bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stable Isotope Kinetic Study of ApoM (Apolipoprotein M)
Authors: Croyal Mikaël , Billon-Crossouard Stéphanie , Goulitquer Sophie , Aguesse Audrey , León Luis , Fall Fanta , Chétiveaux Maud , Moyon Thomas , Blanchard Valentin , Ouguerram Khadija , Lambert Gilles , Nobécourt Estelle , Krempf Michel
Published: November 2017

Objective—

ApoM (apolipoprotein M) binds primarily to high-density lipoprotein before to be exchanged with apoB (apolipoprotein B)–containing lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor–mediated clearance of apoB-containing particles could influence plasma apoM kinetics and decrease its antiatherogenic properties. In humans, we aimed to describe the interaction of apoM kinetics with other components of lipid metabolism to better define its potential benefit on atherosclerosis.

Approach and Results—

Fourteen male subjects received a primed infusion of
2
H
3
-leucine for 14 hours, and analyses were performed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry from the hourly plasma samples. Fractional catabolic rates and production rates within lipoproteins were calculated using compartmental models. ApoM was found not only in high-density lipoprotein (59%) and LDL (4%) but also in a non–lipoprotein-related compartment (37%). The apoM distribution was heterogeneous within LDL and non–lipoprotein-related compartments according to plasma triglycerides (
r
=0.86;
P
<0.001). The relationships between sphingosine-1-phosphate and apoM were confirmed in all compartments (
r
range, 0.55–0.89;
P
<0.05). ApoM fractional catabolic rates and production rates were 0.16±0.07 pool/d and 0.14±0.06 mg/kg per day in high-density lipoprotein and 0.56±0.10 pool/d and 0.03±0.01 mg/kg per day in LDL, respectively. Fractional catabolic rates of LDL-apoM and LDL-apoB100 were correlated (
r
=0.55;
P
=0.042). Significant correlations were found between triglycerides and production rates of LDL-apoM (
r
=0.73;
P
<0.004).

Conclusions—

In humans, LDL kinetics play a key role in apoM turnover. Plasma triglycerides act on both apoM and sphingosine-1-phosphate distributions between lipoproteins. These results confirmed that apoM could be bound to high-density lipoprotein after secretion and then quickly exchanged with a non–lipoprotein-related compartment and to LDL to be slowly catabolized.
Architectural T-Wave Analysis and Identification of On-Therapy Breakthrough Arrhythmic Risk in Type 1 and Type 2 Long-QT Syndrome
Authors: Sugrue Alan , Rohatgi Ram K. , Noseworthy Peter A. , Kremen Vaclav , Bos J. Martijn , Qiang Bo , Sapir Yehu , Attia Zachi I. , Scott Christopher G. , Brady Peter , Asirvatham Samuel J. , Friedman Paul A. , Ackerman Michael J.
Published: November 2017

Background:

Although the hallmark of long-QT syndrome (LQTS) is abnormal cardiac repolarization, there are varying degrees of phenotypic expression and arrhythmic risk. Our aim was to evaluate the performance of a morphological T-wave analysis program in defining breakthrough LQTS arrhythmic risk beyond the QTc value.

Methods and Results:

We analyzed 407 genetically confirmed patients with LQT1 (n=246; 43% men) and LQT2 (n=161; 41% men) over the mean follow-up period of 6.4±3.9 years. ECG analysis was conducted using a novel, proprietary T-wave analysis program. Time to a LQTS-associated cardiac event was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression methods. Twenty-three patients experienced ≥1 defined breakthrough cardiac arrhythmic events with 5- and 10-year event rates of 4% and 7%. Two independent predictors of future LQTS-associated cardiac events from the surface ECG were identified: left slope of T wave in lead V6 (hazard ratio=0.40 [0.24–0.69];
P
<0.001) and T-wave center of gravity
x
axis (last 25% of wave) in lead I (hazard ratio=1.90 [1.21–2.99];
P
=0.005), C statistic of 0.77 (0.65–0.89). When added to the QTc (C statistic 0.68 for QTc alone), discrimination improved to 0.78. Genotype analysis showed weaker association between these T-wave variables and LQT1-triggered events while these features were stronger in patients with LQT2 and significantly outperformed the QTc (C statistic, 0.82 [0.71–0.93]).

Conclusion:

Detailed morphological analysis of the T wave provides novel insights into risk of breakthrough arrhythmic events in LQTS, particularly LQT2. This observation has the potential to guide clinical decision making and further refine risk stratification.
Magnitude of Soluble ST2 as a Novel Biomarker for Acute Aortic Dissection
Authors: Wang Yuan , Tan Xin , Gao Hai , Yuan Hui , Hu Rong , Jia Lixin , Zhu Junming , Sun Lizhong , Zhang Hongjia , Huang Lianjun , Zhao Dong , Gao Pei , Du Jie
Published: November 2017

Background:

Misdiagnosis of acute aortic dissection (AAD) can lead to significant morbidity and death. Soluble ST2 (sST2) is a cardiovascular injury–related biomarker. The extent to which sST2 is elevated in AAD and whether sST2 can discriminate AAD from other causes of sudden-onset severe chest pain are unknown.

