bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methotrexate for the Treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease
Authors: Strianese Diego , Iuliano Adriana , Ferrara Mariantonia , Comune Chiara , Baronissi Immacolata , Napolitano Pasquale , D’Alessandro Alessia , Grassi Piergiacomo , Bonavolontà Giulio , Bonavolontà Paola , Sinisi Antonio , Tranfa Fausto
Published: January 2014

Background/Aim. To evaluate the efficacy of methotrexate for the treatment of thyroid eye disease (TED).Methods. 36 consecutive patients with active TED, previously treated with corticosteroids but stopped due to the occurrence of side effects, were commenced on methotrexate therapy. Two different weekly doses were administered depending on the weight of the patient (7.5 mg or 10 mg). Clinical activity score (7-CAS), visual acuity (VA), ocular motility, exophthalmos, and eyelid position were retrospectively evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months and compared with baseline data.Results. There was a statistically significant improvement in 7-CAS at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment (P<0.0001). There was no significant change in visual acuity. Ocular motility disturbances improved at 6 and 12 months (P<0.001). There was no significant change in exophthalmos (mean 24 mm, SD 3 mm) or eyelid position (marginal reflex distance mean 6 mm, SD 1.5 mm) during the follow-up period. No side effects were registered.Conclusions. Methotrexate therapy is effective in reducing CAS and ocular motility disturbances. No significant improvement in proptosis or eyelid retraction should be expected from this treatment. Eventually, it might be considered a suitable alternative treatment in TED for patients who cannot tolerate steroids.
IBP′: A New Index to Estimate Biogeographical Peculiarity
Authors: Pizzolotto Roberto , Brandmayr Pietro
Published: January 2014

The biogeographical peculiarity of a given geographical area is directly linked to the number of its endemic species. This paper aims to formulate an index directly linked to the biogeographical peculiarity of an area. A graphical model and an index of the biogeographical peculiarity are proposed, based on a cumulative sum (i.e., including all the amounts that were added previously). An example of the computations is proposed, based on the number of different types of geographical ranges (i.e., chorotypes) characterizing two different ecosystems; their biogeographical peculiarity of was evaluated on the basis of presence versus absence of carabid species. Both the graphical model and the index mirrored the different faunistic compositions of the ecosystems, because the index reached a higher value where more endemic species have been found. Our investigation has found a new method for evaluating the biogeographical peculiarity of a given area or biota in a simple way. The index could be used for either conservation biogeography (e.g., monitoring of biotic homogenization) or for theoretical studies integrating ecology and biogeography.
Vanishing Lung Syndrome in a Patient with HIV Infection and Heavy Marijuana Use
Authors: Tashtoush Basheer , Gonzalez-Ibarra Fernando , Memarpour Roya , Hadeh Anas , Smolley Laurence
Published: January 2014

Vanishing lung syndrome (VLS) is a rare and distinct clinical syndrome that usually affects young men. VLS leads to severe progressive dyspnea and is characterized by extensive, asymmetric, peripheral, and predominantly upper lobe giant lung bullae. Case reports have suggested an additive role of marijuana use in the development of this disease in young male tobacco smokers. We herein report a case of a 65-year-old Hispanic male previously diagnosed with severe emphysema and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), with a history of intravenous heroin use and active marijuana smoking who presents to the emergency department with severe progressive shortness of breath he was found to have multiple large subpleural bullae occupying more than one-third of the hemithorax on chest computerized tomography (CT), characteristic of vanishing lung syndrome. The patient was mechanically ventilated and later developed a pneumothorax requiring chest tube placement and referral for surgical bullectomy. Surgical bullectomy has shown high success rates in alleviating the debilitating symptoms and preventing the life threatening complications of this rare syndrome. This case further emphasizes the importance of recognizing VLS in patients with severe emphysema and heavy marijuana smoking.
Circumscribed Morphea and Breast Asymmetry in an Adolescent
Authors: Massa António Augusto Fernandes , Baptista Armando Manuel Simões , Abreu Couceiro António Manuel Ferreira da Silva , Ferreira Eduarda Macedo Osório Morais
Published: January 2014

Morphea is a rare fibrosing disorder of the skin and underlying tissues. Circumscribed morphea presents with less than three discrete indurated plaques and breasts are commonly affected in women. We report the case of a 12-year-old female with a right infra-areolar, nontender, brownish patch and asymmetry of the right breast with 2 years of evolution. Skin biopsy showing thickening of the dermal collagen bundles confirmed the clinical diagnosis of morphea. After a 3-year follow-up period without progression of disease, reconstructive surgery is scheduled. Plaque morphea can involve all layers of the skin but associated breast deformity is rare. It can mimic benign and malignant breast disorders justifying the benefit for early tissue biopsy. Breast morphea generally has a good prognosis but hyperpigmentation and breast deformity in young girls have been rarely described. An early diagnosis can possibly lead to a therapeutic intervention with a different outcome, as it can be the source of severe psychological and social issues in a delicate period of development such as adolescence.
Capilliposide Isolated from Lysimachia capillipes Hemsl. Induces ROS Generation, Cell Cycle Arrest, and Apoptosis in Human Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Fei Zheng-hua , Wu Kan , Chen Yun-liang , Wang Bing , Zhang Shi-rong , Ma Sheng-lin
Published: January 2014

