bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acute Kidney Injury Risk Assessment and the Nephrology Rapid Response Team
Authors: Rizo-Topete Lilia Maria , Rosner Mitchell H. , Ronco Claudio
Published: December 2016

Acute kidney Injury (AKI) is a serious medical condition affecting more than 10 million people around the world annually and resulting in poor outcomes. It has been suggested that late recognition of the syndrome may lead to delayed interventions with increased morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and timely therapeutic strategies may be the cornerstone of future improvement in outcomes. The purpose of this article is to provide a practical model to identify patients at high risk for AKI in different environments, with the goal to prevent AKI. We describe the AKI Risk Assessment (ARA) as a proposed algorithm that systematically evaluates the patient in high-risk situations of AKI in a simple way no matter where the patient is located, and allows different medical specialists to approach patients as a team with a nephrologist to improve outcomes. The goal of the nephrology rapid response team (NRRT) is to prevent AKI or start treatment if AKI is already diagnosed as a consequence of progressive events that can lead to progressive deterioration of kidney tissues and eventual decline in renal function and to ensure appropriate follow-up of patients at risk for progressive chronic kidney disease after the episode of AKI. Prevention is the key to avoid mortality and morbidity associated with AKI. Integration of these assessment tools in a global methodology that includes a multi-disciplinary team (NRRT) is critical to success. Video Journal Club ‘Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco' at http://www.karger.com/?doi=452402.
Mechanism of Sex Determination in Humans: Insights from Disorders of Sex Development
Authors: Bashamboo Anu , McElreavey Ken
Published: December 2016

In this review we will consider the gene mutations responsible for the non-syndromic forms of disorders of sex development (DSD) and how recent genetic findings are providing insights into the mechanism of sex determination. High-throughput sequencing technologies are having a major impact on our understanding of the genetic basis of rare human disorders, including DSD. The study of human DSD is progressively revealing subtle differences in the genetics of the sex-determining system between the mouse and the human. This plasticity of the sex-determining pathway is apparent in (a) the difference in phenotypes in human and mouse associated with the same gene, (b) the different gene regulatory mechanisms between human and mouse, and finally (c) the different and unexpected reproductive phenotypes seen in association with mutations in well-studied sex-determining genes.
An 11.4-Mb Interstitial Deletion in a Fetus with No Apparent Phenotypic Alterations
Authors: Guanciali-Franchi Paolo , Celentano Claudio , Alfonsi Melissa , Palka Chiara , Di Pasqua Giulietta , Matarrelli Barbara , Palka Giandomenico
Published: December 2016

A prenatal case of a de novo interstitial deletion distal to 8q24 was reported. Ultrasound examination and postmortem evaluation demonstrated no apparent phenotypic alterations. Array CGH showed an 11.4-Mb loss in chromosome 8 ranging from 8q24.13 to 8q24.23. This case partially overlaps the 2 cases previously described in the literature.
In Vitro Effects of HAS-2 Gene Silencing on the Proliferation and Apoptosis of the MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cell Line
Authors: Zhang Hong-Yan , Liang Feng , Wang Fei , Zhang Jian-Wei , Wang Li , Kang Xi-Gang , Wang Jie , Duan Qi-Liu
Published: December 2016

Background: Breast cancer is characterized by a distinct metastatic pattern involving the regional lymph nodes, bone marrow, lung and liver. This study is aimed to investigate the effects of silencing the HAS-2 gene on the proliferation and apoptosis of human breast cancer cells. Methods: MCF-7 cells were collected and assigned into control, scrambled siRNA and HAS-2- siRNA groups. After transfection, the morphological changes in the MCF-7 cells were observed using phase contrast microscopy. qRT-PCR and Western blot assays were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of apoptosis-related proteins. CCK-8 and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate cell proliferation, the cell cycle and apoptosis. Results: In the control and the scrambled siRNA groups, cells grew adhered to the wall and mainly showed a spindle shape with a clear nucleolus. Compared with the control and scrambled siRNA groups, increases in the number of cells in early apoptosis and metaphase cells in apoptosis were observed in the HAS-2-siRNA group. The HAS-2-siRNA group showed decreased expression of HAS-2 relative to that in the control and scrambled siRNA groups. No significant differences in cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution or apoptosis were noted between the control and scrambled siRNA groups. In the HAS-2-siRNA group, the cell proliferation ability decreased significantly, but the number of cells in the G0/G1 stage, the number of apoptotic cells and the expression of caspase-3 and caspase-9 increased significantly. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that HAS-2 gene silencing may inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line.
rs1501299 Polymorphism in the Adiponectin Gene and Their Association with Total Adiponectin Levels, Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Syndrome in Obese Subjects
Authors: de Luis Daniel Antonio , Izaola Olatz , de la Fuente Beatriz , Primo David , Fernandez Ovalle Hilda , Romero Enrique
Published: December 2016