Methods:

We measured plasma concentrations of sST2 (R&D Systems assay) in 1360 patients, including 1027 participants in the retrospective discovery set and 333 patients with initial suspicion of AAD enrolled in the prospective validation cohort. Measures of discrimination for differentiating AAD from other causes of chest pain were calculated.

Results:

In the acute phase, sST2 levels were higher in patients with AAD than those with either acute myocardial infarction in the first case-control discovery set within 24 hours of symptom onset or with patients with pulmonary embolism in the second discovery set (medians of 129.2 ng/mL versus 14.7 with
P
<0.001 for AAD versus acute myocardial infarction and 88.6 versus 9.3 with
P
<0.001 for AAD versus pulmonary embolism). In the prospective validation set, sST2 was most elevated in patients with AAD (median [25th, 75th percentile]: 76.4 [49.6, 130.3]) and modestly elevated in acute myocardial infarction (25.0 [15.5, 37.2]), pulmonary embolism (14.9 [10.2, 30.1]), and angina patients (21.5 [13.1, 27.6], all
P
<0.001 versus AAD). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve for patients with AAD versus all control patients within 24 hours of presenting at the emergency department was 0.97 (0.95, 0.98) for sST2, 0.91 (0.88, 0.94) for D-dimer, and 0.50 (0.44, 0.56) for cardiac troponin I, respectively. At a cutoff level of 34.6 ng/mL, sST2 had a sensitivity of 99.1%, specificity of 84.9%, positive predictive value of 68.7%, negative predictive value of 99.7%, positive likelihood ratio of 6.6, and negative likelihood ratio of 0.01.

Conclusions:

Among patients with suspected aortic dissection in the emergency department, sST2 showed superior overall diagnostic performance to D-dimer or cardiac troponin I. Additional study is needed to determine whether sST2 might be a useful rule-out marker for AAD in the emergency room.
Imaging Characteristics of Venous Parenchymal Abnormalities
Authors: Arnoux Audrey , Triquenot-Bagan Aude , Andriuta Daniela , Wallon David , Guegan-Massardier Evelyne , Leclercq Claire , Martinaud Olivier , Castier-Amouyel Mélody , Godefroy Olivier , Bugnicourt Jean-Marc
Published: November 2017

Background and Purpose—

There are few published data on the patterns of parenchymal imaging abnormalities in a context of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). The objectives of the present study were to describe the patterns of parenchymal lesions associated with CVT and to determine the lesion sites.

Methods—

We included 44 consecutively hospitalized patients with CVT and parenchymal lesions on magnetic resonance imaging. The diagnosis of CVT had been confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance venography. Magnetic resonance imaging patterns for CVT were retrospectively analyzed with regard to the lesion’s type, shape, and site.

Results—

The most frequent stroke subtype was hemorrhagic ischemia (in 56.8% of cases), followed by intracerebral hematoma (in 22.72% of cases) and nonhemorrhagic ischemia (in 20.45% of cases). Although there were no significant differences between these 3 groups with regard to the clinical and radiological characteristics, we observed a nonsignificant trend (
P
=0.08) toward a shorter time interval between hospital admission and magnetic resonance imaging for nonhemorrhagic stroke. The CVT parenchymal abnormalities were centered on 6 main foci and were related to the site of venous occlusion: (1) the inferior parietal lobule (n=20; 44.5%), associated mainly with occlusion of the transverse sinus (n=10) or pure cortical veins (n=10); (2) the inferior and posterior temporal regions (n=10; 22.75%), associated mainly with occlusion of the transverse sinus (n=9); (3) the parasagittal frontal region (n=6; 13.6%), associated mainly with occlusion of the superior sagittal sinus (n=4) or the transverse sinus (n=4); (4) the thalamus (n=5; 11.3%) associated with occlusion of the straight sinus (n=5); (5) the cerebellar hemisphere (n=2; 4.5%), associated in both cases with occlusion of the transverse sinus; and (6) the deep hemispheric regions (n=3; 6.8%), associated with occlusion of the superior sagittal sinus in all cases.

Conclusions—

Parenchymal lesions caused by CVT display specific anatomic patterns, which is mainly determined by the site of venous occlusion.
Cross-Subsidization of Teacher Pension Costs: The Case of California
Authors: Costrell Robert M. , McGee Josh
Published: November 2017

The value of pension benefits varies widely, by a teacher's age of entry and exit. This variation is masked by the uniform rate of annual contributions, as a percent of pay, to fund benefits for all. For the first time, we unmask that variation by calculating annual costs at the individual level. In California, we find that the value of a teacher's benefits ranges from about 4 to 22 percent of pay, and exhibits some idiosyncratic patterns, as is endemic to traditional pension plans. The variation in individual cost rates generates an extensive but hidden array of cross-subsidies, as winners receive benefits worth more than the uniform contribution rate, and losers receive less. Almost two thirds of all entering teachers, past and present, are losers in California. By contrast, a prominently invoked study finds that nearly all active teachers are winners there. That result is shown to be highly skewed by excluding the losses of prior entrants who left early, thereby violating the funding fact that the gains and losses of winners and losers must offset each other. Our main policy conclusion is that cash balance plans can rationalize or eliminate the current system of cross-subsidies and provide the transparency lacking in traditional plans.
Keeping Kids in School: The Long-Term Effects of Extending Compulsory Education
Authors: Elsayed Mahmoud A. A.
Published: November 2017