Several data has reported that capilliposide, extracted from a traditional Chinese medicine, Lysimachia capillipes Hemsl. (LC) could exhibit inhibitory effect on cell proliferation in various cancers. The current study investigated the antitumor efficacy of Capilliposide and elucidated its potential molecular mechanism involved in vivo and vitro. Our results indicated that LC capilliposide inhibited proliferation of lung cancer cells in a dose‐dependent manner. LC capilliposide induced cell cycle arrest at the S stage and enhanced apoptosis in NSCLC cells. Treatment with LC capilliposide increased the intracellular level of ROS, which activated the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Blockage of ROS by NAC highly reversed the effect of LC capilliposide on apoptosis. Xenograft tumor growth was significantly lower in the LC‐treated group compared with the untreated control group (P < 0.05). The results also show that LC treatment does not produce any overt signs of acute toxicity in vivo. These findings demonstrate that LC capilliposide could exert an anti‐tumor effect on NSCLC through mitochondrial‐mediated apoptotic pathway and the activation of ROS is involved.
Adequacy of the Endometrial Samples Obtained by the Uterine Explora Device and Conventional Dilatation and Curettage: A Comparative Study
Authors: Arafah Maria Abdulrahim , Cherkess Al-Rikabi Ammar , Aljasser Rakia , Adi Yaser
Published: January 2014

Aims. Our aim is to compare the adequacy and diagnostic yield of samples obtained by the endometrial Explora Sampler I-MX120 with endometrial specimens obtained by conventional dilatation and curettage (D&C).Methods. A total of 1270 endometrial samples were received in the histopathology laboratories at the King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between 2007 and 2010. In the outpatient clinic, the Uterine Explora Model I was used to obtain 996 samples. The remaining 274 samples were obtained by conventional D&C. Sample adequacy and the clustering of inadequate specimens according to age groups by the two different techniques were compared and statistically analyzed.Results. Out of 1270 endometrial samples, 253 (19.9%) were inadequate. The Uterine Explora was used in 88.5% of these inadequate samples (253 samples), and the remaining 11.5% were obtained by D&C. The insufficient tissue incidence was higher with the Explora (17.6%) than with the D&C (2.2%) and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.0001). The ages of the patients, as well as the clinical indications for the procedures, were recorded.Conclusion. This retrospective study demonstrated better specimen adequacy when D&C was used compared to the higher rate of sample insufficiency obtained with the Explora.
In VitroVitamin K3Effect on Conjunctival Fibroblast Migration and Proliferation
Authors: Pinilla I. , Izaguirre L. B. , Gonzalvo F. J. , Piazuelo E. , Garcia-Gonzalez M. A. , Sanchez-Cano A. I. , Sopeña F.
Published: January 2014

Purpose. To evaluate the dose effect of vitamin K3on wound healing mechanisms.Methods. Conjunctival fibroblasts were incubated for 24 hours. An artificial wound was made and the cells were incubated with fresh medium plus doses of vitamin K3to be tested. Wound repair was monitored at 0, 18, 24, and 48 hours. Proliferation was measured in actively dividing cells by [3H]thymidine uptake. Six different groups were tested: group 1/no drugs added, group 2/ethanol 0.1%, group 3/vitamin K31 mg/L, group 4/vitamin K32 mg/L, group 5/vitamin K34 mg/L, and group 6/vitamin K36 mg/L. Each experiment was carried out in triplicate and 4 times.Results. There were no differences among groups at the initial time.In vitrowound repair was slower in groups 4, 5, and 6. There were no differences between control and ethanol groups and between control and vitamin K31 mg/L groups. Fibroblast mitogenic activity was statistically decreased in all vitamin K groups; statistical differences were found among vitamin K31 mg/mL and higher doses too. In groups 5 and 6, cellular toxicity was presented.Conclusions. Vitamin K3is able to inhibit fibroblast proliferation. Vitamin K32 mg/L or higher doses inhibit wound healing repair, exhibiting cellular toxicity at 4 and 6 mg/L.
Gastrointestinal Obstruction due to Solitary Lymph Node Recurrence of Alpha-Fetoprotein-Producing Gastric Carcinoma with Enteroblastic Differentiation
Authors: Yamabuki Takumi , Omi Makoto , Yonemori Atsuya , Misu Kenjiro , Inomata Hitoshi , Abiko Yukie , Mori Michio , Nihei Kazuyoshi
Published: January 2014

