bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contractile dysfunction in muscle may underlie androgen-dependent motor dysfunction in spinal bulbar muscular atrophy
Authors: Oki Kentaro , Halievski Katherine , Vicente Laura , Xu Youfen , Zeolla Donald , Poort Jessica , Katsuno Masahisa , Adachi Hiroaki , Sobue Gen , Wiseman Robert W. , Breedlove S. Marc , Jordan Cynthia L.
Published: February 2015

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is characterized by progressive muscle weakness linked to a polyglutamine expansion in the androgen receptor (AR). Current evidence indicates that mutant AR causes SBMA by acting in muscle to perturb its function. However, information about how muscle function is impaired is scant. One fundamental question is whether the intrinsic strength of muscles, an attribute of muscle independent of its mass, is affected. In the current study, we assess the contractile properties of hindlimb muscles in vitro from chronically diseased males of three different SBMA mouse models: a transgenic (Tg) model that broadly expresses a full-length human AR with 97 CAGs (97Q), a knock-in (KI) model that expresses a humanized AR containing a CAG expansion in the first exon, and a Tg myogenic model that overexpresses wild-type AR only in skeletal muscle fibers. We found that hindlimb muscles in the two Tg models (97Q and myogenic) showed marked losses in their intrinsic strength and resistance to fatigue, but were minimally affected in KI males. However, diseased muscles of all three models showed symptoms consistent with myotonic dystrophy type 1, namely, reduced resting membrane potential and deficits in chloride channel mRNA. These data indicate that muscle dysfunction is a core feature of SBMA caused by at least some of the same pathogenic mechanisms as myotonic dystrophy. Thus mechanisms controlling muscle function per se independent of mass are prime targets for SBMA therapeutics.
Wnt/β-Catenin Small-Molecule Inhibitor CWP232228 Preferentially Inhibits the Growth of Breast Cancer Stem-like Cells
Authors: Jang Gyu-Beom , Hong In-Sun , Kim Ran-Ju , Lee Su-Youn , Park Se-Jin , Lee Eun-Sook , Park Jung Hyuck , Yun Chi-Ho , Chung Jae-Uk , Lee Kyoung-June , Lee Hwa-Yong , Nam Jeong-Seok
Published: February 2015

Breast cancer stem cells (BCSC) are resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which may destroy tumor masses but not all BCSC that can mediate relapses. In the present study, we showed that the level of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in BCSC is relatively higher than in bulk tumor cells, contributing to a relatively higher level of therapeutic resistance. We designed a highly potent small-molecule inhibitor, CWP232228, which antagonizes binding of β-catenin to T-cell factor (TCF) in the nucleus. Notably, although CWP232228 inhibited the growth of both BCSC and bulk tumor cells by inhibiting β-catenin–mediated transcription, BCSC exhibited greater growth inhibition than bulk tumor cells. We also documented evidence of greater insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) expression by BCSC than by bulk tumor cells and that CWP232228 attenuated IGF-I–mediated BCSC functions. These results suggested that the inhibitory effect of CWP232228 on BCSC growth might be achieved through the disruption of IGF-I activity. Taken together, our findings indicate that CWP232228 offers a candidate therapeutic agent for breast cancer that preferentially targets BCSC as well as bulk tumor cells. Cancer Res; 75(8); 1691–702. ©2015 AACR.
Signaling-Mediated Regulation of MicroRNA Processing
Authors: Shen Jia , Hung Mien-Chie
Published: February 2015

miRNAs are important regulatory elements for gene expression that are involved in diverse physiologic and pathologic processes. Canonical miRNA biogenesis consists of a two-step processing, from primary transcripts (pri-miRNA) to precursor miRNAs (pre-miRNA) mediated by Drosha in the nucleus and from pre-miRNAs to mature miRNAs mediated by Dicer in the cytoplasm. Various routes of miRNA maturation that are tightly regulated by signaling cascades and specific to an individual or a subclass of miRNAs have been recently identified. Here, we review the current findings in signaling-mediated miRNA processing as well as their potential clinical relevance in cancer. Cancer Res; 75(5); 783–91. ©2015 AACR.
Breast Cancer Prevention: Lessons to be Learned from Mechanisms of Early Pregnancy–Mediated Breast Cancer Protection
Authors: Meier-Abt Fabienne , Bentires-Alj Mohamed , Rochlitz Christoph
Published: February 2015

Pregnancy at early, but not late age, has a strong and life-long protective effect against breast cancer. The expected overall increase in breast cancer incidence demands the development of a pharmaceutical mimicry of early-age pregnancy–mediated protection. Recently, converging results from rodent models and women on molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the protective effect of early-age pregnancy have opened the door for translational studies on pharmacologic prevention against breast cancer. In particular, alterations in Wnt and TGFβ signaling in mammary stem/progenitor cells reveal new potential targets for preventive interventions, and thus might help to significantly reduce the incidence of breast cancer in the future. Cancer Res; 75(5); 803–7. ©2015 AACR.
The Emerging Protumor Role of γδ T Lymphocytes: Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Rei Margarida , Pennington Daniel J. , Silva-Santos Bruno
Published: February 2015