Background and Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the association of single nucleotide polymorphism rs1501299 in the ADIPOQ gene with body weight, insulin resistance, serum adipokine levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Methods: The study involved a population of 1,007 adult obese subjects. Parameters like body weight, fat mass, waist circumferences, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, C-reactive protein, insulin concentration, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), lipid profile and adipocytokines levels (leptin, adiponectin and resistin) were all measured. The genotype of ADIPOQ gene polymorphism (rs1501299) was evaluated. Results: Insulin levels (GG: 13.6 ± 5.1 mUI/l vs. GT: 14.1 ± 5.2 mUI/l vs. TT: 16.6 ± 5.2 mUI/l; p < 0.05) and HOMA-IR (GG: 3.3 ± 1.5 units vs. GT: 4.1 ± 1.1 units vs. TT: 4.5 ± 1.3 units; p < 0.05) were higher in T-allele carriers than they were in non-T-allele carriers. Total adiponectin levels (GG: 20.2 ± 2.4 ng/dl vs. GT: 15.8 ± 3.4 ng/dl vs. TT: 13.7 ± 1.4 ng/dl; p < 0.05) were lower in T-allele carriers than they were in non-T-allele carriers. Logistic regression analysis indicated that subjects with T allele were associated with an increased risk of MetS (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.08-1.25, p = 0.033) and an increased risk of hyperglycemia (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.37-2.55, p = 0.028) after adjusting by age and gender. Conclusions: These data suggest an important role of this ADIPOQ variant at position +276 on insulin resistance, total adiponectin levels and MetS.
MicroRNA-146a Induces Lineage-Negative Bone Marrow Cell Apoptosis and Senescence by Targeting Polo-Like Kinase 2 Expression
Authors: Deng Shanming , Wang Huilan , Jia Chunling , Zhu Shoukang , Chu Xianming , Ma Qi , Wei Jianqin , Chen Emily , Zhu Wei , Macon Conrad J. , Jayaweera Dushyantha T. , Dykxhoorn Derek M. , Dong Chunming
Published: December 2016

Objective—

Lineage-negative bone marrow cells (lin− BMCs) are enriched in endothelial progenitor cells and mediate vascular repair. Aging-associated senescence and apoptosis result in reduced number and functionality of lin− BMCs, impairing their prorepair capacity. The molecular mechanisms underlying lin− BMC senescence and apoptosis are poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate many important biological processes. The identification of miRNA-mRNA networks that modulate the health and functionality of lin− BMCs is a critical step in understanding the process of vascular repair. The aim of this study was to characterize the role of the miR-146a–Polo-like kinase 2 (Plk2) network in regulating lin− BMC senescence, apoptosis, and their angiogenic capability.

Approach and Results—

Transcriptome analysis in lin− BMCs isolated from young and aged wild-type and ApoE
−/−
(apolipoprotein E) mice showed a significant age-associated increase in miR-146a expression. In silico analysis, expression study and Luciferase reporter assay established Plk2 as a direct target of miR-146a. miR-146a overexpression in young lin− BMCs inhibited Plk2 expression, resulting in increased senescence and apoptosis, via p16Ink4a/p19Arf and p53, respectively, as well as impaired angiogenic capacity in vitro and in vivo. Conversely, suppression of miR-146a in aged lin− BMCs increased Plk2 expression and rejuvenated lin− BMCs, resulting in decreased senescence and apoptosis, leading to improved angiogenesis.

Conclusions—

(1) miR-146a regulates lin− BMC senescence and apoptosis by suppressing Plk2 expression that, in turn, activates p16Ink4a/p19Arf and p53 and (2) modulation of miR-146a or its target Plk2 may represent a potential therapeutic intervention to improve lin− BMC–mediated angiogenesis and vascular repair.
Hospital Variation in Time to Epinephrine for Nonshockable In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Khera Rohan , Chan Paul S. , Donnino Michael , Girotra Saket
Published: December 2016

Background:

For patients with in-hospital cardiac arrests attributable to nonshockable rhythms, delays in epinephrine administration beyond 5 minutes is associated with worse survival. However, the extent of hospital variation in delayed epinephrine administration and its effect on hospital-level outcomes is unknown.

Methods:

Within Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation, we identified 103 932 adult patients (≥18 years) at 548 hospitals with an in-hospital cardiac arrest attributable to a nonshockable rhythm who received at least 1 dose of epinephrine between 2000 and 2014. We constructed 2-level hierarchical regression models to quantify hospital variation in rates of delayed epinephrine administration (>5 minutes) and its association with hospital rates of survival to discharge and survival with functional recovery.

Results:

Overall, 13 213 (12.7%) patients had delays to epinephrine, and this rate varied markedly across hospitals (range, 0%–53.8%). The odds of delay in epinephrine administration were 58% higher at 1 randomly selected hospital in comparison with a similar patient at another randomly selected hospital (median odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.51–1.64). The median risk-standardized survival rate was 12.0% (range, 5.4%–31.9%), and the risk-standardized survival with functional recovery was 7.4% (range, 0.9%–30.8%). There was an inverse correlation between a hospital’s rate of delayed epinephrine administration and its risk-standardized rate of survival to discharge (ρ=–0.22,
P
<0.0001) and survival with functional recovery (ρ=–0.14,
P
=0.001). In comparison with a median survival rate of 12.9% (interquartile range, 11.1%–15.4%) at hospitals in the lowest quartile of epinephrine delay, risk-standardized survival was 16% lower at hospitals in the quartile with the highest rate of epinephrine delays (10.8%; interquartile range, 9.7%–12.7%).