We report an unusual case of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric carcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation. A 75-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with occasional upper abdominal discomfort. We performed gastroscopy and observed a type 2 tumor, primarily in the pyloric region. Histological examination of biopsies confirmed gastric adenocarcinoma. Based on these findings, we diagnosed gastric adenocarcinoma and performed laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with lymph node dissection. Histological examination revealed an invasive lesion composed of adenocarcinoma with a tubulopapillary growth pattern. Tumor cells were cuboidal in shape with characteristically clear cytoplasm rich in glycogen. Two regional lymph node metastases were seen microscopically. Immunohistochemically these cells were positive for AFP, carcinoembryonic antigen, caudal-type homeobox transcription factor 2 and common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen. The final diagnosis was AFP-producing gastric carcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation. 26 months after initial surgery, the patient was readmitted to our hospital for gastrointestinal obstruction due to lymph node recurrence.
Appendix: Global pedagogy in a digital age
Authors: Behbehanian Laleh , Burawoy Michael
Published: January 2014

In this appendix we describe two successive efforts in the use of digital media to develop courses that brought together distinguished sociologists from around the world. In the first course, we put together a vision of global sociology that revolved around issues of marketization while in the second we were more attentive to the public engagement of sociologists, facing very different political contexts and social issues. In the first course we faced the problem of building a global sociology that was attentive to local contexts while the second was beset by the contradictory demands of local pedagogy and global dialogue. If nothing else our use of digital media clarified some of the problems of building a global sociology.
Tensile behaviour of spring steel wire reinforced EN AW-6082
Authors: Merzkirch Matthias , Meissner Marius , Schulze Volker , Weidenmann Kay André
Published: January 2014

The reinforcement of composite aluminium extrusions offers a high potential regarding weight reduction and improvement of mechanical properties, which is essential for components in lightweight constructions. The current work gives an overview of the quasi-static properties of spring steel wire reinforced EN AW-6082 with varying reinforcing ratio. The deformation and damage behaviour is investigated in detail for a reinforcing ratio of 11.1 vol.%. It is shown that the relatively ductile behaviour of the spring steel wire leads to multiple necking resulting in higher strains than expected. Current models are expanded and modified for a proper adaptation to the material system.
Exploring interpersonal issues and challenges confronting ex-combatant fathers and their sons in post-apartheid South Africa
Authors: Adonis Cyril K
Published: January 2014

This study explores interpersonal issues and challenges confronting ex-combatant fathers and their sons in post-apartheid South Africa. It draws on life-story interviews conducted with six father–son pairs. The interviews were subjected to a thematic interpretive analysis, which revealed a number of salient themes. Some of these were shared by both fathers and sons, while others were specific to each cohort. Shared themes were the nature of the father–son relationship and silence. The need for psychosocial support was specific to the fathers, while substitute fathers and emotional–behavioural difficulties were specific to the sons. The study holds important policy implications for addressing the needs of ex-combatant families.
A Stability Interpretation of Rawls’s The Law of Peoples
Authors: Kim Hyunseop
Published: January 2014

In this essay, I propose an interpretation of John Rawls’s The Law of Peoples that puts the stability of liberal societies as the central organizing idea of its principles. I start by critically examining other interpretations currently found in the literature. I observe two characteristics of Rawls’s conception of stability from his political turn: stability for the right reasons and in the right way. In the main body of the essay, I argue that the absence of a global egalitarian principle is compatible with the stability of liberal peoples, that the toleration of decent peoples is conducive to the stability of liberal peoples, and that the universal enforcement of human rights and assistance to burdened societies are rationally required for the stability of liberal peoples. I clarify the meaning of the centrality of peace and stability, and explain why it is not conspicuous but still unsurprising given Rawls’s personal history and the development of his theory of international justice. I conclude by suggesting how the stability interpretation paves the way for further extensions of Rawls’s theory of justice and assessing the practical value of The Law of Peoples.
The contour of a post-postmodern missiology
Authors: Yip George
Published: January 2014

Missiology has been based on the notion of an objective description of another culture and the notion that culture is homogeneous, coherent, and integrated. Such notions have faced serious challenges from globalization and postmodern anthropology, which is a product of poststructuralism, postcolonialism, and postmodernism. The post-postmodern missiology proposed here is built on the epistemological foundation of critical realism and recent social theory. In this missiology the concept of culture is reoriented to the diversity of intra-cultural variations, conceived in spatial terms as mobility, and embedded in power. The diversity in culture leads us to question the validity of much theological contextualization. In its place a polythetic and progressive contextualization is proposed.
Social media, protest cultures and political subjectivities of the Arab spring
Authors: Markham Tim
Published: January 2014

This article draws on phenomenological perspectives to present a case against resisting the objectification of cultures of protest and dissent. The generative, self-organizing properties of protest cultures, especially as mobilized through social media, are frequently argued to elude both authoritarian political structures and academic discourse, leading to new political subjectivities or ‘imaginaries’. Stemming from a normative commitment not to over-determine such nascent subjectivities, this view has taken on a heightened resonance in relation to the recent popular uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa. The article argues that this view is based on an invalid assumption that authentic political subjectivities and cultures naturally emerge from an absence of constraint, whether political, journalistic or academic. The valorization of amorphousness in protest cultures and social media enables affective and political projection, but overlooks politics in its institutional, professional and procedural forms.
Mad and bad media: Populism and pathology in the British tabloids
Authors: Cross Simon
Published: January 2014

