bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Renal Autotransplantation with Autologous Saphenous Vein Graft in a Patient with Takayasu Arteritis and Existing Renal Artery Stent in Her Solitary Kidney
Authors: Haberal Hakan Bahadir , Tonyali Senol , Peynircioğlu Bora , Arici Mustafa , Demircin Metin , Aki Fazıl Tuncay
Published: May 2017

Takayasu arteritis is a disease that results in the granulomatous inflammation of large vessel walls. Takayasu arteritis is generally observed in young females during the second or third decades of life. This disease is treated by the revascularization of the affected organs either by surgery or by endovascular interventions. In this study, we present a case where renal autotransplantation was performed on a lady with an autologous saphenous vein graft subsequent to numerous previous endovascular interventions for her solitary kidney due to Takayasu arteritis-induced renal artery stenosis. The patient was prevented from becoming dialysis dependent through this surgical intervention. Renal autotransplantation is the choice of treatment, especially for those in whom endovascular interventions have failed. Patient management must include the partnership of an experienced vascular surgeon, transplant urologist, rheumatologist, nephrologist and radiologist.
Outcome of Doctors Attending the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Winter Schools 2008–2014
Authors: Donaldson Malcolm D.C.
Published: May 2017

Background/Aims: Since 1995, the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) has hosted Winter School (WS), a 5-day interactive meeting of 25 trainees and 7 teachers designed to cover all main endocrine topics. The aim of the present study was to determine subsequent outcome in ex-WS “students.” Methods: A questionnaire was sent in August 2016 to all ESPE WS participants between 2008 and 2014. Information was requested on job/training status at WS attendance and in 2016, and subsequent involvement with ESPE. Results: Of 174 participants (144 women, 30 men) including 5 attending two WS, 129 (74.5%) responded. At the time of WS/2016 survey 58/3 participants were junior trainees, 38/21 senior trainees, and 33/101 consultants. One hundred and seventeen (90.6%) responders were still involved with endocrinology, 107 (82%) rating WS as having a strong/very strong influence on their careers. Following WS, 80/174 (46%) participants had attended at least one ESPE main meeting, 28 (16%) had been awarded ESPE fellowships, and 34 (19%) had become ESPE members. Conclusions: The great majority of WS participants responding to the questionnaire are still involved with endocrinology and rated WS as influential. This favourable outcome supports the continuing funding of WS and similar educational programmes.
Osthole, a Coumadin Analog from Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson, Ameliorates Nucleus Pulposus-Induced Radicular Inflammatory Pain by Inhibiting the Activation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase in Rats
Authors: Wu Hai-Xuan , Wang Yi-Min , Xu Hui , Wei Ming , He Qiu-Lan , Li Mei-Na , Sun Lai-Bao , Cao Ming-Hui
Published: May 2017

Aim: This study was aimed at assessing the role of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) in mechanical allodynia resulting from lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and exploring the osthole's anti-nociceptive effect on ERK activation. Methods: Radicular pain was generated by applying nucleus pulposus (NP) to the L5 dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Allodynia was measured using Von Frey filaments to calculate the mechanical pain threshold. Phosphorylated ERK and total ERK protein in the lumbar spinal dorsal horn was detected by using the Western blot technique. Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) mRNA was assessed by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: The application of NP to L5 DRG induced mechanical hypersensitivity which lasted for at least 28 days, and a significant increase of ERK phosphorylation in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn from postoperative day (POD) 1 to POD 21. ERK inhibitor attenuated NP-induced hyperalgesia compared to the dimethyl sulfoxide-(vehicle control) administered group (p < 0.05). Epidural treatment with osthole could ameliorate NP-evoked hyperalgesia by suppressing the activation of ERK rather than decreasing the expression of ERK protein. Osthole could also inhibit the increased expression of COX-2 mRNA in spinal dorsal horn, which was a known downstream effect of ERK signaling pathway. Conclusions: Our results suggest that ERK activation in the spinal dorsal horn plays a vital role in NP-evoked hyperalgesia. Osthole exerts analgesic effect on radicular inflammatory pain in LDH rat model, by down-regulating the mRNA expression of the target gene of COX-2 via inhibiting ERK activation in the spinal dorsal horn.
Clinical Factors Predicting Bilateral Lymph Node Invasion in High-Risk Prostate Cancer
Authors: Porcaro Antonio Benito , De Luyk Nicolò , Corsi Paolo , Sebben Marco , Tafuri Alessandro , Processali Tania , Mattevi Daniele , Pirozzi Marco , Cerruto Maria Angela , Amigoni Nelia , Rizzetto Riccardo , Brunelli Matteo A. , Migliorini Filippo , Siracusano Salvatore , Artibani Walter
Published: May 2017