Conclusions:

Delays in epinephrine administration following in-hospital cardiac arrest are common and variy across hospitals. Hospitals with high rates of delayed epinephrine administration had lower rates of overall survival for in-hospital cardiac arrest attributable to nonshockable rhythm. Further studies are needed to determine whether improving hospital performance on time to epinephrine administration, especially at hospitals with poor performance on this metric, will lead to improved outcomes.
Postcolonial and Liberation Theologies as Partners in Praxis Against Sin and Suffering: A Hermeneutical Approach in Asian Perspective
Authors: Moe David
Published: December 2016

In their hermeneutical reading of the Bible, postcolonialism and liberationism have some differences. Liberationism can be seen as a ‘canon within canon approach’ because it has some certain favoured texts, such as the Exodus event and the Nazareth Manifesto. By contrast, postcolonialism can be seen as a ‘canonical approach’ since it is broader in its approach to Biblical interpretation. With a critical lens, the latter hermeneutics tries to read the whole Bible, including the imperial texts.1 Yet, both hermeneutics have common goals of liberation, working toward ending domination. Both endorse the oppressed as the prime site for theology and praxis.2 The main aim of this publication is to employ both hermeneutics as partners in praxis. Using postcolonial and liberation hermeneutics, this paper will explore a theological concept of sin and suffering and three aspects of liberation — holistic liberation, exclusive liberation and inclusive liberation. It will be affirmed that postcolonial theology of liberation is not just liberation of the oppressed, but it is liberation by the oppressed for the mutual benefits of both the oppressed and oppressors in a postcolonial Asia.
African Communality Contributing to the Dignity of the Terminally Ill: Traditional and Political Ujamaa in the Selian Hospice and Palliative Care Program in Tanzania
Authors: Vähäkangas Auli M.
Published: December 2016

Tanzania’s first president Julius Nyerere’s Ujamaa (living together or living as one family) still extends its influence on Tanzanians’ understanding of communality. The era of Ujamaa socialism as a political system is now history, but some of its heritage still seems to influence how people in Tanzania regard family as well as community and how they act within their community. In this article I differentiate between Nyerere’s political Ujamaa and the traditional Tanzanian communality which was the model for Nyerere’s political program. I thus argue, that the Selian palliative care program could be seen as a present-day example of how Ujamaa — both in political and traditional forms — still influences communal life in Tanzania. The results of this study reveal that the Selian Hospice and Palliative Care Program uses dimensions of both traditional and political Ujamaa in order to protect the dignity of the dying patients. This is done subconsciously and eclectically. The term Ujamaa was not explicitly used in the data of this study. The Program seems to stress communality and social responsibility in general while clearly utilizing the values of both traditional and political Ujamaa all through its practices.
Responsibility and the Demands of Morality
Authors: White Stephen J.
Published: December 2016

Is it a good objection to a moral theory that it demands a great deal of individual agents? I argue that if we interpret the question to be about the potential welfare costs associated with our moral obligations, the answer must be “no.” However, the demands a moral theory makes can also be measured in terms of what it requires us to take responsibility for. I argue that this is distinct from what we may be required to do or give up, and that it provides a conception of demandingness that makes better sense of our intuitive reactions.
The Languages of Diaspora and Return
Authors: Spolsky Bernard
Published: December 2016

Until quite recently, the term Diaspora (usually with the capital) meant the dispersion of the Jews in many parts of the world. Now, it is recognized that many other groups have built communities distant from their homeland, such as Overseas Chinese, South Asians, Romani, Armenians, Syrian and Palestinian Arabs. To explore the effect of exile on language repertoires, the article traces the sociolinguistic development of the many Jewish Diasporas, starting with the community exiled to Babylon, and following through exiles in Muslim and Christian countries in the Middle Ages and later. It presents the changes that occurred linguistically after Jews were granted full citizenship. It then goes into details about the phenomenon and problem of the Jewish return to the homeland, the revitalization and revernacularization of the Hebrew that had been a sacred and literary language, and the rediasporization that accounts for the cases of maintenance of Diaspora varieties.
Local Labour, Cosmopolitan Toil
Authors: Tenngart Paul
Published: December 2016

In the renowned and epoch-making working-class novels from the Swedish 1930s, claims for social and economic justice reflect a local struggle with distinctly national and cosmopolitan significance. Generally, these novels can be described as having local characters and settings, national narrative perspectives, and cosmopolitan plots, but a closer look reveals a much more varied picture. There is, in fact, no general tendency of geo-cultural dynamics in this historically distinct literary current. When the novels are translated into English, however, a more distinct pattern occurs: regional embeddedness is considerably weakened in the translation process, leaving room for much stronger national ties and a more extensive cosmopolitan significance.
Social Justice Teaching Through the Sympathetic Touch of Caring and High Expectations for Students of Color
Authors: Rojas Leticia , Liou Daniel D.
Published: December 2016