This paper uses a natural experiment from Egypt to examine the effect of extending compulsory schooling on long-term educational and labor market outcomes. Beginning in school year 2004–05, the Egyptian government extended primary education from five to six years, moving from an eight-year compulsory schooling system to a nine-year system. Using a regression discontinuity design, I examine whether the compulsory schooling expansion affects years of schooling, literacy and cognitive skills, post-primary attendance, and labor market outcomes of individuals born just around the 1992 school entry cutoff. The results suggest that an extra year of compulsory education increases total years of schooling by 0.6 to 0.8 years. This effect, however, is concentrated among male individuals. In particular, I find that the school reform increases the schooling gap between male and female students by somewhere between 0.30 and 0.48 years. I also find no effect of expanding compulsory education on individuals’ literacy skills, schooling beyond the primary education level, or labor market outcomes. There is some evidence, however, that the school reform has improved reading and self-reported writing skills among male individuals.
Theological Voices in Wendell Berry’s Fiction
Authors: Schreck Jane M.
Published: November 2017

This article explores the theological thinking of writer-farmer-thinker Wendell Berry and aligns his fiction with the criticism of institutional religion revealed in his essays. With an ecologist’s sense of interdependence and interconnectedness, Berry’s criticism is based on what can be described as a theology of membership. This theology of membership recognizes all creation as gift from God, with its goodness evidence of God’s love. Such love imposes on us an order and obligation of love and gratitude, both modeling and inviting us to respond with loving care for God’s world and each other. A theology of membership is placed and practiced, requiring responsibility and action in this world even as we appreciate its pleasures and joys.
Migrants at Sea: A Duty of Plural States to Protect (Extraterritorially)?
Authors: Tzevelekos Vassilis P. , Katselli Proukaki Elena
Published: November 2017

Although migration is a transnational phenomenon involving a plurality of states, the state of departure is often unwilling/unable to offer protection. Receiving/transit states can refrain from engaging with the problem until migrants have already entered their territory. With high seas, this can result in the deaths of people taking the risk of travelling to a new place. The article argues that states have a duty to offer (some) protection even when migrants are not in their territory, based on human rights’ positive effect and the principle of due diligence. Because of the transnational nature of migration, all involved states have the responsibility to offer protection. This may lead to concurrent state liability for failure to protect. The duty to protect may extend to the high seas, even when the traditional links for the establishment of jurisdiction are absent. The duty is not unlimited, it needs to prevail over other considerations.
Back to the Future: mfn Treatment in an Era of Protectionism
Authors: Wüstenberg Moritz
Published: November 2017

Most favoured nation (mfn) clauses, extending the benefits of the most favoured nation to the treaty partner, have existed since at least the 11th century. From the 18th century on, mfn clauses were frequently included in trade agreements. The widespread use of the mfn principle has furthered the equal treatment of nations and created prosperity and peace. In the multilateral framework of the World Trade Organization (wto), the mfn principle is a cornerstone, with only few exceptions to it. This article reviews the development of the mfn clause in major trade agreements in relation to historical events from 1648 onwards. The aim of this study is to determine what the consequences of protectionism, measured by unequal treatment of trading partners and protectionist policies has been in the past.
Protection against Domestic Violence in Jordanian Law and International Conventions
Authors: Nasrawin Laith K.
Published: November 2017

This article addresses the issue of protection against domestic violence in both Jordanian law and international conventions. It does so by defining domestic violence and its various causes and by exploring the relevant global standards and best international practices for combating it. The article also deals with the reality of protection against domestic violence in Jordan by referring to the special protection of the family and to the related follow-up by national and governmental institutions, and the relevant national standards. The Law Regarding Protection from Domestic Violence (Law No. 6/2008) contains protective provisions and other treatments to reduce this phenomenon, but it fails to provide optimal protection against domestic violence. The article proposes a set of recommendations to improve national standards for protection against domestic violence so that Jordan’s laws concerning protection against domestic violence conform to international standards.
A new species of Ferneiella from the Eocene French amber (Diptera: Scatopsidae)
Authors: BRAMUZZO S. , COTY D. , NEL A.
Published: November 2017

We describe the first fossil representative of the genus Ferneiella, F. gallica sp. nov., in the earliest Eocene Oise amber.
Two new Cyphoderus (Collembola: Paronellidae) of “tridenticulati” and “bidenticulati” groups from Brazilian Amazon
Authors: OLIVEIRA JOÃO VICTOR L.C. , ALVES JORGE L.S. , ZEPPELINI DOUGLAS
Published: November 2017