The tabloid press is the section of the British media that has mobilized most vehemently on crime and responsibility. The logic of the tabloids is to sensationalize crime whilst insisting that criminals are morally responsible for their actions. However, this logic is thwarted when offenders are insane. The solution for British tabloids has been to invoke the illogical notion that mentally disordered offenders are mad and bad. The article argues for the need to understand this tabloid heuristic in relation to the politics of mental health care in the community policy in the 1990s, and the politics of tabloid populism. Tabloid reporting on the ‘mad and bad’ is further illustrated in the case of offenders housed in England’s top-security Broadmoor Hospital. By identifying hypocrisy in tabloid reporting on Broadmoor patients, the article concludes that British tabloid logic should be viewed as pathological.
Why minimal multiple rules provide a unique window into UG and L2
Authors: Amaral Luiz , Roeper Tom
Published: January 2014

This article clarifies some ideas presented in this issue’s keynote article (Amaral and Roeper, this issue) and discusses several issues raised by the contributors’ comments on the nature of the Multiple Grammars (MG) theory. One of the key goals of the article is to unequivocally state that MG is not a parametric theory and that its current version follows very explicit minimalist assumptions. We also refine the notion of ‘minimal multiple rules’ to make their theoretical status more precise. Overall, we would like to acknowledge the important contribution of all the articles in this issue to the evolution of the theory.
Multiple Grammars and Second Language Representation
Authors: Amaral Luiz , Roeper Tom
Published: January 2014

This paper presents an extension of the Multiple Grammars Theory (Roeper, 1999) to provide a formal mechanism that can serve as a generative-based alternative to current descriptive models of interlanguage. The theory extends historical work by Kroch and Taylor (1997), and has been taken into a computational direction by Yang (2003). The proposal is based on the idea that any human grammar readily accommodates sets of rules in sub-grammars that can seem (apparently) contradictory. We discuss the rationale behind this proposal and establish a dialogue with recent research in SLA, multilingualism, L3 acquisition, and L2 processing. We compare the Multiple Grammars explanation to optionality in L2 to other current proposals, and provide experimental results that can demonstrate the existence of active sub-grammars in the linguistic representation of L2 speakers.
The impact of recession on city regions: The British experience, 2008–2013
Authors: Townsend Alan , Champion Tony
Published: January 2014

The article is concerned with the relationship of employment fluctuations to sub-regional outcomes. The impact of Britain’s severe recession since 2008 on regions is reasonably well known, because official statistics provide monthly labour market data for them. Far less familiar are the trends for smaller areas which have to be built up from rolling 12-month averages. This article utilises averages for 2008, 2010 and 2012 to assess the impact of recession on different types of area. Following mention of the disproportionate growth of unemployment in the most deprived types of local areas, it proceeds to analysis by academically defined city regions, with particular reference to a three-way division (the aggregate of nine provincial city regions, the London city region and the rest of Great Britain) and using ‘full-time equivalent’ jobs calculated by a previously established method. This metric indicates that national employment had not recovered its pre-recession level by 2012. Structural bias of employment towards manufacturing, construction and public services at the beginning of the study period provided the provincial city regions as a whole with a worse outcome from the recession than for the London city region, the latter contributing heavily to the national secular growth of high-skilled and self-employment.
Coronary stent imaging with dual-source CT: assessment of lumen visibility using different convolution kernels and postprocessing filters
Authors: Ulrich Anne , Burg Matthias C , Raupach Rainer , Bunck Alexander , Schuelke Christoph , Maintz David , Heindel Walter , Seifarth Harald
Published: January 2014

Background

Assesment of the coronary arteries after stent placement using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) currently requires reconstruction of images with soft kernels for the assessment of atherosclerotic plaques and dedicated edge enhancing kernels for the evaluation of the stent lumen.

Purpose

To evaluate a two-dimensional filter tool that provides instant postprocessing of images reconstructed with soft kernels into edge-enhanced images and vice versa and thus may eliminate the need for two separate reconstrcutions for the assessment of coronary artery stents using CCTA.

Material and Methods

Twenty stents with a diameter of 3.0 mm placed in a vascular phantom were scanned with a dual-source CT using standard parameters. Images were reconstructed with a soft B30f and an edge-enhancing B46f kernel and postprocessed with the corresponding filter algorithm (F30 for B30f images; F46 for B46f images). The resulting four data-sets were evaluated for lumen visibility, intraluminal attenuation, and image noise by two independent readers. Results were validated in vivo against invasive coronary angiography in data-sets from patients with coronary artery stents.

Results

Average intraluminal attenuation was 552.6 HU, 527.3 HU, 207.9 HU, and 267.5 HU for B30f, F30, B46f, and F46 images, respectively ( P < 0.0001). Average image noise was 11.3, 10.6, 19.2, and 15.0 HU, respectively ( P < 0.0001). The visible stent diameter was significantly higher in the B46f (59.6%) and F46 images (54%) compared to the B30f (48.3%) and F30 (51.5%) images ( P < 0.0001). In the patient study, lumen assessability was significantly better in B46f images than in F46 images. Sensitivity for stenosis detection was best in the original B46f images with a sensitivity of 67% and a specificity of 94%.