This 1-year qualitative study examined the ways in which nine social justice–oriented teachers in racially segregated schools defined and fostered sympathy with low-income students of color. These teachers reportedly defined sympathy on the basis of caring and high expectations, which challenged traditional notions of sympathy as a teacher cue for low ability and lowered expectations for learning. Building upon W. E. B. Du Bois’s concept of sympathetic touch, the findings of this study revealed that the teachers fostered sympathy through perceptions of fairness in educational opportunities, education as a method to challenge class oppression, the use of curriculum to communicate caring, and high expectations to promote students’ histories, self-respect, and preparation for a more just future. The results of these findings have implications for how society currently views teacher effectiveness, and future discussions regarding teacher education, school accountability, and teacher evaluation.
Mathematics Anxiety
Authors: Stoehr Kathleen Jablon
Published: December 2016

Mathematics educators agree elementary teachers should possess confidence and competence in teaching mathematics. Many prospective elementary teachers (particularly women) pursue careers in elementary teaching despite personal repeated experiences of mathematics anxiety. Previous studies of mathematics anxiety have tended to focus on physical sensations that occur during test-taking situations. This study analyzes how three women prospective elementary teachers described, explained, and related their experiences of mathematics anxiety while learning mathematics as K-12 students and while learning to teach mathematics. My research reveals that mathematics anxiety may reach beyond assessment situations and impact women prospective elementary teachers’ larger mathematical histories. I show how women prospective elementary teachers may interpret mathematics anxiety as specific fears (e.g., loss of social belonging, loss of personal identity, or loss of practical competency) and how specific coping strategies may be invented to cope with the fear. I present evidence of how coping strategies may impede mathematics learning.
Parachemistries: Colonial chemopolitics in a zone of contest
Authors: Mukharji Projit Bihari
Published: December 2016

The globalization of modern chemistry through European colonialism resulted, by the end of the nineteenth century, in the emergence of a number of parachemical knowledges. Parachemistries were bodies of non-European knowledge which came to be related to modern chemistry within particular historical milieux. Their relationship with modern chemistry was not necessarily epistemic and structural, but historical and performative. Actual historically located intellectuals posited their relationship. Such relationships were not merely abstract intellectual exercises; at a time when the practical uses of modern chemistry in statecraft were growing, the existence of these rival, competing parachemical knowledges challenged modern chemistry’s regulatory deployments. Colonial locations emerged then not as mere ‘contact zones’, but as ‘zones of conflict’ where colonial chemopolitics was interrupted by the continued legitimacy and practice of parachemistries such as rasayana, kimiya, and neidan.
Local impacts, global sources: The governance of boundary-crossing chemicals
Authors: Gorman Hugh S , Gagnon Valoree S , Norman Emma S
Published: December 2016

Over the last half century, a multijurisdictional, multiscale system of governance has emerged to address concerns associated with toxic chemicals that have the capacity to bioaccumulate in organisms and biomagnify in food chains, leading to fish consumption advisories. Components of this system of governance include international conventions (such as the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants and the Minamata Convention on Mercury), laws enacted by nation states and their subjurisdictions, and efforts to adaptively manage regional ecosystems (such as the U.S.–Canadian Great Lakes). Given that many of these compounds – including mercury, industrial chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls, and pesticides such as toxaphene – circulate throughout the globe through cycles of deposition and reemission, regional efforts to eliminate the need for fish consumption advisories cannot be successful without efforts to reduce emissions everywhere in the world. This paper argues that the scientific community, by monitoring the concentrations of these compounds in the atmosphere and by modeling their fate and transport, play an important role in connecting the various jurisdictional scales of governance. In addition, the monitoring networks that this community of scientists has established can be visualized as a technology of governance essential in an era in which societies have the capacity to produce and release such chemicals on an industrial scale.
Bounded consensus tracking control of second-order multi-agent systems with active leader and jointly connected topology
Authors: Chen Lei , Qin Kaiyu , Hu Jiangping
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we investigate a tracking control problem for second-order multi-agent systems. Here, the leader is self-active and cannot be completely measured by all the followers. The interaction network associated with the leader–follower multi-agent system is described by a jointly connected topology, where the topology switches over time and is not strongly connected during each time subinterval. We consider a consensus control of the multi-agent system with or without time delay and propose two categories of neighbour-based control rules for every agent to track the leader, then provide sufficient conditions to ensure that all agents follow the leader, and meanwhile, the tracking errors can be estimated. Finally, some simulation results are presented to demonstrate our theoretical results.
A comparative study of salient petroleum features of the Proterozoic–Lower Paleozoic succession in major petroliferous basins in the world
Authors: Liu Xiaoping , Jin Zhijun , Bai Guoping , Liu Jie , Guan Ming , Pan Qinghua , Li Ting
Published: December 2016