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are key mediators of tumor immune surveillance and are important prognostic indicators in cancer progression. Among the various lymphocyte subsets implicated in protection against cancer are γδ T lymphocytes, which can kill tumor cells and secrete potent antitumor cytokines. By contrast, recent reports have revealed an unexpected series of protumor functions of γδ T cells in mouse models and human patients. In particular, specific γδ T-cell subsets are capable of recruiting immunosuppressive myeloid populations, inhibiting antitumor responses, and enhancing angiogenesis, thus promoting cancer progression. A common mediator of such functions appears to be the cytokine IL17, whose pathogenic effects can override the antitumor immune response orchestrated by IFNγ. Here, we review these studies and discuss their implications for the manipulation of γδ T cells in cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Res; 75(5); 798–802. ©2015 AACR.
Comparative Outcomes of Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis Plus Anticoagulation Versus Anticoagulation Alone in the Treatment of Inferior Vena Caval Thrombosis
Authors: Alkhouli Mohamad , Zack Chad J. , Zhao Huaqing , Shafi Irfan , Bashir Riyaz
Published: February 2015

Background—

The contemporary practice patterns and role of catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) in the treatment of inferior vena cava thrombosis is unknown.

Methods and Results—

The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was used to identify patients with a principal discharge diagnosis of inferior vena cava thrombosis (
International Classification of Diseases
-
Ninth Revision
-Clinical Modification, 453.2) from 2005 to 2011. We compared patients treated with CDT plus anticoagulation with patients treated with anticoagulation alone. We used propensity scores to construct 2 matched groups of 563 patients for comparative outcomes analysis. Among 2674 patients admitted with inferior vena cava thrombosis, 718 (26.9%) underwent CDT. The national CDT utilization rates increased from 16.0% in 2005 to 34.7% in 2011 (
P
<0.001). Based on the propensity-matched comparison, the inhospital mortality was not significantly different between the CDT and the anticoagulation groups (2.0% versus 1.4%;
P
=0.49). The rates of pulmonary embolism (12.1% versus 7.8%;
P
=0.02), intracranial hemorrhage (1.6% versus 0.2%;
P
=0.03), and acute renal failure (13.9% versus 9.4%;
P
=0.02) were significantly higher in the CDT group. The CDT group had longer length of stay and higher hospital charges compared with the anticoagulation group.

Conclusions—

There has been a steady increase in the use of CDT in the treatment of patients with inferior vena cava thrombosis in the United States. This observational study showed no significant difference in mortality between CDT versus anticoagulation alone; however, the bleeding events and resource utilization were higher in the CDT group. Adequately powered randomized controlled trials are needed in this area.
O
-Linked β-
N
-Acetylglucosamine Transferase Directs Cell Proliferation in Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Barnes Jarrod W. , Tian Liping , Heresi Gustavo A. , Farver Carol F. , Asosingh Kewal , Comhair Suzy A. A. , Aulak Kulwant S. , Dweik Raed A.
Published: February 2015

Background—

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) is a cardiopulmonary disease characterized by cellular proliferation and vascular remodeling. A more recently recognized characteristic of the disease is the dysregulation of glucose metabolism. The primary link between altered glucose metabolism and cell proliferation in IPAH has not been elucidated. We aimed to determine the relationship between glucose metabolism and smooth muscle cell proliferation in IPAH.

Methods and Results—

Human IPAH and control patient lung tissues and pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were used to analyze a specific pathway of glucose metabolism, the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway. We measured the levels of
O
-linked β-
N
-acetylglucosamine modification,
O
-linked β-
N
-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT), and
O
-linked β-
N
-acetylglucosamine hydrolase in control and IPAH cells and tissues. Our data suggest that the activation of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway directly increased OGT levels and activity, triggering changes in glycosylation and PASMC proliferation. Partial knockdown of OGT in IPAH PASMCs resulted in reduced global
O
-linked β-
N
-acetylglucosamine modification levels and abrogated PASMC proliferation. The increased proliferation observed in IPAH PASMCs was directly impacted by proteolytic activation of the cell cycle regulator, host cell factor-1.

Conclusions—

Our data demonstrate that hexosamine biosynthetic pathway flux is increased in IPAH and drives OGT-facilitated PASMC proliferation through specific proteolysis and direct activation of host cell factor-1. These findings establish a novel regulatory role for OGT in IPAH, shed a new light on our understanding of the disease pathobiology, and provide opportunities to design novel therapeutic strategies for IPAH.
Multi-material 3D Models for Temporal Bone Surgical Simulation
Authors: Rose Austin S. , Kimbell Julia S. , Webster Caroline E. , Harrysson Ola L.A. , Formeister Eric J. , Buchman Craig A.
Published: February 2015

Hypothesis:

A simulated, multicolor, multi-material temporal bone model can be created using 3-dimensional (3D) printing that will prove both safe and beneficial in training for actual temporal bone surgical cases.