Conclusion

The postprocessing filter reduces image noise, however currently it does not offer an alternative to image reconstruction using the edge-enhancing kernels for the evaluation of the stent lumen.
Comparison of pemetrexed and docetaxel as salvage chemotherapy for the treatment for nonsmall-cell lung cancer after the failure of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Authors: Dong Lei , Han Zhao-feng , Feng Zi-hui , Jia Zhi-yang
Published: January 2014

Objective

To compare the therapeutic effects and adverse reactions of pemetrexed and docetaxel as salvage chemotherapy in patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after the failure of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI).

Methods

In this randomized Phase 2 trial, patients with NSCLC who had previously failed EGFR-TKI therapy were randomized to receive intravenous pemetrexed (500 mg/m2 for 21 days [one cycle]) or docetaxel (75 mg/m2 for 21 days [one cycle]). Therapeutic effects were evaluated according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours standards and adverse effects were evaluated according to the US National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference in disease control rate, response rate, median survival and 1-year survival between treatment groups. Rates of nausea, myelosuppression, renal damage and hair loss were significantly higher in the docetaxel group than the pemetrexed group.

Conclusion

Pemetrexed is effective and well tolerated as salvage chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC after EGFR-TKI failure and may be a suitable therapeutic option in these patients.
Traumatic Transitions
Authors: Lewinson Terri , Thomas M. Lori , White Shaneureka
Published: January 2014

This article presents traumatic experiences among 21 women residing in budget hotels after housing displacement. Framed in feminist and cumulative trauma theories, the purpose of this study was to explore types of trauma and adversity prior to and during housing at budget hotels. In this qualitative study, narrative and categorical content-analysis approaches were conducted to identify common themes across women’s narratives. Findings revealed trauma narratives of physical and emotional abuse, childhood maltreatment, loss, financial exploitation, sexual intimidation, eviction anxiety, environmental stress, crime exposure, and systematic subjugation. Trauma-informed intervention approaches for social work practice are outlined to promote women’s empowerment.
The Wellbeing of Infants Exposed to Buprenorphine via Breast Milk at 4 Weeks of Age
Authors: Gower Shelley , Bartu Anne , Ilett Kenneth F. , Doherty Dorota , McLaurin Renate , Hamilton Dale
Published: January 2014

Background:

Buprenorphine has been available in Australia since 2000 as an alternative pharmacotherapy to methadone for the treatment of opioid dependence. However, there is little information in the literature regarding the effect of buprenorphine on the wellbeing of infants exposed to buprenorphine via breast milk, following discharge from hospital.

Objective:

The aim of the present study was to examine the wellbeing of infants exposed to buprenorphine via breast milk up to 4 weeks postnatally.

Methods:

Approximately 4 weeks after birth, information on the feeding and sleeping patterns, skin color, infant elimination patterns and hydration, and Neonatal Abstinence Scores of infants (n = 7) exposed to buprenorphine via breast milk was collected via both observation and documentation.

Results:

Infants were progressing well, with normal sleep patterns and skin color, and 2 mothers had minor concerns regarding infant elimination patterns. Four infants were exclusively breastfed and 3 were receiving a supplement, with a range of 260 to 700 mL of formula over 24 hours. The sleep patterns following feeding ranged from 1.55 to 3.33 hours, with a median of 2.12 hours.

Conclusion:

No adverse effects were detected in infants exposed to buprenorphine via breast milk up to 4 weeks postnatally. Further research using larger samples to assess possible developmental effects over longer periods of time is required.
Studies on effect of titanate-coupling agent (0.5, 1.5, and 2.5%) on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of fly ash–filled polypropylene composites
Authors: Kulkarni Malhari Bhimrao , Mahanwar Prakash Anna
Published: January 2014

The present article studies the effect of treatment of 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5% titanate-coupling agent (LICA 38) on various properties of fly ash–filled polypropylene (PP) composites. The fly ash content varied from 0 to 30 wt%. The mechanical and thermal properties of the composite material were evaluated, and microstructure investigated through scanning electron microscopy. Experimental results were compared with various existing models. Experimental data for tensile yield strength showed good fit to the existing models. Adhesion parameter or interfacial interaction was also evaluated though Pukanszky model. The values of yield stress and breaking strength of treated fly ash–based composites showed higher values compared to that of untreated fly ash–filled PP composites at corresponding filler content. The overall mechanical properties of fly ash–filled composites are essentially decided by wettability of the filler. It is also found that Vicat softening point improved with the addition of fly ash filler. Morphological studies of the tensile fracture surfaces of the composites revealed that the presence of titanate-coupling agent increased the interfacial interaction between fly ash and PP. It also improved the dispersion of fly ash in PP matrix. Thus, the treatment resulted in improvement in mechanical and thermal properties of the composites as compared to untreated fly ash–filled composites. The overall results showed that fly ash dispersion and interfacial adhesion are greatly affected by the amount of the coupling agent.
Living on the Edge
Authors: PetersonLund Robin R.
Published: January 2014