Two new species of Cyphoderus Nicolet are described from northern Brazil: C. mucrominimus sp. nov. from Curionópolis, Pará; and C. mucrostrimenus sp. nov. from Parauapebas, Pará. These species belong to tridenticulati and bidenticulati groups respectively. The chaetotaxy of head and whole body are described and an identification key for the species with recorded distribution in Brazil is provided.
Five new species of Cymatodera Gray, 1832 (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Tillinae) from Mexico and Central America
Authors: BURKE ALAN F. , SOLE CATHERINE L. , TOLEDO-HERNÁNDEZ VÍCTOR H. , SCHOLTZ CLARKE H.
Published: November 2017

Five new species of Cymatodera from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama are described here based on adult male and female specimens: Cymatodera humeralis sp. n; Cymatodera lorenae sp. n.; Cymatodera crassa sp. n.; Cymatodera depressa sp. n; and Cymatodera nigrofasciata sp. n. Male genitalia and other characters of taxonomic value are used for diagnostic purposes.
Desutterella n. gen., a new genus of Luzarinae (Orthoptera: Grylloidea: Phalangopsidae) and the first report of the Aracambiae group Souza-Dias & Desutter-Grandcolas, 2014 in the Amazon
Authors: SOUZA-DIAS PEDRO G. B. , CAMPOS LUCAS DENADAI DE , MELLO FRANCISCO DE ASSIS GANEO DE
Published: November 2017

A new genus and two new species of Luzarinae cricket (Grylloidea, Phalangopsidae) are described from the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil and Colombia. Desutterella manauara n. gen. n. sp. and D. colombiana n. gen. n. sp. are described based in characters of external morphology and genitalia. The new genus is characterized by the presence of reduced and pubescent male forewings, with stridulatory vein visible but other areas for sound production and propagation absent, and file teeth very reduced, vestigial. Regarding the male genitalia, Desutterella n. gen. presents an extra projection in the pseudepiphallic paramere 2, a condition not observed in the Aracambiae until now. Besides the description, we provide morphological evidence for the glandular nature of the metanotum of males through scanning electron microscopy analysis, a discussion about the morphological and genital features of this new genus, and a distribution map of the Aracambiae group.
Real-Time Determination of Earth Radiation Budget Spectral Signatures for Nonlinear Unfiltering of Results from MERBE
Authors: Matthews Grant
Published: November 2017

Among the best ways to gain more certainty in climate model prediction is to compare and constrain simulations with worldwide satellite measurements of the Earth radiation budget (ERB) short- and longwave radiant fluxes (SW and LW), which drive climate processes. Recent calls to ensure orbital ERB measurements track true climate, rather than instrument changes, led to the creation of the Moon and Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (MERBE). This independent project is recalibrating multiple existing ERB devices from different international space agencies so they adhere to common SI-traceable radiometric standards, by regularly sampling the unaltering constants of lunar reflectivity/emissivity, thus ensuring no artificial trends exist. This work details the use of MODTRAN to give an instantaneous SW and LW Earth spectrum for all scenes viewed by devices in the project, to then be used with instrument spectral responses for unfiltering radiances. In the majority of cases when data from a collocated imager are available, a dual-layer unfiltering is also performed separately on cloudy and cloud-free areas, yielding clear and overcast ERB spectral results. Additionally, use is made of improved in-flight methods to derive spectral responses from a previous American Meteorological Society study, and comparisons between Earth MERBE radiances from two identical devices operating on Terra/Aqua are shown along with results from the CERES project. These demonstrate an order of magnitude improvement in relative accuracy for edition 1 MERBE results over CERES and show that the latest CERES data are less accurate and stable than claimed.
To include or not to include? A poetics perspective on the Muslim workforce in the West
Authors: Pio Edwina , Syed Jawad
Published: November 2017

Organizations in the West have to contend with an expanding Muslim workforce, an issue of considerable importance in contemporary workplaces. The dilemma of inclusion versus exclusion is often cloaked in a limited understanding of Islam in tandem with Islamophobia. Our core question is how can organizational practices enable inclusion for the Muslim workforce in the West? We initiate a timely and important dialogue through utilizing and developing a non-conventional approach of poetics, to investigate how organizational practices are embedded in relational space with implications for inclusion and exclusion. Our dual contribution is firstly to illustrate the use of poetics to understand Islam in the West and, secondly, we argue for the use of a multiplicity of discourses and discuss theoretical implications for human relations through thoughtful reflections of Islam. We suggest a nuanced perspective that values heterogeneity, to unfold dialogic engagement and enable organizational practices of inclusion.
US–Cuban Relations, American Identities and the 1946 North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement
Authors: Krysko Michael A.
Published: November 2017

By 1946, Cuban–US relations had become strained over radio. Broadcasting from each nation repeatedly crossed borders and interfered with radio reception in the other country. The 1946 North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA) attempted to remedy that problem. This account of the impassioned reactions and heated rhetoric surrounding the 1946 NARBA underscores the enduring strength of national and regional identities in a globalizing world. Encounters with US radio programming in Cuba inspired Cubans to fight for distinctly Cuban radio interests. The resulting 1946 NARBA, which imposed new restrictions on US broadcasting to benefit Cuba, provoked farmers from California and Arizona, who – as those who believed they were the most affected by the new restraints imposed on US radio – railed against their government’s acquiescence. Their reactions, in fact, were deeply entangled with the complex history of US identity formation, which had from the nation’s earliest years privileged specific regional loyalties that coexisted alongside both local and national ones. It is, in sum, a story that shows how in certain contexts audiences can and will resist globalizing influences by leaning on their existing national, regional, and local identities that provide meaning in their world.
Gastrointestinal causes of sudden unexpected death: A review
Authors: Menezes Ritesh G. , Ahmed Saba , Pasha Syed Bilal , Hussain Syed Ather , Fatima Huda , Kharoshah Magdy A. , Madadin Mohammed
Published: November 2017