Background: In high-risk prostate cancer (HR-PCA), it is important to consider the factors associated with extensive lymph node invasion (LNI) before planning treatment methods. Objective: To investigate clinical predictors of bilateral LNI in HR-PCA. Materials and Methods: The study evaluated 261 consecutive patients who underwent radical prostatectomy with extended pelvic lymph node dissection. The multivariate multinomial logistic regression model was computed. Results: The high-risk category included 102 cases. Overall, LNI was detected in 28 patients (27.5%) and was bilateral in 11 cases (10.8%). Independent factors associated with LNI were prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and proportion of positive cores. The main model showed that only higher values of PSA increased the odds of bilateral LNI when compared to patients having unilateral LNI (OR 1.058; p = 0.018). The area under the curve of PSA predicting bilateral LNI was 0.819. Conclusions: In HR-PCA, the independent predictor of LNI was PSA, which varied among patients with bilateral and unilateral LNI.
Early Detection and Treatment of the Vulnerable Coronary Plaque
Authors: Bom Michiel J. , van der Heijden Dirk J. , Kedhi Elvin , van der Heyden Jan , Meuwissen Martijn , Knaapen Paul , Timmer Stefan A.J. , van Royen Niels
Published: May 2017

Early identification and treatment of the vulnerable plaque, that is, a coronary artery lesion with a high likelihood of rupture leading to an acute coronary syndrome, have gained great interest in the cardiovascular research field. Postmortem studies have identified clear morphological characteristics associated with plaque rupture. Recent advances in invasive and noninvasive coronary imaging techniques have empowered the clinician to identify suspected vulnerable plaques in vivo and paved the way for the evaluation of therapeutic agents targeted at reducing plaque vulnerability. Local treatment of vulnerable plaques by percutaneous coronary intervention and systemic treatment with anti-inflammatory and low-density lipoprotein–lowering drugs are currently being investigated in large randomized clinical trials to assess their therapeutic potential for reducing adverse coronary events. Results from these studies may enable a more patient-tailored strategy for the treatment of coronary artery disease.
Prevalence, Treatment, and Control Rates of Conventional and Ambulatory Hypertension Across 10 Populations in 3 Continents
Authors: Melgarejo Jesus D. , Maestre Gladys E. , Thijs Lutgarde , Asayama Kei , Boggia José , Casiglia Edoardo , Hansen Tine W. , Imai Yutaka , Jacobs Lotte , Jeppesen Jørgen , Kawecka-Jaszcz Kalina , Kuznetsova Tatiana , Li Yan , Malyutina Sofia , Nikitin Yuri , Ohkubo Takayoshi , Stolarz-Skrzypek Katarzyna , Wang Ji-Guang , Staessen Jan A.
Published: May 2017

Hypertension is a major global health problem, but prevalence rates vary widely among regions. To determine prevalence, treatment, and control rates of hypertension, we measured conventional blood pressure (BP) and 24-hour ambulatory BP in 6546 subjects, aged 40 to 79 years, recruited from 10 community-dwelling cohorts on 3 continents. We determined how between-cohort differences in risk factors and socioeconomic factors influence hypertension rates. The overall prevalence was 49.3% (range between cohorts, 40.0%–86.8%) for conventional hypertension (conventional BP ≥140/90 mm Hg) and 48.7% (35.2%–66.5%) for ambulatory hypertension (ambulatory BP ≥130/80 mm Hg). Treatment and control rates for conventional hypertension were 48.0% (33.5%–74.1%) and 38.6% (10.1%–55.3%) respectively. The corresponding rates for ambulatory hypertension were 48.6% (30.5%–71.9%) and 45.6% (18.6%–64.2%). Among 1677 untreated subjects with conventional hypertension, 35.7% had white coat hypertension (23.5%–56.2%). Masked hypertension (conventional BP <140/90 mm Hg and ambulatory BP ≥130/80 mm Hg) occurred in 16.9% (8.8%–30.5%) of 3320 untreated subjects who were normotensive on conventional measurement. Exclusion of participants with diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypercholesterolemia, or history of cardiovascular complications resulted in a <9% reduction in the conventional and 24-hour ambulatory hypertension rates. Higher social and economic development, measured by the Human Development Index, was associated with lower rates of conventional and ambulatory hypertension. In conclusion, high rates of hypertension in all cohorts examined demonstrate the need for improvements in prevention, treatment, and control. Strategies for the management of hypertension should continue to not only focus on preventable and modifiable risk factors but also consider societal issues.
Age‐Specific Vascular Risk Factor Profiles According to Stroke Subtype
Authors: Hauer Allard J. , Ruigrok Ynte M. , Algra Ale , van Dijk Ewoud J. , Koudstaal Peter J. , Luijckx Gert‐Jan , Nederkoorn Paul J. , van Oostenbrugge Robert J. , Visser Marieke C. , Wermer Marieke J. , Kappelle L. Jaap , Klijn Catharina J. M. ,   the Dutch Parelsnoer Institute‐Cerebrovascular Accident Study Group
Published: May 2017

Background

Ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke are increasingly recognized as heterogeneous diseases with distinct subtypes and etiologies. Information on variation in distribution of vascular risk factors according to age in stroke subtypes is limited. We investigated the prevalence of vascular risk factors in stroke subtypes in relation to age.