The Proterozoic–Lower Paleozoic marine facies successions are developed in more than 20 basins with low exploration degree in the world. Some large-scale carbonate oil and gas fields have been found in the oldest succession in the Tarim Basin, Ordos Basin, Sichuan Basin, Permian Basin, Williston Basin, Michigan Basin, East Siberia Basin, and the Oman Basin. In order to reveal the hydrocarbon enrichment roles in the oldest succession, basin formation and evolution, hydrocarbon accumulation elements, and processes in the eight major basins are studied comparatively. The Williston Basin and Michigan Basin remained as stable cratonic basins after formation in the early Paleozoic, while the others developed into superimposed basins undergone multistage tectonic movements. The eight basins were mainly carbonate deposits in the Proterozoic–early Paleozoic having different sizes, frequent uplift, and subsidence leading to several regional unconformities. The main source rock is shale with total organic carbon content of generally greater than 1% and type I/II organic matters. Various types of reservoirs, such as karst reservoir, dolomite reservoir, reef-beach body reservoirs are developed. The reservoir spaces are mainly intergranular pore, intercrystalline pore, dissolved pore, and fracture. The reservoirs are highly heterogeneous with physical property changing greatly and consist mainly of gypsum-salt and shale cap rocks. The trap types can be divided into structural, stratigraphic, lithological, and complex types. The oil and gas reservoir types are classified according to trap types where the structural reservoirs are mostly developed. Many sets of source rocks are developed in these basins and experienced multistage hydrocarbon generation and expulsion processes. In different basins, the hydrocarbon accumulation processes are different and can be classified into two types, one is the process through multistage hydrocarbon accumulation with multistage adjustment and the other is the process through early hydrocarbon accumulation and late preservation.
Initial Mainstream Cultural Orientations Predict Early Social Participation in the Mainstream Cultural Group
Authors: Doucerain Marina M. , Deschênes Sonya S. , Gouin Jean-Philippe , Amiot Catherine E. , Ryder Andrew G.
Published: December 2016

This work adopts a perspective that construes acculturation as a dynamic intergroup process, and social contact with members of the new community as a key mechanism underlying cultural adaptation. We argue that migrants’ initial self-reported mainstream cultural orientation constitutes an important antecedent of early social participation in the new community. Results from two longitudinal studies of newly arrived international students ( N = 98 and N = 60) show that more positive initial mainstream cultural orientations prospectively predict higher social participation, specifically in the mainstream group, over the following months. This relation held after controlling for important alternative predictors, namely, extraversion/shyness, mainstream language proficiency, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia, a physiological index of social engagement capacity. These studies focus on the very initial stages of the temporal dynamics of acculturation, contribute to bridging research on acculturation and on intergroup relations, and establish a link between cultural orientations, a subjective attitudinal construct, and concrete social engagement behaviors.
Reuse of bituminous pavements: A mini-review of research, regulations and modelling
Authors: Anthonissen Joke , Van den bergh Wim , Braet Johan
Published: December 2016

Bituminous pavement can be recycled – even multiple times – by reusing it in new bituminous mixtures. If the mechanical properties of the binder get worse, this reclaimed asphalt is often used in the sub-structure of the road. Apparently, up till now, no end-of-life phase exists for the material. Actually, defining the end-of-life and the end-of-waste stage of a material is important for life cycle assessment modelling. Various standards and scientific studies on modelling life cycle assessment are known, but the crucial stages are not yet defined for reclaimed asphalt pavement. Unlike for iron, steel and aluminium scrap, at this moment, no legislative end-of-waste criteria for aggregates are formulated by the European Commission. More research is necessary in order to develop valuable end-of-life criteria for aggregates. This contribution is a mini-review article of the current regulations, standards and studies concerning end-of-life and end-of-waste of reclaimed asphalt pavement. The existing methodology in order to define end-of-waste criteria, a case study on aggregates and the argumentation used in finished legislative criteria are the basis to clarify some modelling issues for reclaimed asphalt material. Hence, this contribution elucidates the assignment of process environmental impacts to a life cycle stage as defined by EN15804, that is, end-of-life stage (C) and the supplementary information Module D with benefits and loads beyond the system boundary.
Application of material flow analysis to municipal solid waste in Maputo City, Mozambique
Authors: dos Muchangos Leticia Sarmento , Tokai Akihiro , Hanashima Atsuko
Published: December 2016

Understanding waste flows within an urban area is important for identifying the main problems and improvement opportunities for efficient waste management. Assessment tools such as material flow analysis (MFA), an extensively applied method in waste management studies, provide a structured and objective evaluating process to characterize the waste management system best, to identify its shortcomings and to propose suitable strategies. This paper presents the application of MFA to municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in Maputo City, the capital of Mozambique. The results included the identification and quantification of the main input and output flows of the MSWM system in 2007 and 2014, from the generation, material recovery and collection, to final disposal and the unaccounted flow of municipal solid waste (MSW). We estimated that the waste generation increased from 397×103 tonnes in 2007 to 437×103 tonnes in 2014, whereas the total material recovery was insignificant in both years – 3×103 and 7×103 tonnes, respectively. As for collection and final disposal, the official collection of waste to the local dumpsite in the inner city increased about threefold, from 76×103 to 253×106 tonnes. For waste unaccounted for, the estimates indicated a reduction during the study period from 300×103 to 158×103 tonnes, due to the increase of collection services. The emphasized aspects include the need for practical waste reduction strategies, the opportunity to explore the potential for material recovery, careful consideration regarding the growing trend of illegal dumping and the urgency in phasing-out from the harmful practice of open dumping.
A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing?
Authors: Hayball Harry Jack
Published: December 2016