Gastrointestinal conditions are a less common cause of sudden unexpected death when compared to other conditions such as cardiovascular conditions, but they are equally important. Various congenital and acquired gastrointestinal conditions that have resulted in sudden unexpected death are discussed. The possible lethal mechanisms behind each condition, along with any associated risk factors or secondary diseases, have been described. Through this article, we aim to highlight the need for physicians to prevent death in such conditions by ensuring that subclinical cases are diagnosed correctly before it is too late and by providing timely and efficacious treatment to the patient concerned. In addition, this review would certainly benefit the forensic pathologist while dealing with cases of sudden unexpected death due to gastrointestinal causes. This article is a review of the major gastrointestinal causes of sudden unexpected death. In addition, related fatal cases encountered occasionally in forensic autopsy practice are also included. There are several unusual and rare causes of life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding that may lead to sudden unexpected death to cover all the entities in detail. Nevertheless, this article is a general guide to the topic of gastrointestinal causes of sudden unexpected death.
Migrant belonging, social location and the neighbourhood: Recent migrants in East London and Birmingham
Authors: Wessendorf Susanne
Published: November 2017

Scholars examining different aspects of migrant settlement have long recognised the importance of questions around how newcomers forge a sense of connectedness to the society in which they settle. This article contributes new knowledge by focusing on three factors which shape migrants’ sense of belonging: firstly, the immigration-related diversity of the neighbourhood in which they settle; secondly, the migrants’ social location in regards to race, gender, religion and language; and thirdly, migrants’ previous experiences of migration-related diversity. Drawing on theories around civility, cosmopolitanism and migrant ‘place making’, and by comparing recent migrants in Birmingham and East London, the article focuses on the role of social interactions and encounters in public space. While migrants who had little previous experiences of diversity go through a process of multicultural adaptation when settling in ethnically diverse areas, others stressed the need to live in areas characterised by visible diversity because of fear of racism. Furthermore, their sense of belonging was also shaped by previous experiences of exclusion in countries of transit migration. The findings highlight that it is not necessarily the ethnic make-up of a city overall which impacts on a migrants’ sense of belonging, but it is the neighbourhood, the immediate locality in which migrants live and the nature of social interactions with other residents in such areas which crucially impacts on their sense of inclusion or exclusion.
Balls, Barbecues and Boxing: Contesting gender regimes at organizational social events
Authors: Ortlieb Renate , Sieben Barbara
Published: November 2017

What do the relaxed social events held by companies and organizations do for continued gender inequality? This article argues that outings, barbecues and parties offer opportunities for members of an organization to challenge unequal gender regimes. But they can also end up maintaining these inequalities instead. The article draws on Joan Acker’s theory of gendered organizations, and Judith Butler’s notion of gender performativity. Based on 208 accounts of organizations’ social events, it identifies the following four areas of gender performativity and their varying significance in reaffirming or challenging unequal gender regimes: gender images, status differences, the body and sexuality. The findings indicate that practices reaffirming unequal gender regimes outnumber practices that possibly balance or break them. Paradoxically, practices that challenge unequal gender regimes, when joined with powerful responses from the hitherto privileged party, can form a vicious circle which again ends up continuing unequal gender regimes. The article provides a more nuanced understanding of ambivalences and the contested nature of gender regimes which is important in identifying avenues for gender equality.
Plasma-Lyte 148 vs. Hartmann’s solution for cardiopulmonary bypass pump prime: a prospective double-blind randomized trial
Authors: Weinberg Laurence , Chiam Elizabeth , Hooper James , Liskaser Frank , Hawkins Angela Kim , Massie Denise , Ellis Andrew , Tan Chong O , Story David , Bellomo Rinaldo
Published: November 2017

Background:

The mechanisms of acid-base changes during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) remain unclear. We tested the hypothesis that, when used as CPB pump prime solutions, Plasma-Lyte 148 (PL) and Hartmann’s solution (HS) have differential mechanisms of action in their contribution to acid-base changes.

Methods:

We performed a prospective, double-blind, randomized trial in adult patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with CPB. Participants received a CPB prime solution of 2000 mL, with either PL or HS. The primary endpoint was the standard base excess (SBE) value measured at 60 minutes after full CPB flows (SBE60min). Secondary outcomes included changes in SBE, pH, chloride, sodium, lactate, gluconate, acetate, strong ion difference and strong ion gap at two (T2min), five (T5min), ten (T10min), thirty (T30min) and sixty (T60min) minutes on CPB. The primary outcome was measured using a two-tailed Welch’s t-test. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to test for differences between time points.