Background:

As the process of additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, has become more practical and affordable, a number of applications for the technology in the field of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery have been considered. One area of promise is temporal bone surgical simulation.

Methods:

Three-dimensional representations of human temporal bones were created from temporal bone computed tomography (CT) scans using biomedical image processing software. Multi-material models were then printed and dissected in a temporal bone laboratory by attending and resident otolaryngologists. A 5-point Likert scale was used to grade the models for their anatomical accuracy and suitability as a simulation of cadaveric and operative temporal bone drilling.

Results:

The models produced for this study demonstrate significant anatomic detail and a likeness to human cadaver specimens for drilling and dissection.

Conclusion:

Simulated temporal bones created by this process have potential benefit in surgical training, preoperative simulation for challenging otologic cases, and the standardized testing of temporal bone surgical skills.
Galileo and the humanities
Authors: Crease Robert P
Published: February 2015

Galileo’s greatest contribution did not involve lenses, pendulums or mathematics. His most revolutionary act – what is at the core of what might be called the Galilean moment – was to usher in a way of looking at the world in which we  can look at the heavens with lenses, think of its chandeliers and swings as pendulums, and read its book in the language of mathematics. This is more than a scientific development; it is at once an intellectual and a cultural transformation. The Galilean moment connects with the humanities in two ways. One is that Galileo, thanks to his training in the humanities, was able to transform mathematics from what was essentially a branch of philosophy and theology, studied by artists and humanists, into a tool for scientists. But if the humanities were a legacy that made the Galilean achievement possible, that achievement now posed a fundamental challenge for the humanities: how to characterize the relation between that mathematically structured world and our own. This is a second way in which the humanities are connected with the Galilean moment. The humanities still struggle to cope with that challenge, which will eventually force the humanities to rethink their role.
Performance metrics for structural composites with electrochemical multifunctionality
Authors: Snyder JF , Gienger EB , Wetzel ED
Published: February 2015

Structural electrochemical composites, which are capable of carrying mechanical loads while simultaneously storing or releasing electrical energy, combine the components and behaviors of conventional polymer composite structures and electrochemical devices such as batteries and supercapacitors into a single multifunctional material. In order to analyze these systems more rigorously, this paper derives relationships and metrics for the mass savings of a multifunctional design relative to a design consisting of conventional structures and electrochemical devices. These metrics are then evaluated using structural supercapacitors composed of carbon fiber electrodes and conductive solid polymer electrolytes, as well as multifunctional supercapacitors from literature. The analysis reveals that state-of-the-art multifunctional supercapacitors are still far from reaching the levels of performance needed to supplant conventional structures and save system mass. The metrics provide further insight regarding multifunctional value of the material components as well as influence of various functionalities on system performance.
Beyond Western European Idealism: A Comparative Perspective on the Transnational Scope of Belgian Solidarity Movements with Nicaragua, Poland and South Africa in the 1980s
Authors: Christiaens Kim , Goddeeris Idesbald
Published: February 2015

This article compares the mobilization of Belgian society for campaigns professing solidarity with three different issues in the 1980s: the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, the independent trade union Solidarność in the Polish People’s Republic, and the long struggle against apartheid in South Africa. It inquires into the ideological, social, and strategic similarities and differences between these movements, and does so in a broader context by connecting the 1980s with previous forms of transnational solidarity. First and foremost, it compares the differences in the forms of transnational collaboration between these three cases, regarding the actors, the different ideological frameworks in which they operated, and the relative importance of each. It highlights the active role of the political movements themselves – Sandinistas, visiting Solidarność members, and the South African ANC – who played a key role in the mobilization of activists in Western Europe – a fact which has so far largely been ignored.
‘Do What the Afro-Americans Are Doing’: Black Power and the Start of the Northern Ireland Troubles
Authors: Prince Simon
Published: February 2015

This article challenges the local focus of much of the work on the Northern Ireland Troubles, by examining the importance of the impact that Black Power movements had on activists in the 1960s and 1970s. It is not, however, the story of the transnational diffusion of the ideas of a US movement to a nation-state on the periphery. Conceiving of the West in the ‘cycle of protest years’ as a networked space, this article argues that Northern Ireland during its Black Power moment was the unique and fleeting coming together of many different trajectories. The left-wing activists used Black Power to build transnational networks of revolt and to inspire local political struggles; the British authorities used the information that they collected from around the world on Black Power as a lens through which to view subversives and as a resource for making strategy. The start of the Troubles was interpreted by actors on both sides of the barricades as a forerunner of the class and race conflicts to come in the West, not as the latest small, local war in Britain's retreat from empire.
The Transnational in the Local: The Larzac Plateau as a Site of Transnational Activism since 1970
Authors: Gildea Robert , Tompkins Andrew
Published: February 2015