Methods and Results

We studied a prospective multicenter university hospital–based cohort of 4033 patients. For patients with ischemic stroke caused by large artery atherosclerosis, small vessel disease, or cardioembolism and for patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage or aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, we calculated prevalences of vascular risk factors in 4 age groups: <55, 55 to 65, 65 to 75, and ≥75 years, and mean differences with 95% CIs in relation to the reference age group. Patients aged <55 years were significantly more often of non‐white origin (in particular in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients) and most often smoked (most prominent for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients). Patients aged <55 years with ischemic stroke caused by large artery atherosclerosis or small vessel disease more often had hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus than patients with ischemic stroke of cardiac origin. Overall, the frequency of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus increased with age among all stroke subtypes, whereas smoking decreased with age. Regardless of age, accumulation of potentially modifiable risk factors was most pronounced in patients with ischemic stroke caused by large artery atherosclerosis or small vessel disease.

Conclusions

The prevalence of common cardiovascular risk factors shows different age‐specific patterns among various stroke subtypes. Recognition of these patterns may guide tailored stroke prevention efforts aimed at specific risk groups.
Calcification and Oxidative Modifications Are Associated With Progressive Bioprosthetic Heart Valve Dysfunction
Authors: Lee Suengwon , Levy Robert J. , Christian Abigail J. , Hazen Stanley L. , Frick Nathan E. , Lai Eric K. , Grau Juan B. , Bavaria Joseph E. , Ferrari Giovanni
Published: May 2017

Background

Bioprosthetic heart valves (
BHVs
), fabricated from glutaraldehyde‐pretreated bovine pericardium or porcine aortic valves, are widely used for the surgical or interventional treatment of heart valve disease. Reoperation becomes increasingly necessary over time because of
BHV
dysfunction.

Methods and Results

Forty‐seven explanted
BHV
aortic valve replacements were retrieved at reoperation for clinically severe
BHV
dysfunction over the period 2010–2016. Clinical explant analyses of
BHV
leaflets for calcium (atomic absorption spectroscopy) and oxidized amino acids, per mass spectroscopy, were primary end points. Comorbidities for earlier
BHV
explant included diabetes mellitus and coronary artery bypass grafting. Mean calcium levels in
BHV
leaflets were significantly increased compared with unimplanted
BHV
(
P
<0.001); however, time to reoperation did not differ comparing calcified and noncalcified
BHV
.
BHV
dityrosine, an oxidized amino acid cross‐link, was significantly increased in the explants (227.55±33.27 μmol/mol [dityrosine/tyrosine]) but was undetectable in unimplanted leaflets (
P
<0.001).
BHV
regional analyses revealed that dityrosine, ranging from 57.5 to 227.8 μmol/mol (dityrosine/tyrosine), was detectable only in the midleaflet samples, indicating the site‐specific nature of dityrosine formation. 3‐Chlorotyrosine, an oxidized amino acid formed by myeloperoxidase‐catalyzed chlorinating oxidants, correlated with
BHV
calcium content in leaflet explant analyses from coronary artery bypass graft patients (
r
=0.62,
P
=0.01) but was not significantly correlated with calcification in non–coronary artery bypass graft explanted
BHV
.

Conclusions

Both increased
BHV
leaflet calcium levels and elevated oxidized amino acids were associated with bioprosthesis dysfunction necessitating reoperation; however,
BHV
calcium levels were not a determinant of implant duration, indicating a potentially important role for oxidized amino acid formation in
BHV
dysfunction.
Flexible Sovereignties of the Revolutionary State: Soviet Republics Enter World Politics
Authors: Dullin Sabine , Forestier-Peyrat Etienne
Published: May 2017

When Stalin demanded in 1944 that all Soviet Union republics be admitted to the un, he revealed a conception of sovereignty that diverged from the usual perception of Soviet diplomacy as exceedingly centralised. Soviet theories and practices of sovereignty consisted indeed in a mix of contradictory elements, illustrating the communist criticism of bourgeois international law, but also a willingness to re-use parts of it and tailor them to new political needs. This article focuses on this elastic approach to sovereignty, its legal expression and diplomatic rationale. Particular attention is paid to the sovereignty of Union republics, central to Soviet legal rhetoric, that led them to be active in the international arena in the 1920s and after 1944, and develop state institutions that would smooth up the transition to independence after 1991.
Aging and Time Perception for Short and Long Durations: A Question of Attention?
Authors: Lamotte M. , Droit-Volet S.
Published: May 2017

This study examined the difference in the perception of time between young and older adults in a temporal bisection task with four different duration ranges from a few milliseconds (500 ms) to several seconds (30 s). In addition, individual cognitive capacities (short-term memory, working memory, processing speed, attention) were assessed with different neuropsychological tests. The results showed a general effect of age on the variability of time judgment, indicating a lower sensitivity to time in the old than in the younger adults, regardless of the duration range tested. In addition, the results showed that the individual differences in time sensitivity were explained by attention capacities, which decline with aging.
Synchrony Affects Performance for Older but not Younger Neutral-Type Adults
Authors: May Cynthia P. , Hasher Lynn
Published: May 2017