Living on the edge was explored employing the Parse research method. Ten participants living in the frontier of the American West were asked, “What is the experience of living on the edge?” The findings showed the structure of living on the edge as: Living on the edge is persevering with pioneering ventures amid perilous remoteness, as vacillating sentiments arise with diverse affiliations. Understanding the experience of living on the edge as it relates to health and quality of life is important for nursing practice and advances nursing science.
End of Life and Beyond as Hidden Curriculum
Authors: Condon Barbara Backer , Grimsley Catherine , Kelley Teresa , Nissen Mary Kay
Published: January 2014

End-of-life experiences are unique. Most can vividly recall feelings during those times. Governing boards in the United States attempt to guide nursing faculty regarding end of life curriculum. Yet, the beliefs of faculty members arising from those unique experiences can alter the tone and message of what students are actually taught – often surfacing as hidden curriculum. In this column the authors discuss hidden curriculum while presenting the beliefs regarding end of life, of four nursing faculty members from a single university. Heightened awareness and respect for the beliefs of all faculty members within any university setting is imperative in decreasing the development of hidden curriculum.
Research at the End of Life
Authors: Florczak Kristine L.
Published: January 2014

Conducting research at the end of life is currently a priority for the National Institute of Nursing Research, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Institute of Health. However, attempting to do research with those who are dying is fraught with numerous challenges. In this column, the author discusses some of the issues and presents viable solutions, so that we as the research community can inform clinicians about care at the end of life and improve quality.
Female employment and fertility trajectories in Spain: an Optimal Matching Analysis
Authors: Davia Maria A , Legazpe Nuria
Published: January 2014

This article describes the evolution of labour market participation and fertility patterns in Spain among women born between 1956 and 1970. Trajectories are captured by combining partnership, employment and motherhood over a 20-year span (from the age of 16 to the age of 35). Using Optimal Matching Analysis, four different patterns in female trajectories are identified: (1) early marriage/non-working mother/high fertility; (2) late marriage/working mother/low fertility; (3) early marriage/working mother/high fertility; and (4) late marriage/low participation/low fertility. A multinomial probit model contrasts whether or not the patterns found are compatible with the human capital approach to female labour market participation and fertility and/or Hakim’s preference theory. Results show that both theoretical frameworks partly explain the observed trajectories although neither of them, not even both together, suffices to determine female employment and family careers.
Structural analysis and characterisation technique applied to a CNC vertical machining centre
Authors: Ford DG , Widiyarto MHN , Myers A , Longstaff AP , Fletcher S
Published: January 2014

There is a requirement for improved 3D surface characterisation and reduced tool wear, when modern computer numerical-controlled (CNC) machine tools are operating at high cutting velocities, spindle speeds and feed-rates. This research project investigates vibration-induced errors on a CNC vertical machining centre under dynamic conditions. A model of the machine structural dynamics is constructed using the Finite Element Method (FEM) for the comprehensive analytical investigation of the machine vibration behaviour. The analytical model is then validated against the measured results obtained from an experimental modal analysis (EMA) investigation. A correlation analysis of the simulated and experimental modal analysis results is undertaken in order to improve the accuracy of the model and minimise modelling practice errors. The resulting optimised model will need further sensitivity analysis utilising parametric structural analysis and characterisation techniques in order to identify a potential for vibration reduction using passive methods.
Nonlinear analysis of carbon nanotube-based nanoelectronics devices
Authors: Seyyed Fakhrabadi Masoud , Rastgoo Abbas , Ahmadian Mohammad Taghi
Published: January 2014

The paper deals with the investigation of nonlinear static and dynamic behaviors of electrostatically actuated carbon nanotubes with different geometries and boundary conditions. The deflection and pull-in properties are studied in detail in the presence of DC and combined DC + AC electrostatic voltages accompanying the interatomic interactions. The considered nano system can be applied in a wide range of nanoelectronics devices such as nano switches, nano resonators, nano transistors, nano capacitors and random access memories. Moreover, a useful mathematical model of the nano sensor application of the studied nano system to sense the stiffness of the nano particles is presented.
In situ measurements of thin films in bovine serum lubricated contacts using optical interferometry
Authors: Vrbka Martin , Křupka Ivan , Hartl Martin , Návrat Tomáš , Gallo Jiří , Galandáková Adéla
Published: January 2014