This article explores the case of the Larzac plateau in southern France which was the site of protests against the extension of a military base in the 1970s. It analyses the development of the site as a focus of local, national and transnational protest, drawing in post-1968 gauchistes in France and West Germany. After the cancellation of the military base the Larzac protest became a model for protest from Latin America to the Pacific against the threats of globalization, which in turn transformed local protest. The limits of transnationalism were nevertheless demonstrated by contested understandings of the Larzac model of non-violent protest by activists from different contexts with their own agendas.
Personality Differences Between the United States and the Netherlands
Authors: Eigenhuis Annemarie , Kamphuis Jan H. , Noordhof Arjen
Published: February 2015

Cross-cultural comparisons of personality have yielded inconsistent results, which might be partly due to poor model fit and disregard of differential item functioning (DIF). Here, the brief Dutch form of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ-BF-NL) was tested for cross-cultural measurement invariance (MI), using multiple group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) for categorical outcomes. Representative Dutch and U.S. samples (both Ns = 1,055) were used for model exploration and student samples (both Ns = 410) for cross-validation. The MPQ-BF-NL appeared partially strict invariant. In all, 19% of the items contained DIF when scales were treated separately, while in the full model, allowing for 150 cross-loadings, 40% of the items contained DIF. The majority of DIF was observed in thresholds (i.e., difficulty parameters). Not accounting for DIF would yield invalid inferences for 4 out of 11 primary scales. Higher corrected factor scores were evident in the U.S. sample for Social Closeness and Stress Reaction, whereas lower for Achievement and Aggression, respectively, suggesting that the U.S. society, relative to the Dutch, fosters more community and less agency.
Micturition in Göttingen minipigs: first reference in vivo data for urological research and review of literature
Authors: Huppertz ND , Tolba RH , Grosse JO
Published: February 2015

One possible symptom of overactive bladder (OAB) is urinary incontinence, which is generally considered to be an age-associated disease and which is rapidly increasing with demographic changes. Rodent models are commonly used for the investigation of lower urinary tract functions, although the use of these species has limitations in several translational aspects. In biomedical research and preclinical toxicology, Göttingen minipigs are used increasingly. But in urological research, only few data are available for Göttingen minipigs. To the best of our knowledge, this study is one of the first to provide reference data of micturition in female Göttingen minipigs. Micturition frequency and volumes were monitored and analyzed in five female Göttingen minipigs. Voided volume was 520 ± 383 mL (mean ± standard deviation of mean [SD]) and micturition frequency 6.17 ± 3.68 (mean ± SD). We also performed a review of the literature to compare our data with data from different species (humans, pigs, rats and mice). Our findings revealed that micturition volume and frequency of Göttingen minipigs are more comparable with that of humans, leading to the conclusion that Göttingen minipigs may be the better choice for translational research in different research fields, such as urology, neurology and nephrology, etc. The provision of in vivo reference values meets with the 3R concept of ‘reduction, refinement and replacement’ of laboratory animals, because they allow comprehensive statistical power calculations (reduction), planning of telemetric approaches (refinement), and generation of computer-based modulation for the development of intravesical drug delivery systems (replacement).
Educational Expansion, Occupational Closure and the Relation between Educational Attainment and Occupational Prestige over Time
Authors: Klein Markus
Published: February 2015

This article considers changes in the association between educational attainment and occupational prestige in Germany over time. We argue that the link between attainment and occupational prestige has become weaker over time because of compositional changes in graduate occupational destinations. Prior to higher education expansion, the small elite group of graduates tended to access the occupationally closed and thus more prestigious professions on graduation. As higher education participation expanded, however, an increasing proportion of graduates found employment in less prestigious and more diverse graduate jobs. The results confirm our theoretical expectations. The association between educational attainment and occupational prestige has decreased over time as graduates entered a broader range of jobs and their relative advantage over those with lower levels of qualifications decreased. This can, in fact, be attributed to a merely compositional change among graduates’ occupational destinations from prestigious professions towards less prestigious free-market graduate occupations.
Relational Persons and Relational Processes: Developing the Notion of Relationality for the Sociology of Personal Life
Authors: Roseneil Sasha , Ketokivi Kaisa
Published: February 2015

The concept of relationality has recently found widespread favour in British sociology, particularly in the emergent sub-field of the sociology of personal life, which is characterized by its attachment to the concept. However, this ‘relational turn’ is under-theorized and pays little attention to the substantial history of relational thinking across the human sciences. This article argues that the notion of relationality in the sociology of personal life might be strengthened by an exploration of the conceptualization of the relational person and relational processes offered by three bodies of literature: the process-oriented thinking of American pragmatism, specifically of Mead and Emirbayer; the figurational sociology of Elias; and psychoanalysis, particularly the object relations tradition, contemporary relational psychoanalysis, and Ettinger’s notion of transubjectivity. The article attends particularly to the processes involved in the individuality, agentic reflexivity and affective dimensions of the relational person.
‘Charlie Is So Cool Like’: Authenticity, Popularity and Inclusive Masculinity on YouTube
Authors: Morris Max , Anderson Eric
Published: February 2015