Results:

Twenty-five participants were randomized to PL and 25 to HS. Baseline characteristics, EURO and APACHE scores, biochemistry, hematology and volumes of cardioplegia were similar. Mean (SD) SBE at T60min was -1.3 (1.4) in the PL group and -0.1 (2.7) in the HS group; p=0.55. No significant differences in SBE between the groups was observed during the first 60 minutes (p=0.48). During CPB, there was hyperacetatemia and hypergluconatemia in the PL group and hyperlactatemia and hyperchloremia in the HS group. No significant difference between the groups in plasma bicarbonate levels and total weak acid levels were found. Complications and intensive care unit and hospital length of stays were similar.

Conclusions:

During CPB, PL and HS did not cause a significant metabolic acidosis. There was hyperacetatemia and hypergluconatemia with PL and hyperchloremia and hyperlactatemia with HS. These physiochemical effects appear clinically innocuous.
Choir singing as an activity to manage anxiety and temporomandibular disorders: Reports from a Brazilian sample
Authors: Caetano Kátia A. de Souza , Ferreira Isabela M. F. , Mariotto Lígia G. S. , Vidal Carla L. , Neufeld Carmem B. , dos Reis Andréa C.
Published: November 2017

The aim of this study was to evaluate anxiety, stress and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) among a sample of participants that practice choir singing as a recreational activity. As the literature shows the positive effects of choir singing on mental and physical health, we hypothesized that anxiety, stress and TMD symptoms would be less frequent in the choir group when compared to participants from the general population. The choir group included 33 adults who participated weekly in a choral singing group as a recreational activity and the comparison group included 40 participants from the general population. Choir singers had significantly lower levels of anxiety and TMD. A significant positive correlation was observed between anxiety and TMD scores. The groups did not differ regarding the presence of stress symptoms. It seems that choir singing was associated with better mental and physical outcomes. This study reinforces the promising benefits of choir singing as a recreational activity. Although we only included amateur singers in our sample, the literature shows that singing as a professional may be an etiologic factor for developing TMD. Future studies should explore differences between professional and amateur choir singers regarding TMD symptoms.
Factors Associated With Caregivers’ Resilience in a Terminal Cancer Care Setting
Authors: Hwang In Cheol , Kim Young Sung , Lee Yong Joo , Choi Youn Seon , Hwang Sun Wook , Kim Hyo Min , Koh Su-Jin
Published: November 2017

Background:

Resilience implies characteristics such as self-efficacy, adaptability to change, optimism, and the ability to recover from traumatic stress. Studies on resilience in family caregivers (FCs) of patients with terminal cancer are rare. This study aims to examine the factors associated with FCs’ resilience in a terminal cancer care setting.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study of 273 FCs from 7 hospice and palliative care units in Korea. Resilience was categorized as high and low, and factors associated with resilience were grouped or categorized into subscales. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine relevant factors.

Results:

High FCs’ resilience was significantly associated with FCs’ health status, depression, and social support. In a multivariate regression model, FCs’ perception of good health (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16-4.40), positive social support (aOR = 3.70, 95% CI = 1.07-12.87), and absence of depression (aOR = 3.12, 95% CI = 1.59-6.13) remained significantly associated with high FCs’ resilience.

Conclusion:

Lack of family support is associated with and may be a cause of diminished resilience. And more concern should be paid to FCs to improve FCs’ health and emotional status. Education programs might be effective for improving caregivers’ resilience. Further research with supportive interventions is indicated.
Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District (2017): The U.S. Supreme Court and Special Education
Authors: Prince Angela M. T. , Yell Mitchell L. , Katsiyannis Antonis
Published: November 2017

On March 22, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District. This case addressed the question how much educational benefit are public schools required to provide to students with disabilities under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to confer a free appropriate public education (FAPE). The purpose of this legal update is to provide a brief overview of court developments regarding FAPE, summarize Endrew, and provide implications for practice.
Quality characteristics of sauerkraut fermented by using a Lactobacillus paracasei starter culture grown in tofu whey
Authors: Joyce Olatunji T , Chakraborty Subir K , Tripathi Manoj K , Kotwaliwale Nachiket , Chandra Punit
Published: November 2017

The quality parameters of sauerkraut fermented using Lactobacillus paracasei in terms of its lactic acid bacteria count, texture, colour and biochemical properties were studied. As a starter culture L. paracasei grown in tofu whey was used for sauerkraut fermentation. The experiments were planned using central composite rotatable design of response surface methodology for input variables – culture volume (ml), fermentation time (days) and salt concentration (g/100 g). The linear and interactive effect of variables on responses was understood by statistically significant (p < 0.01) second-order models. Amongst all the input variables culture volume was found to have an overwhelming effect over all the responses. There was a significant (p < 0.01) increase in the lactic acid bacteria count of finished product; it was less hard but there was a departure in colour from the traditional product. The optimized condition for sauerkraut fermentation in terms of culture volume (ml), fermentation time (day) and salt concentration (g/100 g) was 30 ml, 28 days and 1 g/100 g, respectively. It was also observed that phenolics content was better in starter culture sauerkraut over the one traditionally prepared.
Party collapse and new party entry
Authors: Laroze Denise
Published: November 2017