The aim of this study is to consider the relevance of in situ measurements of bovine serum film thickness in the optical test device that could be related to the function of the artificial hip joint. It is mainly focussed on the effect of the hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity of the transparent surface and the effect of its geometry. Film thickness measurements were performed using ball-on-disc and lens-on-disc configurations of optical test device as a function of time. Chromatic interferograms were recorded with a high-speed complementary metal-oxide semiconductor digital camera and evaluated with thin film colorimetric interferometry. It was clarified that a chromium layer covering the glass disc has a hydrophobic behaviour which supports the adsorption of proteins contained in the bovine serum solution, thereby a thicker lubricating film is formed. On the contrary, the protein film formation was not observed when the disc was covered with a silica layer having a hydrophilic behaviour. In this case, a very thin lubricating film was formed only due to the hydrodynamic effect. Metal and ceramic balls have no substantial effect on lubricant film formation although their contact surfaces have relatively different wettability. It was confirmed that conformity of contacting surfaces and kinematic conditions has fundamental effect on bovine serum film formation. In the ball-on-disc configuration, the lubricant film is formed predominantly due to protein aggregations, which pass through the contact zone and increase the film thickness. In the more conformal ball-on-lens configuration, the lubricant film is formed predominantly due to hydrodynamic effect, thereby the film thickness is kept constant during measurement.
Paths of Infection: The First World War and the Origins of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Authors: Humphries Mark Osborne
Published: January 2014

The origin site for the 1918 influenza pandemic which killed more than 50 million people worldwide has been hotly debated. While the mid-western United States, France, and China have all been identified as potential candidates by medical researchers, the military context for the pandemic has been all but ignored. Conversely, military historians have paid little attention to a deadly disease which underlines the reciprocal relationship between battlefield and home front. This paper re-examines the debate about the origins and diffusion of the 1918 flu within the context of global war, bridging gaps between social, medical, and military history in the process. A multidisciplinary perspective combined with new research in British and Canadian archives reveals that the 1918 flu most likely emerged first in China in the winter of 1917–18, diffusing across the world as previously isolated populations came into contact with one another on the battlefields of Europe. Ethnocentric fears – both official and popular – facilitated its spread along military pathways that had been carved out across the globe to sustain the war effort on the Western Front.
‘The Vanguard of Sacrifice’? Political Commissars in the Republican Popular Army during the Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939
Authors: Matthews James
Published: January 2014

This article analyses the function of political commissars in the Republican Popular Army during the Spanish Civil War of 1936–9. It evaluates the commissariat’s role in fostering soldiers’ political engagement with the war, as well as the challenges maintaining morale and discipline in a revolutionary army. It also examines the complex relationship between commissars and Republican soldiers, and considers political divisions within the commissariat, particularly the rise and domination of delegates affiliated to the Communist Party of Spain. The article argues that commissars were a central component of the Republic’s relatively successful, and heavily improvised, politicized wartime mobilization in the face of considerable challenges.
Problematising autonomy and advocacy in nursing
Authors: Cole Clare , Wellard Sally , Mummery Jane
Published: January 2014

Customarily patient advocacy is argued to be an essential part of nursing, and this is reinforced in contemporary nursing codes of conduct, as well as codes of ethics and competency standards governing practice. However, the role of the nurse as an advocate is not clearly understood. Autonomy is a key concept in understanding advocacy, but traditional views of individual autonomy can be argued as being outdated and misguided in nursing. Instead, the feminist perspective of relational autonomy is arguably more relevant within the context of advocacy and nurses’ work in clinical healthcare settings. This article serves to highlight and problematise some of the assumptions and influences around the perceived role of the nurse as an advocate for patients in contemporary Western healthcare systems by focusing on key assumptions concerning autonomy inherent in the role of the advocate.
Traditional Music of East Africa
Authors: Howard Karen
Published: January 2014

The concept of ngoma is present throughout Eastern and Southern Africa. Ngoma refers to the tradition of expression via music, drumming, dance, and storytelling. History, values, education, and even identity can be transmitted between generations. This article traces the experiences of a music teacher from the United States traveling and studying in Tanzania, East Africa. In the small village of Chamwino, a traditional music festival provides the backdrop for exposure to ngoma. Wagogo culture - particularly a style of drumming for women known as muheme and other traditional instruments - is examined. Suggestions for incorporation in existing curricula are given, as well as available resources related to Wagogo music and other Tanzanian artists.
Warriors: Cinematic ontologies of the Bosnian war
Authors: Zarkov Dubravka
Published: January 2014

This article analyses the British TV drama Warriors (1999), investigating military masculinities and their cinematic attachments to specific nationhoods (British, Serb, Muslim, Croat). The author’s main argument is that Warriors engages in a negotiation of ontological differences through production of military masculinities, situated within specific time–space coordinates. The story of the war is told using the classical war movie genre, underpinned by a tripartite gendered discourse that links feminization, victimhood and peace, on the one side, with two kinds of military masculinities, on the other side: first, the heroic-moral-military masculinity of the protector and defender (UK peacekeepers) and second, the vicious-ethnic-military masculinity of the ‘local’ men (Serb and Croat paramilitary forces). As the drama’s characters stand for the specific symbolic geographies and histories, we see different ontological worlds appearing. Among them Bosnia – represented through viciousness of local masculinities and victimhood of local femininities – becomes a specific, isolated place, the ‘symbolic continent’ of the Balkans, whose singular, violent geography is separated from Europe and the West, through Orientalist and Balkanist discourses. Furthermore, it is a place with a past but no future, wherein moral geographies of peacekeeping military masculinities translate into ontologies of Self and Other.
Hip hop feminism in Sweden: Intersectionality, feminist critique and female masculinity
Authors: Berggren Kalle
Published: January 2014