On the world’s most utilised video-sharing social networking site, YouTube, Charlie McDonnell ( Charlieissocoollike), Dan Howell ( Danisnotonfire) and Jack and Finn Harries ( JacksGap) are Britain’s most popular video-bloggers (vloggers). With more than two million regular subscribers to each of their channels, along with millions of casual viewers, they represent a new form of authentic online celebrity. These young men, whose YouTube careers began as teenagers, do not espouse a traditional form of masculinity; they are not sporty, macho or even expressly concerned with being perceived as heterosexual. Instead, they present a softer masculinity, eschewing the homophobia, misogyny and aggression attributed to boys of previous generations. These behaviours are theorised using Anderson’s Inclusive Masculinity Theory. Drawing on analysis of 115 video-blogs (vlogs), along with an in-depth interview with Charlie McDonnell, this article examines how these young men developed and exhibit their inclusive masculinities and attitudes, which we postulate are a reflection of dominant youth culture.
Teaching Interactionist Gender Theory through Speed Dating
Authors: Messinger Adam M.
Published: February 2015

Few evaluated classroom exercises to date have addressed one of the most cited and compelling explanations of gender formation over the life course: interactionist gender theory. This theory posits that people actively “do” or “perform” their gender in every interaction, and as such, they often subconsciously reshape their public gendered personas based on the degree to which they find social acceptance within a given social context. This paper presents a highly engaging and temporally compact classroom exercise utilizing simulated speed dating to illustrate and generate discussion about interactionist gender theory among undergraduate social sciences and gender studies students. An evaluation study indicates that the exercise improves students’ perceived understanding of interactionist gender theory and that it is both highly helpful and enjoyable.
Competitive Video Game Play
Authors: Griffiths Robert P. , Eastin Matthew S. , Cicchirillo Vincent
Published: February 2015

Sports often go beyond simple games to something that individuals identify and relate to throughout their lives. Furthermore, passive and active sports consumption (i.e., video games) allows individuals to further create a sense of fanship and identification with their favorite teams. The following study manipulates player saliency to team, saliency to opponent, and competitive outcome to examine those impacts on enjoyment and hostility. A 3 (opponent saliency) × 2 (team identification) × 2 (competitive outcome; win vs. loss) experimental design was invoked to study these effects. Results indicate that competitiveness was significantly related to both enjoyment and hostility. Furthermore, data suggest a significant interaction between identification and competitive outcomes on hostility.
Motivational diversity and the sense of ill-treatment back home among the UK’s migrant workers from Turkey: A cross-intersectional approach
Authors: Cam Surhan
Published: February 2015

Drawing on unstructured interviews, the present article examines the motivations behind the migration of workers from Turkey as an under-researched community in Britain. For this, a cross-intersectional approach is developed. Intersectional evidence suggests that motivations are informed by both economic and social factors. In particular, economic ambitions have become considerably variegated in recent years, but added to these are non-economic motivations within spatial, ethnic/religious and gender/sexuality domains as well as human capital considerations. These also give a dynamism to migrants’ motivations. Even so, one should go beyond intersectionality for a fuller account. A sense of ill-treatment back home occasionally turns out to be an inextricable component across both economic and non-economic motivations whilst causing prolonged stays. Unpleasant experiences reported by the majority of participants largely reflect policy deficiencies in Turkey. Addressing them could have potential implications for more sustainable migration controls by encouraging returns and easing the search for a better life abroad.
Utilization of the organ care system as ex-vivo lung perfusion after cold storage transportation
Authors: Mohite PN , Maunz O , Popov A-F , Zych B , Patil NP , Simon AR
Published: February 2015

The Organ Care System (OCS) allows perfusion and ventilation of the donor lungs under physiological conditions. Ongoing trials to compare preservation with OCS Lung with standard cold storage do not include donor lungs with suboptimal gas exchange and donor lungs treated with OCS following cold storage transportation. We present a case of a 48-yr-old man who received such lungs after cold storage transportation treated with ex-vivo lung perfusion utilizing OCS.
Suppressive effects of gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy on regulatory T cells in nonsmall-cell lung cancer
Authors: Chen Cheng , Chen Zhijun , Chen Dongdong , Zhang Binjie , Wang Zhaoye , Le Hanbo
Published: February 2015

Objective

To investigate the effect of gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy on the percentage of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ and CD8+CD28– regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the peripheral blood of patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

Peripheral blood was taken from patients with NCSLC (before and after chemotherapy) and control subjects with nonmalignant disease. The percentages of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ and CD8+CD28– Tregs were analysed using flow cytometry.

Results

Patients ( n = 40) had significantly higher CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ and CD8+CD28– percentages than control subjects ( n = 24). CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ and CD8+CD28– percentages increased with tumour progression, fell significantly after chemotherapy, but remained significantly higher than control values.