The entry and success of new parties has become a regular event in modern democracies. From the emergence of green to protest parties, new movements have entered the electoral arena. This article addresses one of the less studied aspects of new parties: the dynamic process of party exit and entry into politics. The article argues that changes to the party system, produced by the collapse of a political party, can lead to the successful entrance of new parties in the next election. The premise is that one party’s loss is a future one’s gain. The empirical results provide strong evidence that the size of the policy space created by a party collapse has a substantial impact on the level of new party’s success.
Structure, longitudinal invariance, and stability of the Child Behavior Checklist 1½–5’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–Autism Spectrum Disorder scale: Findings from Generation R (Rotterdam)
Authors: Rescorla Leslie A , Ghassabian Akhgar , Ivanova Masha Y , Jaddoe Vincent WV , Verhulst Frank C , Tiemeier Henning
Published: November 2017

Although the Child Behavior Checklist 1½–5’s 12-item Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Autism Spectrum Problems Scale (formerly called Pervasive Developmental Problems scale) has been used in several studies as an autism spectrum disorder screener, the base rate and stability of its items and its measurement model have not been previously studied. We therefore examined the structure, longitudinal invariance, and stability of the Child Behavior Checklist 1½–5’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Autism Spectrum Problems Scale in the diverse Generation R (Rotterdam) sample based on mothers’ ratings at 18 months ( n = 4695), 3 years ( n = 4571), and 5 years ( n = 5752). Five items that seemed especially characteristic of autism spectrum disorder had low base rates at all three ages. The rank order of base rates for the 12 items was highly correlated over time ( Qs ⩾ 0.86), but the longitudinal stability of individual items was modest (phi coefficients = 0.15–0.34). Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the autism spectrum disorder scale model manifested configural, metric, and scalar longitudinal invariance over the time period from 18 months to 5 years, with large factor loadings. Correlations over time for observed autism spectrum disorder scale scores (0.25–0.50) were generally lower than the correlations across time of the latent factors (0.45–0.68). Results indicated significant associations of the autism spectrum disorder scale with later autism spectrum disorder diagnoses.
The epidemiological factor: A genealogy of the link between medicine and politics
Authors: Maureira Marco , Tirado Francisco , Torrejón Pedro , Baleriola Enrique
Published: November 2017

From the beginning of our civilization, the existence of infectious and contagious diseases required a search for solutions for both an individual and medical-health problem, and political interventions that involve a territory and population that must be managed. In this respect, epidemiology constitutes a strategic dimension in analysing the complex relationships established between scientific conduct and the political management of a territory. With this focus, we will provide a short historic genealogy of the links established between medicine and politics in European societies since the 18th century. From this, we should be able to see a movement from the concepts of healthiness/unhealthiness common to the ‘public hygiene’ managed by the 19th-century nation-state, towards the imperative of ‘public health’ operating with the ‘global health’ concept promoted by our current global institutions.
A nationwide study of health-related quality of life, stress, pain or discomfort and the use of medicine among problem gamblers
Authors: Ekholm Ola , Davidsen Michael , Larsen Christina Viskum Lytken , Juel Knud
Published: November 2017

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between problem gambling and health-related quality of life, stress, pain or discomfort and the use of analgesics and sleeping pills. Methods: Data derives from the Danish Health and Morbidity Survey 2010. The survey was based on a random sample of 25,000 adult Danes (response rate: 61%), and data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire. The Lie/Bet Questionnaire was used as the screening instrument for problem gambling. Respondents were categorised as current, previous or non-problem gamblers. The questionnaire also included topics such as health-related quality of life (Short Form-12), perceived stress, pain and discomforts within the past two weeks, as well as the use of medication within the past two weeks. Results: Current problem gambling was strongly associated with negative outcomes such as poor mental health, high perception of stress, headache, fatigue and sleeping problems. Furthermore, previous problem gambling was generally associated with poorer health outcomes. Thus, current and previous problem gamblers had 2.36 times (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44–3.87) and 1.66 times (95% CI 1.07–2.55) higher odds than non-problem gamblers of reporting fair or poor health, respectively. The data revealed no clear association between problem gambling and the use of analgesics. Conclusions: Both current and previous problem gambling were negatively associated with physical and mental-health problems. Health professionals should be alert to any signs of these complicating factors when planning the treatment of problem gamblers.
Faith and reason: An analysis of the homologies of Black and Blue Lives Facebook pages
Authors: Bock Mary Angela , Figueroa Ever Josue
Published: November 2017

Highly publicized deaths of Black men during police encounters have inspired a renewed civil rights movement originating with a Twitter hashtag, “Black Lives Matter.” Supporters of the law enforcement community quickly countered with an intervention of their own, using the slogan, “Blue Lives Matter.” This project compared the discourses of their respective Facebook groups using cultural discourse analysis that considered words, images, and their symbiosis. Based on a foundation of structural Marxism as articulated by Althusser, this project found that the two groups’ symbol systems are homologous with larger, ideological tensions in American culture: faith and reason.
Rounton Coffee and Bedford Street Coffee Shop
Authors: Morland Leigh
Published: November 2017