Circadian rhythms influence performance on a broad range of cognitive tasks, including attention shifting, implicit learning, memory retrieval, suppression of distracting information, creativity, and problem solving. Much of the research on circadian arousal and cognition has examined the consequence of testing individuals at times that are synchronous or asynchronous with their personal circadian peaks. To date, the studies examining these synchrony effects in cognitive function have focused primarily on the performance of individuals who show strong morningness or strong eveningness tendencies; little is known about individuals with neutral chronotypes and whether their performance varies over the day. The lack of data on neutral types is a serious gap in our knowledge, as up to 60% of young adults and 25% of older adults do not show strong morning or evening preferences. The present study assessed the performance of neutral-type younger and older adults at three times of day (early morning, midday, and evening) on a battery of cognitive tasks, including inhibitory processing, executive function, memory, perceptual speed, and access to well-learned knowledge. Older neutral-types showed synchrony effects for inhibitory processing, executive function, long-term memory, and forgetting, and generally had best performance on these tasks at midday. Consistent with other findings, older neutral-types showed no synchrony effects for measures of general knowledge and perceptual speed. Younger neutral-types, by contrast, showed no effects of time of testing on performance over the day for any measure, suggesting greater cognitive flexibility over the day relative to younger evening-types, older morning-types, or older neutral-types.
The Role of Pitch and Tempo in Sound-Temperature Crossmodal Correspondences
Authors: Wang Qian (Janice) , Spence Charles
Published: May 2017

We explored the putative existence of crossmodal correspondences between sound attributes and beverage temperature. An online pre-study was conducted first, in order to determine whether people would associate the auditory parameters of pitch and tempo with different imagined beverage temperatures. The same melody was manipulated to create a matrix of 25 variants with five different levels of both pitch and tempo. The participants were instructed to imagine consuming hot, room-temperature, or cold water, then to choose the melody that best matched the imagined drinking experience. The results revealed that imagining drinking cold water was associated with a significantly higher pitch than drinking both room-temperature and hot water, and with significantly faster tempo than room-temperature water. Next, the online study was replicated with participants in the lab tasting samples of hot, room-temperature, and cold water while choosing a melody that best matched the actual tasting experience. The results confirmed that, compared to room-temperature and hot water, the experience of cold water was associated with both significantly higher pitch and fast tempo. Possible mechanisms and potential applications of these results are discussed.
The Governance Regime of the Mekong River Basin
Authors: Kinna Rémy , Rieu-Clarke Alistair
Published: May 2017

Entry into force of theunWatercourses Convention in August 2014, and the opening of theuneceWater Convention to all states in March 2016, are significant milestones in international water law. A comparative analysis of these two global water conventions and the 1995 Mekong Agreement shows that all three instruments are generally compatible. Nonetheless, the international legal principles and processes set forth in the two conventions can render the Mekong Agreement more up to date, robust and practical. Strengthening the Agreement would be timely, given the increasing pressures associated with the rapid hydropower development within the basin and the gradually emerging disputes therein. Because of these fast-moving developments, the monograph strongly recommends that the Mekong states seriously consider joining both conventions in order to buttress and clarify key provisions of the 1995 Mekong Agreement.
Bryophytes of Kosovo
Authors: PANTOVIĆ JOVANA P. , SABOVLJEVIĆ MARKO S.
Published: May 2017

The first list of bryophytes recorded in the region of Kosovo is presented. Published literature data were used to compile a list of mosses and liverworts. In total, 331 taxa (303 mosses and 28 liverworts) were documented, out of which even 87 are of regional or European conservation interest. It is expected that further research is going to bring new species records.
A new subspecies of Iberis saxatilis (Brassicaceae) from Turkey
Authors: OSKAY DILEK
Published: May 2017

Iberis saxatilis subsp. magnesiana Oskay subsp. nov. is identified as a new subspecies from Kocasivri Mt. (Manisa), west Anatolia, Turkey. Iberis saxatilis subsp. magnesiana is a local endemic, most similar to Iberis saxatilis L. subsp. saxatilis. Diagnostic characters of these related taxa are discussed. Habitat characteristics, distribution and conservation status of the new subspecies are also presented.
Diagnosing the Horizontal Propagation of Rossby Wave Packets along the Midlatitude Waveguide
Authors: Wolf Gabriel , Wirth Volkmar
Published: May 2017

It has been suggested that upper-tropospheric Rossby wave packets propagating along the midlatitude waveguide may play a role for triggering severe weather. This motivates the search for robust methods to detect and track Rossby wave packets and to diagnose their properties. In the framework of several observed cases, this paper compares different methods that have been proposed for these tasks, with an emphasis on horizontal propagation and on a particular formulation of a wave activity flux previously suggested by Takaya and Nakamura. The utility of this flux is compromised by the semigeostrophic nature of upper-tropospheric Rossby waves, but this problem can partly be overcome by a semigeostrophic coordinate transformation. The wave activity flux allows one to obtain information from a single snapshot about the meridional propagation, in particular propagation from or into polar and subtropical latitudes, as well as about the onset of wave breaking. This helps to clarify the dynamics of individual wave packets in cases where other, more conventional methods provide ambiguous or even misleading information. In some cases, the “true dynamics” of the Rossby wave packet turns out to be more complex than apparent from the more conventional diagnostics, and this may have important implications for the predictability of the wave packet.
Radar Kinematic Information as a Surrogate for Isentropes in Stratiform Precipitation Systems
Authors: Geerts Bart , Christian Jordan I.
Published: May 2017