Jovan Rašković, the popular founding president of Croatia’s Serbian Democratic Party (Srpska demokratska stranka, SDS), is widely viewed as representing a “missed opportunity” for peace in Croatia in 1990–1991, a moderate advocate of “cultural autonomy” and equality within Croatia who was undermined by the aggressive politics of Slobodan Milošević’s Serbia, which supported instead the territorial and separatist ideas of Milan Babić. This support is considered a key component of Milošević’s intervention in Croatia and is often viewed as decisive in foreclosing opportunities for a peaceful settlement of Croat–Serb relations. This article challenges this interpretation, arguing that the SDS’s politics were premised from the start on the notion that the Serbs in Croatia were a “sovereign nation” with the right to self-determination up to secession. If Croatia remained in a Yugoslav federation, this meant that Serbs could opt for a wide variety of rights within Croatia, including forms of territorial autonomy. In the event of Yugoslavia’s disintegration or transformation into a confederation, the Serbian minority could secede from Croatia. The differences between Rašković and Babić have been considerably overstated, and some of the SDS’s more moderate rhetoric fundamentally misunderstood. It was Rašković, not Babić or Milošević, who founded the territorial and separatist politics of the Serbian Democratic Party in Croatia.
Computational fluid dynamic analysis of the exhaust gas flow through absorptive and reactive mufflers: some case studies
Authors: Chatterjee Sushovan
Published: December 2016

This paper aims to study comprehensively the flow characteristics of exhaust gases through different types of muffler (e.g. absorptive, reactive and resonating). Geometric models were designed using PRO-E and analysed using ANSYS FLUENT 14. The contours for the pressure, the velocity and the turbulence were plotted for optimization of the muffler design based on the known thermodynamic parameters. On the basis of the variation in these parameters, various hybrid designs were proposed for a muffler and even for a combination of mufflers.
For a Virtual Wayzgoose: A Farewell Editorial on the Mutations of Theory and Journals
Authors: Stam Henderikus J.
Published: December 2016

Being the closing words of the retiring editor, this constitutes a tripartite reflection on 26 years at the helm of a journal that has continued to thrive in a vast discipline oriented in other ways. First, theory as a problem, orientation, and aim has evolved in the interval, while continuing to carry the weight of critique and renewal. Second, journals have become vehicles more for rapid communication than deep reflection but despite the physical changes in the creation and transmission of articles some features remain unchanged. Finally, an editor who has overstayed his welcome owes a debt of gratitude to more people than he can possibly thank in one editorial, but an attempt worthy of the debt is made nonetheless.
Social Experiences of Children With Disabilities in Inclusive Portuguese Preschool Settings
Authors: Ferreira Milene , Aguiar Cecília , Correia Nadine , Fialho Margarida , Pimentel Júlia Serpa
Published: December 2016

Based on peer sociometric reports, we examined how number of friendships, social acceptance, and characteristics of social networks vary as a function of disability profile. We also investigated teachers’ awareness of the sociometric status of young children with disabilities. Participants were 86 children with disabilities (63 boys) enrolled in inclusive preschool classrooms of the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon, Portugal ( Mage = 67.33 months, SD = 10.54). Findings suggest that children with severe or sociobehavioral disabilities may be at increased risk of social rejection and isolation, having fewer friends and lower social network centrality than children with mild disabilities. Low agreement between teachers’ classifications of the social status of children with disabilities and classifications based on peer nominations raises concerns about their awareness of processes of social rejection and neglect. Findings highlight the need for interventions to support positive social experiences at the dyadic and group levels in Portuguese inclusive preschool classrooms.
Sodium 4-Phenylbutyrate Attenuates Myocardial Reperfusion Injury by Reducing the Unfolded Protein Response
Authors: Takatori Osamu , Usui Soichiro , Okajima Masaki , Kaneko Shuichi , Ootsuji Hiroshi , Takashima Shin-ichiro , Kobayashi Daisuke , Murai Hisayoshi , Furusho Hiroshi , Takamura Masayuki
Published: December 2016

Background:

The unfolded protein response (UPR) plays a pivotal role in ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury in various organs such as heart, brain, and liver. Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate (PBA) reportedly acts as a chemical chaperone that reduces UPR. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of PBA on reducing the UPR and protecting against myocardial I/R injury in mice.

Methods:

Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to 30-minute myocardial I/R, and were treated with phosphate-buffered saline (as a vehicle) or PBA.