This is the story of a new venture in coffee roasting (Rounton Coffee) and a diversification strategy in the form of a coffee shop (Bedford Street Coffee). The development of these businesses is explained through the experiences of the founder, Dave Beattie. It tells of how he first encountered speciality coffee and then turned his interest into business ventures. Attention is given to the context of speciality coffee and its impact on: product and service differentiation, business models, potential for crowdfunding, motivation for entrepreneurship and the associated learning agenda. The teaching note informs both new venture creation and the entrepreneurial experience and is suited to final year undergraduate and masters’ level courses exploring entrepreneurial learning, opportunity spotting and business model development. In addition, the context of speciality coffee gives insight into how supportive inter-organizational and customer relationships can resource new venture creation, despite challenges in establishing initial links.
Regulating offense, nurturing offense
Authors: Simpson Robert Mark
Published: November 2017

Joel Feinberg’s Offense to Others is the most comprehensive contemporary work on the significance of offense in a liberal legal system. Feinberg argues that being offended can impair a person’s liberty, much like a nuisance, and that it is therefore legitimate in principle to regulate conduct because of its offensiveness. In this article, I discuss some overlooked considerations that give us reason to resist Feinberg’s conclusion, even while granting this premise. My key claim is that the regulation of offense can inadvertently increase the incidence of offense, by nurturing offense-taking sensibilities. In the course of defending this claim and spelling out its implications, I explain why concerns about the inadvertent nurturing of offense are now more pressing, given the identity–political character of contemporary offense-based social conflicts, and I discuss why a reluctance to legally regulate offensive conduct need not be insensitive to the identity–political issues that animate those conflicts.
Correlation between heart size and emphysema in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: CT-based analysis using inspiratory and expiratory scans
Authors: Tomita Hayato , Yamashiro Tsuneo , Matsuoka Shin , Matsushita Shoichiro , Nakajima Yasuo
Published: November 2017

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the extent of emphysema and heart size in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using inspiratory and expiratory chest computed tomography (CT). This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board and informed consent was waived. We measured lung volume (LV), low attenuation area percent (%LAA; less than or equal to −950 HU), maximum cardiac area, and maximum transverse cardiac diameter on inspiratory/expiratory chest CT in 60 patients with COPD. Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to determine the correlations between the heart and lung CT measurements, and the correlations between these measurements and spirometric values. On inspiratory CT, the maximum transverse cardiac diameter was negatively correlated with LV ( ρ = −0.42; p < 0.01) and %LAA ( ρ = −0.43; p < 0.001). Furthermore, on expiratory CT, the maximum cardiac area was negatively correlated with LV ( ρ = −0.35; p < 0.01) and %LAA ( ρ = −0.37; p < 0.01), and there was a negative correlation between transverse cardiac diameter and %LAA ( ρ = −0.34; p < 0.01). Although inspiratory cardiac size was not correlated with any of the spirometric values, the maximum cardiac area and transverse diameter on expiratory scans were significantly correlated with the reduced airflow values on spirometry ( p < 0.01). In patients with COPD, the transverse cardiac diameter decreased as the emphysema progressed. A smaller cardiac area on expiratory CT suggested the presence of large LVs, emphysema, and airflow limitation in COPD.
Can Engaged and Positive Employees Delight Customers?
Authors: Shaheen Musarrat , Zeba Farrah , Mohanty Pankaj Kumar
Published: November 2017

The Problem

Although there have been a plethora of studies on the determinants of customer delight in marketing literature, less attention has been given to understand the role of employees’ work engagement and psychological capital (PsyCap) in satisfying and delighting customers. The objective of the present study is threefold—the first is to examine how engaged employees are positive and efficacious; the second is to investigate how engaged, positive, and efficacious employees delight patients specifically in the health care sector; and the third is to examine how the relationship between employees’ positive PsyCap and customer delight is mediated by beneficiary contact, which is the perception of employees about the meaningful impact of their efforts on their patients.

The Solution

Previous studies have shown that employees who are absorbed, dedicated, and immersed in their work are more confident and positive at their workplace. Engaged, positive, and confident employees not only keep themselves but also their customers happy and positive through their optimistic outlook and efficacious work behavior. Responses are collected from 200 employees and their 200 patients from different hospitals of India. Hierarchical regression analysis shows a significant and positive relationship between work engagement, PsyCap, and customer delight. Work engagement is found to predict PsyCap and customer delight. Beneficiary contact is found to mediate between the relationship of PsyCap and customer delight. The originality of the article lies in its interdisciplinary approach to understand how engaged and dedicated employees keep themselves and their patients positive and delighted.

The Stakeholders

This study is of relevance to human resource development (HRD) professionals, customer relationship managers of the health care sector, and also academicians belonging to the disciplines of marketing and human resource management. The findings of this study would help them understand how engaged employees lead to employees’ positive PsyCap and customer delight. Furthermore, they will also understand the vital role of the interface between employees and customers, as beneficiary contact mediates the relationship of employees’ PsyCap and customer delight.