This study illustrates that dual-Doppler-derived wind shear (vertical gradient of the horizontal wind) in stratiform, nonturbulent flow is structured in long, thin striations. The reason this has not been documented before is that scanning ground-based radars have inadequate vertical resolution, deteriorating with range. Here data from an airborne radar with a fine, range-independent vertical resolution are used. A comparison of the radar-derived wind shear with model output of isentropes in vertical transects in the comma head of two frontal disturbances suggests that the wind shear layers describe material surfaces. Model output itself further confirms the alignment of isentropes with wind shear in vertical transects. Thus, Doppler-radar-derived wind shear (a kinematic conserved variable) may serve as a suitable proxy for thermodynamic conserved variables such as equivalent potential temperature in stratiform precipitation. Furthermore, the presence of shear striations in vertical transects can be used as a marker for nonturbulent flow, and their persistence as an indicator of limited dispersion in such flow.
Quantitative Detection of Benzoyl Peroxide in Wheat Flour Using Line-Scan Macroscale Raman Chemical Imaging
Authors: Qin Jianwei , Kim Moon S. , Chao Kuanglin , Gonzalez Maria , Cho Byoung-Kwan
Published: May 2017

A high-throughput Raman chemical imaging method was developed for direct inspection of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) mixed in wheat flour. A 5 W, 785 nm line laser (240 mm long and 1 mm wide) was used as a Raman excitation source in a push-broom Raman imaging system. Hyperspectral Raman images were collected in a wavenumber range of 103–2881 cm−1 from dry wheat flour mixed with BPO at eight concentrations (w/w) from 50 to 6400 ppm. A sample holder with a sampling volume of 150 × 100 × 2 mm3 was used to present a thin layer (2 mm thick) of the powdered sample for line-scan image acquisition with a spatial resolution of 0.2 mm. A baseline correction method based on adaptive iteratively reweighted penalized least squares was used to remove the fluctuating fluorescence signals from the wheat flour. To isolate BPO particles from the flour background, a simple thresholding method was applied to the single-band fluorescence-free images at a unique Raman peak wavenumber (i.e., 1001 cm−1) preselected for the BPO detection. Chemical images were created to detect and map the BPO particles. Limit of detection for the BPO was estimated in the order of 50 ppm, which is on the same level with regulatory standards. Pixel concentrations were calculated from the percentages of the BPO pixels in the chemical images. High correlation was found between the pixel concentrations and the mass concentrations of the BPO, indicating that the Raman chemical imaging method can be used for quantitative detection of the BPO mixed in the wheat flour.
Plastic Classification with X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Based on Back Propagation Neural Network
Authors: Wang Qian , Wu Xiaomei , Chen Lingcong , Yang Zheng , Fang Zheng
Published: May 2017

Currently, spectral analysis methods used in the classification of plastics have limitations that do not apply to opaque plastics or the stability of experimental results is not strong. In this paper, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) has been applied to classify plastics due to its strong penetrability and stability. Fifteen kinds of plastics are selected as specimens. X-ray, which is excited by a voltage of 60 kV, penetrated these specimens. The spectral data acquired by CdTe X-ray detector are processed by principal component analysis (PCA) and other data analysis methods. Then the back propagation neural networks (BPNN) algorithm is used to classify the processed data. The average recognition rate reached 96.95% and classification results of all types of plastic results were analyzed in detail. It indicates that XAS has the potential to classify plastics and that XAS can be used in some fields such as plastic waste sorting and recycling. At the same time, the technology of XAS, in the future, can also be used to classify more substances.
Two-Dimensional Raman Correlation Spectroscopy Study of Poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate] Copolymers
Authors: Noda Isao , Roy Anjan , Carriere James , Sobieski Brian J. , Chase D. Bruce , Rabolt John F.
Published: May 2017

Two-dimensional correlation analysis was applied to the time-dependent evolution of Raman spectra during the isothermal crystallization of bioplastic, poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate- co-(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate] or PHBHx copolymer. Simultaneous Raman measurement of both carbonyl stretching and low-frequency crystalline lattice mode regions made it possible to carry out the highly informative hetero-mode correlation analysis. The crystallization process of PHBHx involves: (1) the early nucleation stage; (2) the primary growth of well-ordered crystals of PHBHx; and (3) the secondary crystal growth phase. The latter stage probably occurs in the inter-lamellar region, with an accompanying reduction of the amorphous component, which occurs most dominantly during the primary crystal growth. The development of a fully formed lamellar structure comprising the 21 helices occurs after the primary growth of crystals. In the later stage, secondary inter lamellar space crystallization occurs after the full formation of packed helices comprising the lamellae.
Quantitative Differentiation of Pneumonia from Normal Lungs: Diagnostic Assessment Using Photoacoustic Spectral Response
Authors: Biswas Deblina , Kumari Anshu , Chen George C. K. , Vasudevan Srivathsan , Gupta Sharad , Shukla Supriya , Garg Umesh K.
Published: May 2017

