject as one of the basic ones to be taught in the kindergarten. Furthermore, they expressed their considerations about Greek bibliography’s lag in this field. Finally, they exhibited more readiness to introduce sexuality education to their future pupils than the rest of the students did. Students who had not attended a relative course referred to developmentally inappropriate subject areas, showing their inability or even riskiness to introduce sexuality to their pupils. The results suggested the students’ need for relevant theoretical as well as practical education.
Associations Between Waiting Times, Service Times, and Patient Satisfaction in an Endocrinology Outpatient Department: A Time Study and Questionnaire Survey
Authors: Xie Zhenzhen , Or Calvin
Published: November 2017

The issue of long patient waits has attracted increasing public attention due to the negative effects of waiting on patients’ satisfaction with health care. The present study examined the associations between actual waiting time, perceived acceptability of waiting time, actual service time, perceived acceptability of service time, actual visit duration, and the level of patient satisfaction with care. We conducted a cross-sectional time study and questionnaire survey of endocrinology outpatients visiting a major teaching hospital in China. Our results show that actual waiting time was negatively associated with patient satisfaction regarding several aspects of the care they received. Also, patients who were less satisfied with the sociocultural atmosphere and the identity-oriented approach to their care tended to perceive the amounts of time they spent waiting and receiving care as less acceptable. It is not always possible to prevent dissatisfaction with waiting, or to actually reduce waiting times by increasing resources such as increased staffing. However, several improvements in care services can be considered. Our suggestions include providing clearer, more transparent information to keep patients informed about the health care services that they may receive, and the health care professionals who are responsible for those services. We also suggest that care providers are encouraged to continue to show empathy and respect for patients, that patients are provided with private areas where they can talk with health professionals and no one can overhear, and that hospital staff treat the family members or friends who accompany patients in a courteous and friendly way.
Revisiting Senapur: Reflections on Agrarian Changes in North India
Authors: Trivedi Prashant K.
Published: November 2017

Through a revisit study in 2013, this article attempts to explore agrarian relations in Senapur, a village located in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Research reveals that landlessness remains concentrated amongst dalits as does the continuing hold of ‘upper castes’ on land. When inheritance acts as the primary mode of transfer of landed property in the absence of market-mediated and state-mediated transactions, two results are evident: a decrease in the size of holdings due to the subdivision of property and simultaneously the land remains with the original group of land owners resulting in continuing group inequalities. Given this skewed landownership pattern, one-fifth of the total input cost in cultivation by the landless class is usurped by the landed class in the form of land rent. Another interesting feature of agrarian relations that is observed is the occasional rise in cash agricultural wages which accompany falling incomes from agricultural labour wages. The study also reveals that the ‘eradication of the small farmers’ is not a perceptible phenomenon in Senapur with farming families augmenting their income from other sources to keep their small farms going. The biggest change appears in the composition of the labour force marked by a massive movement from agriculture to construction in the last one decade.
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia causing blood stream infection in neonates and infants: a cause for concern
Authors: Sah Rinku , Siwakoti Shraddha , Baral Ratna , Rajbhandari Rupa S , Khanal Basuda
Published: November 2017

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia ( S. maltophilia) is an important Gram-negative, non-fermentative, multidrug resistant (MDR) nosocomial organism. We evaluated the isolation of S. maltophilia from the seven blood culture specimens received from the Paediatric Emergency Department (PED) of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) over the duration of two weeks. The suspicion of a possible outbreak was raised and the hospital infection control team investigated the source and found the hand of one healthcare provider harbouring a similar organism. All six steps of hand hygiene were subsequently strictly enforced after which the same bacteria were no longer isolated. Infection control measures should be rigorously adopted for the control of such nosocomial bacteria.
Evaluation Influence: The Evaluation Event and Capital Flow in International Development
Authors: Bell David A.
Published: November 2017

Background:

Assessing program effectiveness in human development is central to informing foreign aid policy-making and organizational learning. Foreign aid effectiveness discussions have increasingly given attention to the devaluing effects of aid flow volatility. This study reveals that the external evaluation event influences actor behavior, serving as a volatility-constraining tool.

Method:

A case study of a multidonor aid development mechanism served examining the influence of an evaluation event when considering anticipatory effects. The qualitative component used text and focus group data combined with individual interview data (organizations n = 10, including 26 individuals). Quantitative data included financial information on all 75 capital investments. The integrated theory of influence and model of alternative mechanisms used these components to identify the linkage between the evaluation event and capital flow volatility.

Results:

Aid approved in the year of the midterm evaluation was disbursed by the mechanism with low capital volatility. Anticipating the evaluation event influenced behavior resulting in an empirical record that program outcomes were enhanced and the mechanism was an improved organization.