Conclusions

CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ and CD8+CD28– Treg percentages were higher in patients with NSCLC than control subjects, and increased in line with tumour progression. Percentages of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ and CD8+CD28– Tregs were significantly reduced following gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy.
Tensile Properties of the Human Acetabular Labrum and Hip Labral Reconstruction Grafts
Authors: Ferro Fernando P. , Philippon Marc J. , Rasmussen Matthew T. , Smith Sean D. , LaPrade Robert F. , Wijdicks Coen A.
Published: February 2015

Background:

In cases where the acetabular labrum is severely damaged and irreparable, labral reconstructions are becoming an increasingly preferred means of preserving the fluid seal effect of the labrum. However, the graft that most closely replicates the biomechanical properties of the native labrum remains undetermined.

Purpose:

To characterize the tensile properties and geometry of the labrum, as well as iliotibial band, semitendinosus, gracilis, and anterior tibialis grafts.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Five graft groups—(1) acetabular labrum, (2) iliotibial band, (3) semitendinosus, (4) gracilis, and (5) anterior tibialis—with 8 specimens per group were tested. Grafts were tested using a materials testing system in response to a stepwise sinusoidal cyclic loading protocol. Uniaxial tensile loads were initially applied from 20 to 50 N for 100 cycles at 0.5 Hz, followed by incremental increases of 50 N in the upper force every 100 cycles until failure or successful completion of 100 cycles at 300 N. This protocol was designed to be representative of progressive loading experienced during rehabilitation. Cyclic displacement was recorded after 100 (50 N), 200 (100 N), 300 (150 N), 400 (200 N), 500 (250 N), and 600 (300 N) cycles.

Results:

The mean elongation (95% CI) after 100 cycles from 20 to 50 N was similar for all groups: acetabular labrum, 0.68 mm (0.57-0.78 mm); iliotibial band, 0.68 mm (0.47-0.89 mm); semitendinosus, 0.68 mm (0.51-0.84 mm); gracilis, 0.62 mm (0.46-0.79 mm); and anterior tibialis, 0.66 mm (0.58-0.73 mm). After 100 cycles from 20 to 300 N (600 cycles total), the mean elongation of the labrum was 4.53 mm (3.71-5.35 mm), and the mean elongations of the iliotibial band, semitendinosus, gracilis, and anterior tibialis were 4.65 mm (3.23-6.07 mm), 4.41 mm (3.45-5.36 mm), 5.12 mm (3.09-7.16 mm), and 5.33 mm (4.40-6.25 mm), respectively.

Conclusion:

All tested grafts and the acetabular labrum exhibited similar cyclic elongation behavior in response to simulated physiologic forces. In addition, differences in variability in both elongation and geometry existed for all graft types.

Clinical Relevance:

All tested grafts can be considered viable acetabular labrum reconstruction graft options.
How Can We Practice Ethical Medicine When the Evidence Is Always Changing?
Authors: Noritz Garey
Published: February 2015

The practice of ethical medicine requires that the clinician offers interventions that are likely to help (beneficence), avoid interventions that are likely to harm (nonmaleficence), and allow for autonomous decision making. Our determination of what is in the best interest of the patient is dependent on the state of medical evidence at the time. However, as evidence evolves, the balance of beneficence and nonmaleficence may change, even to the extent of a complete reversal. In this article, I explore the issues of autonomy, particularly parental autonomy for a child, in a world in which the evidence is always changing.
Cognitive and Neurobehavioral Profile in Boys With Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Authors: Banihani Rudaina , Smile Sharon , Yoon Grace , Dupuis Annie , Mosleh Maureen , Snider Andrea , McAdam Laura
Published: February 2015

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive neuromuscular condition that has a high rate of cognitive and learning disabilities as well as neurobehavioral disorders, some of which have been associated with disruption of dystrophin isoforms. Retrospective cohort of 59 boys investigated the cognitive and neurobehavioral profile of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Full-scale IQ of < 70 was seen in 27%; learning disability in 44%, intellectual disability in 19%; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in 32%; autism spectrum disorders in 15%; and anxiety in 27%. Mutations affecting Dp260 isoform and 5’untranslated region of Dp140 were observed in 60% with learning disability, 50% intellectual disability, 77% with autism spectrum disorders, and 94% with anxiety. No statistically significant correlation was noted between comorbidities and dystrophin isoforms; however, there is a trend of cumulative loss of dystrophin isoforms with declining full-scale IQ. Enhanced psychology testing to include both cognitive and neurobehavioral disorders is recommended for all individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Cost and Outcome in Pediatric Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Hamilton William , Huang Haijuan , Seiber Eric , Lo Warren
Published: February 2015

The cost of childhood stroke receives little notice. The authors examined potential drivers of cost and outcome to test whether (1) neonatal strokes cost less than childhood strokes, (2) associated diseases influence cost, (3) arterial ischemic stroke is more costly than sinovenous thrombosis, and (4) cost correlates with outcome. The authors reviewed records of 111 children who sustained arterial ischemic stroke or sinovenous thrombosis between 2005 and 2010 to identify costs for the following year. They assessed outcomes in 46 with the Recovery and Recurrence Questionnaire and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Neonatal strokes cost less than childhood stroke. Strokes associated with congenital heart disease or vasculopathy cost the most, while perinatal or idiopathic strokes cost the least. Higher costs are correlated with worse impairment and poorer quality of life. Stroke etiology significantly influences the cost of pediatric stroke. Future cost–benefit studies must consider etiology when estimating the incremental costs associated with stroke.
The Salience of European Integration to Party Competition
Authors: Whitefield Stephen , Rohrschneider Robert
Published: February 2015