Pneumonia is an acute lung infection that takes life of many young children in developing countries. Early stage (red hepatization) detection of pneumonia would be pragmatic to control mortality rate. Detection of this disease at early stages demands the knowledge of pathology, making it difficult to screen noninvasively. We propose photoacoustic spectral response (PASR), a noninvasive elasticity-dependent technique for early stage pneumonia detection. We report the quantitative red hepatization detection of pneumonia through median frequency, spectral energy, and variance. Significant contrast in spectral parameters due to change in sample elasticity is found. The tissue-mimicking phantom study illustrates a 39% increase in median frequency for 1.5 times the change in density. On applying to formalin-fixed pneumonia-affected goat lungs, it provides a distinct change in spectral parameters between pneumonia affected areas and normal lungs. The obtained PASR results were found to be highly correlating to standard histopathology. The proposed technique therefore has potential to be a regular diagnostic tool for early pneumonia detection.
Reactivity of bilirubin photoisomers on the measurement of direct bilirubin using vanadic acid method
Authors: Okada Hitoshi , Itoh Susumu , Kawamoto Shohei , Ozaki Miyo , Kusaka Takashi
Published: May 2017

Objective

Investigation of the reactivity of fractions of bilirubin photoisomers with the vanadic acid oxidation method.

Methods

Bilirubin photoisomers were prepared by irradiating a bilirubin/human serum albumin solution with blue light emitting diode. Direct bilirubin and bilirubin fractions were measured using the vanadic acid oxidation method and high-performance liquid chromatography in the sample before and after irradiation.

Results

Direct bilirubin was increased in the solution containing bilirubin photoisomers. ( EE)-/( EZ) -cyclobilirubin-IXα and ( ZE)-/( EZ)-bilirubin-IXα completely disappeared after the addition of vanadic acid.

Conclusion

Bilirubin photoisomers reacted as direct bilirubin in the vanadic acid oxidation method.
Conservative Protestants and Religious Polarization in Canada
Authors: Reimer Sam
Published: May 2017

Reginald Bibby has recently argued that polarization is the best way to describe the religious reality in Canada. There is, in his view, a stable religiously active pole, a shrinking nominally religious middle, and a growing non-religious pole. Others have documented a similar trend in other Western countries. This paper examines evidence for religious polarization in Canada using data from Bibby’s Project Canada Surveys and other sources, with special attention paid to a prominent subset of the religiously committed: conservative Protestants. Evidence of polarization is weak for Canada as a whole. Instead, the data trends are consistent with religious decline. Even the conservative Protestants are not growing, nor showing evidence of increased conservativism.
Ingroup Identification, Outgroup Infrahumanization, and Intention to Mobilize in Land Use Conflicts
Authors: Roccato Michele , Mannarini Terri , Pacilli Maria Giuseppina
Published: May 2017

Based on the application of a social psychology intergroup perspective to the analysis of people–place relationships, we conducted an experimental study in the context of a land use conflict revolving around the construction of a bridge over the Messina Channel (Italy). We aimed to analyze the relations between the salience of the identification with the ingroup defined by being pro- versus antibridge, outgroup infrahumanization, and the intention to mobilize in the conflict. In two community samples, from Reggio Calabria, where the structure should be placed ( n = 107), and from Sciacca, which is more than 200 kilometers away from it ( n = 100), the salience of ingroup identification influenced the intention to mobilize via the partial mediation of outgroup infrahumanization. The attitude toward the bridge and the distance from it did not moderate the paths that we have analyzed. Strengths, limitations, and implications for environmental psychology research are discussed.
Evaluating the Ergonomic Benefit of a Wrist Brace on Wrist Posture, Muscle Activity, Rotational Stiffness, and Peak Shovel-Ground Impact Force During a Simulated Tree-Planting Task
Authors: Sheahan Peter J. , Cashaback Joshua G. A. , Fischer Steven L.
Published: May 2017

Background

Tree planters are at a high risk for wrist injury due to awkward postures and high wrist loads experienced during each planting cycle, specifically at shovel-ground impact. Wrist joint stiffness provides a measure that integrates postural and loading information.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate wrist joint stiffness requirements at the instant of shovel-ground impact during tree planting and determine if a wrist brace could alter muscular contributions to wrist joint stiffness.

Method

Planters simulated tree planting with and without wearing a brace on their planting arm. Surface electromyography (sEMG) from six forearm muscles and wrist kinematics were collected and used to calculate muscular contributions to joint rotational stiffness about the wrist.

Results

Wrist joint stiffness increased with brace use, an unanticipated and negative consequence of wearing a brace. As a potential benefit, planters achieved a more neutrally oriented wrist angle about the flexion/extension axis, although a less neutral wrist angle about the ulnar/radial axis was observed. Muscle activity did not change between conditions.

Conclusion

The joint stiffness analysis, combining kinematic and sEMG information in a biologically relevant manner, revealed clear limitations with the interface between the brace grip and shovel handle that jeopardized the prophylactic benefits of the current brace design. This limitation was not as evident when considering kinematics and sEMG data independently.