Hip hop has grown into a worldwide genre in recent decades, often being associated with issues of race and class. However, as research on ‘hip hop feminism’ in the US context demonstrates, the categories of gender and sexuality are no less fundamental. In the growing body of international hip hop research, though, questions about gender have been relatively absent, and relatively little is known about how gender norms are negotiated and challenged in hip hop in Europe. This article seeks to contribute to filling this gap in the literature by exploring how women negotiate the gender norms of hip hop in the case of Sweden. To this end, rap lyrics by 12 female rap artists are analysed through poststructuralist discourse analysis. The analysis focuses on intersectionality, feminism within and beyond hip hop, as well as the possibilities and limitations of female masculinity. It is shown how the masculine norms of the genre are simultaneously resisted and resignified as many female rappers incorporate some elements commonly associated with masculinity but mobilize them in their challenging of masculine norms. In this way, complying with the genre interestingly produces a hard and explicit feminism in which ‘all sexist pigs will be slaughtered”.
Major surgical trauma differentially affects T-cells and APC
Authors: Albertsmeier Markus , Quaiser Dominik , von Dossow-Hanfstingl Vera , Winter Hauke , Faist Eugen , Angele Martin K
Published: January 2014

Macrophages have been reported to initiate immunosuppression following trauma and hemorrhage, and recent experimental studies suggest a pivotal role of T-cells in maintaining immunosuppression. The aim of the present study was to investigate the interaction of APC and T-cells in humans following major surgery. First, APC and T-cells from 14 surgical patients were isolated, counted and characterized by their specific surface marker profile 2 and 24 h postoperatively. Then, these cells were co-incubated with cells of the other type, which had been isolated pre-operatively. Chemokine secretion from pre-operative cells as measured by enzyme immunoassay served as a bioassay for the function of the stimulating postoperative cells. CD3+ T-cells and surface marker CD28 were markedly suppressed postoperatively, while CD3+CD25+CD127−Tregs were not suppressed. CD14+APC counts were increased with the most significant increase observed in CD14+HLA-DR− myeloid-derived suppressor cells. In co-cultures, APC showed increased postoperative secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 independently of whether they had been co-incubated with pre- or postoperative T-cells. T-cells incubated with CD14+ cells 2 h postoperatively secreted diminished amounts of IFN-γ. The results of the study suggest that T-cells play a pivotal role in mediating immunosuppression after major abdominal surgery.
Long-acting muscarinic receptor antagonists for the treatment of chronic airway diseases
Authors: Alagha Khuder , Palot Alain , Sofalvi Tunde , Pahus Laurie , Gouitaa Marion , Tummino Celine , Martinez Stephanie , Charpin Denis , Bourdin Arnaud , Chanez Pascal
Published: January 2014

Acetylcholine (neuronal and non-neuronal origin) regulates bronchoconstriction, and mucus secretion. It has an inflammatory effect by inducing attraction, survival and cytokine release from inflammatory cells. Muscarinic receptors throughout the bronchial tree are mainly restricted to muscarinic M1, M2 and M3 receptors. Three long-acting muscarinic receptor antagonists (LAMAs) were approved for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Europe: once-daily tiotropium bromide; once-daily glycopyrronium bromide; and twice-daily aclidinium bromide. All have higher selectivity for M3 receptors than for M2 receptors, and dissociate more slowly from the M3 receptors than they do from the M2 receptors. Some LAMAs showed anti-inflammatory effects [inhibition of neutrophil chemotactic activity and migration of alveolar neutrophils, decrease of several cytokines in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) including interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and leukotriene (LT)B4] and antiremodeling effects (inhibition of mucus gland hypertrophy and decrease in MUC5AC-positive goblet cell number, decrease in MUC5AC overexpression). In the clinic, LAMAs showed a significant improvement of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), quality of life, dyspnea and reduced the number of exacerbations in COPD and more recently in asthma. This review will focus on the three LAMAs approved in Europe in the treatment of chronic airway diseases.
Endovascular recanalization techniques for popliteal arterial occlusive injury with limb-threatening ischemia secondary to trauma
Authors: Mine Takahiko , Murata Satoru , Yasui Daisuke , Tajima Hiroyuki , Kawamata Hiroshi , Yokota Hiroyuki , Kumita Shin-ichiro
Published: January 2014

To date, no ideal endovascular strategy has been established for traumatic arterial occlusion. Here, we report the outcomes of a combination of endovascular recanalization techniques applied in two patients with high risk of leg amputation. A 33-year-old man with popliteal artery occlusion due to blunt trauma was treated by balloon angioplasty with long inflation time and aspiration thrombectomy. A 74-year-old woman with popliteal artery occlusion after total knee replacement was treated by aspiration thrombectomy and stent placement. In both cases, we achieved satisfactory recanalization, and peripheral ischemia was absent even 1 year later.