This article seeks to contribute to the burgeoning literature on how parties assign salience to their issue stances. With regard to European integration, recent research has pointed not only to growing public Euro-scepticism but also to an increase in the importance that the public assigns to European issues. But are parties matching this shift with appropriate salience shifts of their own? The existing literature points to important constraints on parties achieving such salience representation that arise from the nature of inherited issue ownership and the nature of political cleavages. There are also reasons to expect important differences between Western European and Central European parties in the extent to which such constraints apply. We investigate these issues using data from expert surveys conducted in twenty-four European countries at two time points, 2007–2008 and 2013, that provide measures of the salience of European integration to parties along with other indicators that are used as predictors of salience. The results do not suggest that CEE parties assign salience in ways that differ substantially from their counterparts in Western Europe. What matters most in both regions is the position that parties adopt on the issues, with parties at the extremes on the European dimension being the ones to make the issue most salient in their appeals. We also note that some predicted determinants of issue salience, such as government status, electoral support and time spent in office, and party organization, are dogs that do not bark in both regions.
Policies Aren’t Enough
Authors: Anderson Jenn , Kuehl Rebecca A. , Drury Sara A. Mehltretter , Tschetter Lois , Schwaegerl Mary , Hildreth Marilyn , Bachman Charlotte , Gullickson Heidi , Yoder Julia , Lamp Jamison
Published: February 2015

Background:

Formal policies can establish guidelines and expectations for workplace breastfeeding support. However, interpersonal communication between employees and managers is the context where such policies are explained, negotiated, and implemented. As such, this article focuses on interpersonal communication about breastfeeding support in the workplace.

Objective:

The objective of this article is to describe interpersonal communication related to workplace breastfeeding support.

Methods:

We conducted 3 focus groups with 23 business representatives from a rural city in the Midwest United States. Participants were recruited through the area chamber of commerce. We analyzed the transcripts of the focus groups and derived themes related to the study objective.

Results:

Our analysis of responses from business representatives in the focus groups revealed 3 major themes about interpersonal communication concerning breastfeeding support in the workplace: (1) interpersonal communication may be more important than written communication for enacting breastfeeding support, (2) multiple factors (age, sex, and power dynamics) complicate the interpersonal communication required to enact breastfeeding support in local businesses, and (3) positive interpersonal communication strategies may improve the success of workplace breastfeeding support.

Conclusion:

Interpersonal communication between employees and managers is where the specifics of workplace breastfeeding support (eg, policies) are determined and applied. Interpersonal communication about breastfeeding can be challenging due to issues such as age, sex, and power dynamics. However, positive and open interpersonal communication can enhance workplace breastfeeding support.
Ethnic Differences in Geriatric Conditions and Diabetes Complications Among Older, Insured Adults With Diabetes
Authors: Karter Andrew J. , Laiteerapong Neda , Chin Marshall H. , Moffet Howard H. , Parker Melissa M. , Sudore Rebecca , Adams Alyce S. , Schillinger Dean , Adler Nancy S. , Whitmer Rachel A. , Piette John D. , Huang Elbert S.
Published: February 2015

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate ethnic differences in burden of prevalent geriatric conditions and diabetic complications among older, insured adults with diabetes. Method: An observational study was conducted among 115,538 diabetes patients, aged ≥60, in an integrated health care system with uniform access to care. Results: Compared with Whites, Asians and Filipinos were more likely to be underweight but had substantively lower prevalence of falls, urinary incontinence, polypharmacy, depression, and chronic pain, and were least likely of all groups to have at least one geriatric condition. African Americans had significantly lower prevalence of incontinence and falls, but higher prevalence of dementia; Latinos had a lower prevalence of falls. Except for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), Whites tended to have the highest rates of prevalent diabetic complications. Discussion: Among these insured older adults, ethnic health patterns varied substantially; differences were frequently small and rates were often better among select minority groups, suggesting progress toward the Healthy People 2020 objective to reduce health disparities.
Reactivity to a Spouse’s Interpersonal Suffering in Late Life Marriage
Authors: Mitchell Hannah-Rose , Levy Becca R. , Keene Danya E. , Monin Joan K.
Published: February 2015

Objective: To determine how older adult spouses react to their partners’ interpersonal suffering. Method: Spouses of individuals with musculoskeletal pain were recorded describing their partners’ suffering while their blood pressure (BP) was monitored. After the account, spouses described their distress. Speeches were transcribed and analyzed with Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software and coded for interpersonal content. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted with interpersonal content variables predicting BP and distress. Exploratory qualitative analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti to explore mechanisms behind quantitative results. Results: Describing partners’ suffering as interpersonal and using social (family) words were associated with higher systolic BP reactivity. Husbands were more likely to describe partners’ suffering as interpersonal. Qualitative results suggested shared stressors and bereavement-related distress as potential mechanisms for heightened reactivity to interpersonal suffering. Discussion: Spouses’ interpersonal suffering may negatively affect both men and women’s cardiovascular health, and older husbands may be particularly affected.
On equal temperament
Authors: Halewood Michael
Published: February 2015