Application

A neuromechanical model (joint rotational stiffness) enhanced our ability to evaluate the brace design relative to kinematic and sEMG parameter-based metrics alone.
The Failure of the Black Greek-Letter Organization
Authors: Chambers Alli D.
Published: May 2017

Between 1906 and 1920, eight of the most prominent Black Greek-letter organizations were established. The creation of the Black fraternity had a dual purpose. First, these organizations were established for the greater purpose of pooling the resources of African Americans in the hopes of acquiring an education. Second, these organizations were formed as an attempt by Black students to gain acceptance into American society. Black Greek-letter organizations are some of the most influential organizations in the country. Collectively, these organizations claim approximately 800,000 members, with many coming from the social elite of Black culture. Despite the great influence and vast membership that these organizations possess, the activities of the Black Greek-letter organization have included secret meetings, selective membership, and a preference for lighter complexioned members. Moreover, the failure and shortcomings of the Black Greek-letter organization have allowed Black elites to create a separate privileged society based on snobbery and arrogance and have thus enabled these organizations to perpetuate the vicious cycle of racial prejudice and White supremacy.
Experimental investigation of reinforced bonded joints for composite laminates
Authors: Bisagni Chiara , Furfari Domenico , Pacchione Marco
Published: May 2017

An experimental study has been carried out to investigate the behaviour of co-bonded carbon fibre reinforced plastics joints with a novel design incorporating a through the thickness local reinforcement. Different specimens were manufactured to investigate static and fatigue behaviour, as well as delamination size after impact and damage tolerance characteristics. The mechanical performances of the specimens with local reinforcement, consisting of the insertion of spiked thin metal sheets between co-bonded laminates, were compared with those ones obtained from specimens with purely co-bonded joints. This novel design demonstrated by tests that damage progression under cycling load results significantly delayed by the reinforcements. A significant number of experimental results were obtained that can be used to define preliminary design guidelines.
The future of the standard employment relationship: Labour law, new institutional economics and old power resource theory
Authors: Fudge Judy
Published: May 2017

This article addresses two questions about the standard employment relationship that have become prominent in labour law literature: Does it exacerbate inequality? Is its decline inevitable? The focus is on the second question and emphasizes the extent to which the standard employment relationship was both embedded in, and the outcome of, an institutional ensemble that was fashioned out of the post-war capital–labour compromise in industrialized democracies. The analysis proceeds in three steps. The first is conceptual and stresses the distinctive nature of labour as a fictive commodity, and the recurring regulatory dilemmas that arise in any attempt to institutionalize a labour market. The second step historicizes and contextualizes the employment relationship, emphasizing politics and conflict (power resource theory) over rational choice and coordination (new institutional economics) as the basis for its institutionalization. The emphasis on politics, power and labour leads to the third step, which focuses on how the broad process of financialization influences three key institutions – the large manufacturing firm, the democratic welfare state and autonomous trade unions – that have been crucial for the development of the standard employment relationship.
Women, work and industrial relations in Australia in 2016
Authors: Kaine Sarah
Published: May 2017

The experience of women, work and industrial relations is diverse even though the data relating to that experience are often presented in aggregate form. While such data may offer a general snapshot of key areas such as the overall patterns of women’s participation in the labour market and the average gender pay gap, such high-level analysis obscures the differences among women and consequently does not draw attention to the areas of greatest inequality. Although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience particular disadvantage in the labour market, there is a dearth of research examining this experience. This article will provide an overview of general developments for women, work and industrial relations in 2016 and will be supplemented by an overview of the position of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women that does not fill the information gap, but rather more clearly delineates it in order to suggest avenues of further urgent research need.
Are Peer Support Arrangements an Evidence-Based Practice? A Systematic Review
Authors: Brock Matthew E. , Huber Heartley B.
Published: May 2017

Peer support arrangements involve peers without disabilities providing academic and social support to students with severe disabilities (i.e., students eligible for their state’s alternate assessment) in general education classrooms. We conducted a systematic literature review of studies published through 2016 to determine whether peer support arrangements meet Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) criteria as an evidence-based practice. From our review of 11 studies, we found that peer support arrangements are an evidence-based practice for promoting social interactions for secondary students with severe disabilities in both core academic and elective classes. Evidence for increased academic engagement of students with severe disabilities is mixed, and evidence for other outcomes is promising—including increased academic engagement for peers who provide support. We provide recommendations for teachers.
The spatial stereotype: The representation and reception of urban films in Johannesburg
Authors: Parker Alexandra
Published: May 2017

Stereotypes are people or things categorised by general characteristics of the group based on a truth that is widely recognised and function to reduce ideas to a simpler form (Dyer, 1993). Not all stereotypes are pejorative but can be a form of othering of people (Bhabha, 1996) and come about through a friction with difference (Jameson, 1995). In Johannesburg, South Africa, there is a conflation of people and space that results in a form of spatial categorisation or stereotyping. Under the apartheid government the city’s spaces were divided by race and ethnicity and are currently shifting towards divisions of class and inequality deepening the fragmented post-apartheid conditions in the city. These spatial categories have been represented in films of Johannesburg and contribute to the construction of the city’s image but also construct images for particular neighbourhoods. In this paper I examine the use of space in film as a narrative device and explore the reception and understanding of Johannesburg’s spaces by its residents to illustrate the construction and reception of spatial stereotypes. The paper discusses three dominant spatial stereotypes of Johannesburg through key films and the reception of these films through quantitative and qualitative interviews conducted with residents in four locations (Chiawelo; CBD; Fordsburg and Melville) in Johannesburg. Stereotypes have negative consequences and these spatial stereotypes reflect the ‘city of extremes’ (Murray, 2011) but their use indicates a process of navigation and negotiation across differences in space and identity in the fragmented city of Johannesburg.
Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Attitudes Toward Suicide Questionnaire Among Healthcare personnel in Malaysia
Authors: Siau Ching Sin , Wee Lei-Hum , Ibrahim Norhayati , Visvalingam Uma , Wahab Suzaily
Published: May 2017