Results:

At 4 hours after reperfusion, mice treated with PBA had reduced serum cardiac troponin I levels and numbers of apoptotic cells in left ventricles (LVs) in myocardial I/R. Infarct size had also reduced in mice treated with PBA at 48 hours after reperfusion. At 2 hours after reperfusion, UPR markers, including eukaryotic initiation of the factor 2α-subunit, activating transcription factor-6, inositol-requiring enzyme-1, glucose-regulated protein 78, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein, and caspase-12, were significantly increased in mice treated with vehicle compared to sham-operated mice. Administration of PBA significantly reduced the I/R-induced increases of these markers. Cardiac function and dimensions were assessed at 21 days after I/R. Sodium 4-phenylbutyrate dedicated to the improvement of cardiac parameters deterioration including LV end-diastolic diameter and LV fractional shortening. Consistently, PBA reduced messenger RNA expression levels of cardiac remodeling markers such as collagen type 1α1, brain natriuretic peptide, and α skeletal muscle actin in LV at 21 days after I/R.

Conclusion:

Unfolded protein response mediates myocardial I/R injury. Administration of PBA reduces the UPR, apoptosis, infarct size, and preserved cardiac function. Hence, PBA may be a therapeutic option to attenuate myocardial I/R injury in clinical practice.
Safety Assessment of Dialkyl Sulfosuccinate Salts as Used in Cosmetics
Authors: Fiume Monice M. , Heldreth Bart , Bergfeld Wilma F. , Belsito Donald V. , Hill Ronald A. , Klaassen Curtis D. , Liebler Daniel C. , Marks James G. , Shank Ronald C. , Slaga Thomas J. , Snyder Paul W. , Andersen F. Alan
Published: December 2016

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel (Panel) assessed the safety of 8 dialkyl sulfosuccinate salts for use in cosmetics, finding that these ingredients are safe in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration when formulated to be nonirritating. The dialkyl sulfosuccinate salts primarily function as surfactants in cosmetics. The Panel reviewed the new and existing available animal and clinical data in making its determination of safety. The Panel found it appropriate to extrapolate the data on diethylhexyl sodium sulfosuccinate to assess the safety of the entire group because all of the diesters are of a similar alkyl chain length, all are symmetrically substituted, and all have similar functions in cosmetic formulations.
Safety Assessment of Alumina and Aluminum Hydroxide as Used in Cosmetics
Authors: Becker Lillian C. , Boyer Ivan , Bergfeld Wilma F. , Belsito Donald V. , Hill Ronald A. , Klaassen Curtis D. , Liebler Daniel C. , Marks James G. , Shank Ronald C. , Slaga Thomas J. , Snyder Paul W. , Andersen F. Alan
Published: December 2016

This is a safety assessment of alumina and aluminum hydroxide as used in cosmetics. Alumina functions as an abrasive, absorbent, anticaking agent, bulking agent, and opacifying agent. Aluminum hydroxide functions as a buffering agent, corrosion inhibitor, and pH adjuster. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) evaluated the safe use of alumina in several medical devices and aluminum hydroxide in over-the-counter drugs, which included a review of human and animal safety data. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel considered the FDA evaluations as part of the basis for determining the safety of these ingredients as used in cosmetics. Alumina used in cosmetics is essentially the same as that used in medical devices. This safety assessment does not include metallic or elemental aluminum as a cosmetic ingredient. The CIR Expert Panel concluded that alumina and aluminum hydroxide are safe in the present practices of use and concentration described in this safety assessment.
Study on characteristics and mathematical models of stress relaxation for metal O-rings
Authors: Liao Chuanjun , Fang Hongrong , Wang Hongrui , Man Man
Published: December 2016

The metal O-ring is effectively applied to extreme conditions and long-term uses for several decades, where conventional seals cannot meet the requirements. During the long-time service, the stress relaxation of the metal O-ring has been confirmed to be a potential damage to the sealing performance. By analyzing the sealing mechanism and the problem of the stress relaxation of the metal O-ring, a model has been developed to study its stress relaxation. The model includes the contact model, the stress–strain model, and the dynamic equation of stress relaxation. Based on the classical elastic-plastic model for two contact rough surfaces, the contact model of sealing zone is developed, by which the mechanical and geometric parameters of the sealing zone can be obtained for the initial state after the assembling. In the stress–strain model, the determination of stress and strain in the metal O-ring is performed by means of a simplified closed-form solution. The dynamic equation of stress relaxation using the stress-creep rate equation is developed, and is solved by combination of the contact model and the stress–strain model. The equation can be adopted for stress relaxation analysis of the metal O-ring at any time. After a validation of the model by comparison with experiments, a parametric study is presented. Simulation results corresponding with the mathematical models explain how the stress relaxation characteristic of the metal O-ring is influenced by a number of parameters.
Validity of the Georgian Montreal Cognitive Assessment for the Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia
Authors: Janelidze Marina , Mikeladze Nina , Bochorishvili Nazibrola , Dzagnidze Ann , Kapianidze Mariam , Mikava Nino , Khatiashvili Irene , Kakhiani Darejan , Mirvelashvili Ekaterina , Shiukashvili Nino , Nadareishvili Zurab
Published: December 2016

Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test has been shown to be a reliable tool to detect mild cognitive impairment (MCI), however, no Georgian language version exists. The goal of this study is to determine the validity, reliability, and accuracy of Georgian version of MoCA in the evaluation of amnestic MCI (aMCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Montreal Cognitive Assessment was translated into Georgian language and was administered to healthy participants (HP) and patients with aMCI and AD. We studied 46 HS, 20 patients with aMCI, and 20 patients with AD. There was significant difference in MoCA scores between HP, patients with aMCI, and patients with AD ( P = 0.04). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the aMCI and AD groups by MoCA was 0.88 and 0.95, respectively, compared to 0.43 and 0.67 by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The Georgian version of MoCA is a valid, reliable, and sensitive screening tool to detect aMCI and AD in Georgian-speaking population and is superior to MMSE.
The ethics of algorithms: Mapping the debate
Authors: Mittelstadt Brent Daniel , Allo Patrick , Taddeo Mariarosaria , Wachter Sandra , Floridi Luciano
Published: December 2016

In information societies, operations, decisions and choices previously left to humans are increasingly delegated to algorithms, which may advise, if not decide, about how data should be interpreted and what actions should be taken as a result. More and more often, algorithms mediate social processes, business transactions, governmental decisions, and how we perceive, understand, and interact among ourselves and with the environment. Gaps between the design and operation of algorithms and our understanding of their ethical implications can have severe consequences affecting individuals as well as groups and whole societies. This paper makes three contributions to clarify the ethical importance of algorithmic mediation. It provides a prescriptive map to organise the debate. It reviews the current discussion of ethical aspects of algorithms. And it assesses the available literature in order to identify areas requiring further work to develop the ethics of algorithms.
The psychological wellbeing of Iranian journalists: a descriptive study
Authors: Feinstein Anthony , Feinstein Saul , Behari Maziar , Pavisian Bennis
Published: December 2016

Objective

Iran ranks 173 out of 180 countries on an index of press freedom. The purpose of the study was to assess the psychological wellbeing of Iranian journalists and document the stressors encountered in their work.

Design

A secure website was established and participants were given their unique identifying number and password to access the site.

Setting

Newsrooms in Iran and the diaspora.

Participants

Responses were received from 114 journalists (76%) of whom 65.8% were living in the diaspora. The mean age was 37.8 years (SD = 7.30) and 57% male.

Main outcomes measures

Type of stressor and behavioural data: Impact of Event Scale-revised for posttraumatic stress disorder, Beck Depression Inventory-II for depression.

Results

Stressors include arrest (41.2%), torture (19.3%), assault (10.5%), intimidation (51.4%) and family threatened (43.1%). Eighty nine (78.1%) journalists had stopped working on a story because of intimidation. Arrest, torture, intimidation and family threatened were associated with more intrusive and arousal PTSD symptoms (p < .01 to .001) and assault and intimidation with more depressive symptoms (p < .05). Almost a third of Iranian journalists regularly used barbiturates, with use correlating with symptoms of intrusion (p < .0001), avoidance (p < .01), arousal (p < .0001) and depression (p < .0001). 46.5% of Iranian journalists were not receiving therapy for their distress.

Conclusions

The findings, the first of their kind, provide data highlighting the extraordinary degree of danger confronted by Iranian journalists, their emotional distress in response to this and their proclivity to self-medicate with barbiturates.
From immediate community to imagined community: Social identity and the co-viewing of media event
Authors: Cui Xi , Rui Jian , Su Fanbo
Published: December 2016

This study examines how different types of co-viewing are associated with viewers’ emotional response to the live broadcast of media events and their social identity. A survey ( N = 206) was conducted to examine the effect of the live broadcast of a grand national ceremony in China. Results show that viewers experienced emotional arousal when they watched the media event in physical, mediated, and perceived co-viewing conditions. Among these conditions, mediated co-viewing, operationalized as social media engagement during the event, is the strongest predictor of emotional arousal. Moreover, emotional arousal fully mediates the relationship between co-viewing conditions and viewers’ national identity conveyed in the broadcast ceremony. With empirical evidence, we demonstrate the continued relevance of the genre of media events and the importance of co-viewing experiences in the contemporary media ecology. We argue that this broadcast genre is still effective with regard to social integration, and dual-screening media events could be a new mechanism of this effect.
A Topical Gel From Flax Seed Oil Compared With Hand Splint in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Setayesh Mohammad , Sadeghifar Amir Reza , Nakhaee Nozar , Kamalinejad Mohammad , Rezaeizadeh Hossein
Published: December 2016

This study compared the therapeutic effect of flax seed oil topical gel and hand splint in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. This study was a randomized clinical trial. Forty-nine patients, 96 hands, with mild to moderate idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome were divided into 2 groups randomly. One group was treated by topical gel and the other group by hand splint. Intensity of symptoms and function before and after intervention was measured via Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire. After intervention, the ANCOVA showed a significant difference between the symptom and function scores of the 2 groups. In both cases, recovery was higher in the gel group ( P < .001). The topical use of flax seed oil gel is more effective in the improvement of symptoms and function of patients with mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome as compared with hand splint, and it can be introduced as an effective treatment.