Implications:

Formative evaluations in a development program can trigger activity as an interim process. That activity provides for a more robust assessment of ultimate consequence of interest. Anticipating an evaluation can stimulate donor reality testing. The findings inform and strengthen future research on the influence of anticipating an evaluation. Closely examining activities before, during, and shortly after the evaluation event can aid development of other systematic methods to improve understanding this phenomenon, as well as improve donor effectiveness strategies.
Hospital-Based Physicians’ Intubation Decisions and Associated Mental Models when Managing a Critically and Terminally Ill Older Patient
Authors: Haliko Shannon , Downs Julie , Mohan Deepika , Arnold Robert , Barnato Amber E.
Published: November 2017

Background. Variation in the intensity of acute care treatment at the end of life is influenced more strongly by hospital and provider characteristics than patient preferences. Objective. We sought to describe physicians’ mental models (i.e., thought processes) when encountering a simulated critically and terminally ill older patient, and to compare those models based on whether their treatment plan was patient preference-concordant or preference-discordant. Methods. Seventy-three hospital-based physicians from 3 academic medical centers engaged in a simulated patient encounter and completed a mental model interview while watching the video recording of their encounter. We used an “expert” model to code the interviews. We then used Kruskal–Wallis tests to compare the weighted mental model themes of physicians who provided preference-concordant treatment with those who provided preference-discordant treatment. Results. Sixty-six (90%) physicians provided preference-concordant treatment and 7 (10%) provided preference-discordant treatment (i.e., they intubated the patient). Physicians who intubated the patient were more likely to emphasize the reversible and emergent nature of the patient situation (z = −2.111, P = 0.035), their own comfort (z = −2.764, P = 0.006), and rarely focused on explicit patient preferences (z = 2.380, P = 0.017). Limitations. Post-decisional interviewing with audio/video prompting may induce hindsight bias. The expert model has not yet been validated and may not be exhaustive. The small sample size limits generalizability and power. Conclusions. Hospital-based physicians providing preference-discordant used a different mental model for decision making for a critically and terminally ill simulated case. These differences may offer targets for future interventions to promote preference-concordant care for seriously ill patients.
The Imperial Sociology of the ‘Tribe’ in Afghanistan
Authors: Manchanda Nivi
Published: November 2017

The ‘tribe’ is a notion intimately related to the study of Afghanistan, used as a generic signifier for all things Afghan, it is through this notion that the co-constitution of coloniser and colonised is crystallised and foregrounded in Afghanistan. By tracing the way in which the term ‘tribe’ has been deployed in the Afghan context, the article performs two kinds of intellectual labour. First, by following the evolution of a concept from its use in the early 19th century to the literature on Afghanistan in the 21st century, wherein the ‘tribes’ seem to have acquired a newfound importance, it undertakes a genealogy or intellectual history of the term. The Afghan ‘tribes’ as an object of study, follow an interesting trajectory: initially likened to Scottish clans, they were soon seen as brave and loyal men but fundamentally different from their British interlocutors, to a ‘problem’ that needed to be managed and finally, as indispensable to a long-term ‘Afghan strategy’. And second, it endeavours to describe how that intellectual history is intimately connected to the exigencies of imperialism and the colonial politics of knowledge production.
The Efficacy of Naikan Therapy on Male Offenders: Changes in Perceived Social Support and Externalized Blame
Authors: Ding Xinfang , Liu Zhongzhao , Cao Guangjian , Wei Shiwei , Qiu Zipeng , Wang Kelai , Guo Xiaodi , Di Zhigang , Ren Peng , Fucha Haoqian
Published: November 2017

Naikan is a contemplative self-observation practice that originated from Japanese Shin Buddhism and is utilized for rehabilitating prison inmates in many countries. Although some investigations have provided initial evidence for its efficiency in decreasing recidivism, there is still a need for further investigation of the effectiveness of Naikan on other outcomes through more controlled studies. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of Naikan therapy on male offenders’ perceived social support and externalized blame. Ninety-two male offenders were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or to the waiting group. All participants were evaluated by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Externalization subscale of the Test of Self-Conscious Affect before and after Naikan therapy. The results suggested that participants who received Naikan therapy showed higher levels of perceived social support and lower levels of externalized blame after Naikan therapy than before.
Local pro-inflammatory cytokine and nitric oxide responses are elevated in patients with pterygium
Authors: Zidi S , Bediar-Boulaneb F , Belguendouz H , Belkhelfa M , Medjeber O , Laouar O , Henchiri C , Touil-Boukoffa C
Published: November 2017

Pterygium is a common ocular surface disease observed in humans. Chronic ultraviolet (UV) exposure is extensively recognized as an aetiological factor in the pathogenesis of this disease. This hypothesis is sustained by epidemiological and histopathological data in relation to UV injured skin. Although some findings have indicated that genetic factors, anti-apoptotic and immunological mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of pterygium, the mechanism by which it develops remains poorly understood. In this study, we analysed the in vivo production of IL-17A, IL-6, IL-10 and nitric oxide (NO) in the tears and sera from Algerian patients. Interestingly, we observed that IL-6, IL-17A and NO production in the tears and sera of all patients was strongly associated with inflammatory infiltration, NOS2, NF-κB and Bcl2 expression in pterygia biopsies. Collectively, our results indicate a relationship between local inflammation and anti-apoptotic processes in pterygium disease, leading to both tissue damage and enhanced cellular proliferation.