In this article, I use Stengers’ (2010) concepts of ‘factish’, ‘requirements’ and ‘obligations’, as well as Latour’s (1993) critique of modernity, to interrogate the rise of Equal Temperament as the dominant system of tuning for western music. I argue that Equal Temperament is founded on an unacknowledged compromise which undermines its claims to rationality and universality. This compromise rests on the standardization which is the hallmark of the tuning system of Equal Temperament, and, in this way, it is emblematic of Latour’s definition of modernity. I further argue that the problem of the tuning of musical instruments is one which epitomizes the modern distinction between the natural and the social. In turn, this bears witness to what Whitehead calls the ‘bifurcation of nature’. Throughout this article, using the work of Stengers and Latour, I seek to use tuning as a case study which allows social research to talk both of the natural and of the social aspects of music and tuning, without recourse to essentialism or simple social construction. In this way, my argument seeks to avoid bifurcating nature.
The effects of abrasive yielding on the polishing of SiC wafers using a semi-fixed flexible pad
Authors: Lu Jing , Li Yang , Xu Xipeng
Published: February 2015

A newly developed sol-gel (SG) polishing pad can satisfy the processing demands of SiC wafers by providing scratch-free polished surfaces with nano-roughness. The main characteristic of this polishing tool is the semi-fixed abrasive together with the flexible matrix. In this article, contrastive experiments involving polishing of SiC wafers with three different types of tools were conducted to confirm the machining mechanism of the SG polishing pad. The results indicate that the abrasives in the pad exhibit yielding effects during the polishing process, contributing to the achievement of a mirror-like wafer surface. In addition, larger abrasives can be chosen for the SG polishing pad to obtain relatively high wafer surface quality instead of smaller ones, thereby avoiding the agglomeration problem of ultrafine abrasives.
Multi-machine tools volumetric error generalized modeling and Ethernet-based compensation technique
Authors: Xiang Sitong , Yang Jianguo , Fan Kaiguo , Lu Hongxing
Published: February 2015

This article proposes a volumetric error generalized model and a distributed error compensation technique for multi-machine tools. A detailed generalized kinematic model for three- and five-axis machine tools is built. It can be applied to 4 types of three-axis machine tools and 12 types of five-axis machine tools. By simply inputting the translational and rotary type numbers of the specific machine tool, the final kinematic model can be obtained without further human interventions. A new compensation technique based on an Ethernet distributed numerical control system is proposed. Ethernet distributed numerical control software integrated with the generalized kinematic model is developed for machine tools with Fanuc and Siemens systems. Based on the Ethernet distributed numerical control system, the real-time volumetric errors of multi-machine tools are simultaneously compensated for. The proposed generalized kinematic model and Ethernet distributed numerical control systems are experimentally verified on three machine tools, whose volumetric errors are significantly reduced after compensation.
Hydraulic-feedback proportional valve design for construction machinery
Authors: Liu Wei , Wei Jianhua , Fang Jinhui , Li Shizhen
Published: February 2015

Due to the increasing demand for large-tonnage construction machinery, the manufacturers call for a reliable and inexpensive proportional control valve with large flow capacity. In this work, a novel throttle poppet valve based on hydraulic-feedback principle has been studied comprehensively and optimized to meet the requirements of the construction machinery. A detailed and precise mathematical model has been developed and validated through experiments. According to the model, basic status of the valve under different working conditions has been analyzed, and the impacts of the parameters on the performances of response speed and the pressure stiffness have been studied through the root locus method. To find the optimal parameters suitable for construction machinery, an optimization based on non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II was carried out, and the performances have been significantly improved. Finally, by adopting the analysis on the parameters and the optimization results, guidelines for designing the hydraulic-feedback proportional valve in various sizes are presented.
Numerical investigation of effects of deformation allocation on multi-pass conventional spinning process of curvilinear generatrix parts
Authors: Lin Xiao-Jun , Ge Ting , Wang Jin , Lu Guo-Dong
Published: February 2015

Deformation allocation has significant effects on the process of multi-pass conventional spinning, especially for the curvilinear generatrix parts. Three different patterns of deformation allocation for curvilinear generatrix parts, including equal max deformation, equal arc length, and equal axial distance, are proposed and defined. Roller path profiles are designed based on them respectively. A 3D elastic-plastic finite element model is developed to investigate the effects of deformation allocation on forming quality and efficiency of the multi-pass spinning of curvilinear generatrix parts, based on the designed paths. The results show that a reasonable deformation allocation in each pass can improve the efficiency of the process effectively. The equal max deformation pattern can lead to better wall thickness distribution and forming efficiency. However, the fittability of it is poorer, compared with the others. This phenomenon is more significant with the increase of pass number.