Understanding attitudes toward suicide, especially among healthcare personnel, is an important step in both suicide prevention and treatment. We document the adaptation process and establish the validity and reliability of the Attitudes Toward Suicide (ATTS) questionnaire among 262 healthcare personnel in 2 major public hospitals in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The findings indicate that healthcare personnel in Malaysia have unique constructs on suicide attitude, compared with the original study on a Western European sample. The adapted Malay ATTS questionnaire demonstrates adequate reliability and validity for use among healthcare personnel in Malaysia.
Are Measures of Well-Being Philosophically Adequate?
Authors: van der Deijl Willem
Published: May 2017

The concept of well-being is increasingly gaining acceptance as an object of science, and many different types of well-being measures have been developed. A debate has emerged about which measures are able to capture well-being successfully. An important underlying problem is that there is no unified conceptual framework about the nature of well-being—a hotly debated topic of philosophical discussion. I argue that while there is little agreement about the nature of well-being in philosophy, there is an important agreement on some important principles relevant for its measurement. I argue that well-being science has good reasons to accommodate these principles, but currently fails to do so.
Assessment of Preclinical Liver and Skeletal Muscle Biomarkers Following Clofibrate Administration in Wistar Rats
Authors: Maliver Pierre , Festag Matthias , Bennecke Moritz , Christen Francois , Bánfai Balázs , Lenz Barbara , Winter Michael
Published: May 2017

Clofibrate is a known rodent hepatotoxicant classically associated with hepatocellular hypertrophy and increased serum activities of cellular alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase (ALT/AST) in the absence of microscopic hepatocellular degeneration. At toxic dose, clofibrate induces liver and skeletal muscle injury. The objective of this study was to assess novel liver and skeletal muscle biomarkers following clofibrate administration in Wistar rats at different dose levels for 7 days. In addition to classical biomarkers, liver injury was assessed by cytokeratin 18 (CK18) cleaved form, high-mobility group box 1, arginase 1 (ARG1), microRNA 122 (miR-122), and glutamate dehydrogenase. Skeletal muscle injury was evaluated with fatty acid binding protein 3 (Fabp3) and myosin light chain 3 (Myl3). Clofibrate-induced hepatocellular hypertrophy and skeletal muscle degeneration (type I rich muscles) were noted microscopically. CK, Fabp3, and Myl3 elevations correlated to myofiber degeneration. Fabp3 and Myl3 outperformed CK for detection of myofiber degeneration of minimal severity. miR-122 and ARG1 results were significantly correlated and indicated the absence of liver toxicity at low doses of clofibrate, despite increased ALT/AST activities. Moreover, combining classical and novel biomarkers (Fabp3, Myl3, ARG1, and miR-122) can be considered a valuable strategy for differentiating increased transaminases due to liver toxicity from skeletal muscle toxicity.
Quantification of Inflammatory Markers in Laryngotracheal Stenosis
Authors: Motz Kevin M. , Yin Linda X. , Samad Idris , Ding Dacheng , Murphy Michael K. , Duvvuri Madhavi , Hillel Alexander T.
Published: May 2017

Objectives

(1) Develop a novel method for serial assessment of gene and protein expression in laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS). (2) Assess cytokine expression and determine an immunophenotype in LTS.

Study Design

A matched comparison of endolaryngeal brush biopsy samples from laryngotracheal scar and normal airway.

Setting

Tertiary care hospital, 2015‐2016.

Methods

Brush biopsy specimens of laryngotracheal scar and normal trachea were obtained from 17 patients with LTS at the time of operating room dilation and were used for protein and RNA extraction. Gene expression of the TH1 cytokine interferon γ (INF‐γ), TH2 cytokine interleukin 4 (IL‐4), transforming growth factor β, and collagen 1 (Coll1) was quantified with quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Cytokine analysis was performed with flow cytometry with a cytometric bead array.

Results

LTS specimens demonstrated a 13.68‐fold increase in Coll1 gene expression versus normal (P <. 001, N = 17). Additionally, IL‐4 gene expression showed a 3.76‐fold increase (P <. 001, N = 17) in LTS scar. When stratified into iatrogenic LTS and idiopathic subglottic stenosis cohorts, INF‐γ gene expression was significantly increased in idiopathic subglottic stenosis (P =. 011). Soluble cytokine measurements were below the limit of detection for reliable quantification and thus could not be assessed.

Conclusions

Brush biopsies from LTS samples can be successfully utilized for RNA extraction and demonstrate the expected increase in Coll1 gene expression associated with LTS. Preliminary gene expression suggests that abnormal collagen production may be mediated by the TH2 cytokine IL‐4 and that increased INF‐γ expression may represent a key difference between iatrogenic LTS and idiopathic subglottic stenosis. Further analysis of soluble cytokines is needed to confirm these findings.