bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unilateral Keratoconus after Chronic Eye Rubbing by the Nondominant Hand
Authors: Bral Nathalie , Termote Karolien
Published: December 2017

Introduction: To report the development of unilateral keratoconus in a healthy male after persistent unilateral eye rubbing by the nondominant hand which was not needed for professional activities. Methods: Observational case report. Results: A 60-year-old male was first seen in our clinic due to decreased vision in his left eye. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy of the left eye revealed Vogt’s striae, stromal thinning, and a stromal scar. Corneal topography showed a stage 4 keratoconus. Clinical examination and corneal topography of the right eye were normal. Medical history revealed a habit of chronic eye rubbing only in the left eye because of the right hand being occupied for professional needs. During follow-up of 5 years, Scheimpflug images of the right eye stayed normal while the left eye showed a stable cone. Discussion: This case report supports the hypothesis of mechanical fatigue of the cornea due to repetitive shear stress on the surface caused by eye-rubbing.
Application of Arterial Spin Labelling in Detecting Retinal Ischemia
Authors: Vaghefi Ehsan , Kauv Kevin , Pan Wilson , Squirrell David
Published: December 2017

Purpose: Here, we have tried to quantify the chorioretinal blood perfusion in patients who are clinically identified to be suffering from retinal ischemia using arterial spin labelling (ASL) MRI. Method: Four participants, diagnosed with retinal ischemia based on their structural OCT and angiography test, were then scanned using anatomical MRI as well as ASL. We optimized MR parameters to maximize resolution and target fixation, blinking, and breathing ques to minimize motion artifacts. Results: Participants had a maximum of ∼50 mL/100 mL/min of blood perfusion, which is below the normal values of ∼200 mL/100 mL/min. It also appeared that thinning of the choroid contributes more to the measured decreased chorioretinal perfusion, compared to slowed arterial filling time. Conclusion: Decreased chorioretinal perfusion is a multifactorial event and has been implicated in several posterior eye pathologies. Based on our current results, it seems that ischemia of the eye could be due to anatomy (tissue volume) and/or functionality (arterial flow).
Comparative Analysis on Low- and Standard-Dose Regimes of Alteplase Thrombolytic Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke: Efficacy and Safety
Authors: Zhao Guangjian , Huang Tingfen , Zheng Mei , Cui Yansen , Liu Yunyong , Cheng Zhongrong , Wang Ziran
Published: December 2017

Objective: This study analyzed the efficacy and safety of low-dose and standard-dose alteplase intravenous thrombolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods: Patients with AIS who underwent intravenous alteplase thrombolysis from July 2012 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed and correspondingly divided into low-dose (0.6–0.89 mg/kg) group and standard-dose group (0.9 mg/kg) according to alteplase dosage. The clinical outcome was evaluated by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days after onset. The safety index was the mortality at 90 days after onset and the incidence of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) within 7 days. Results: A total of 1,486 patients were included (1,115 cases in low-dose group and 371 cases in standard-dose group). There were no significant differences in baseline data between the 2 groups. As mRS, good outcome rate as well as mortality rate in both groups had no significant difference (36.1 vs. 37.6%; χ2 = 10.882, p = 0.890; 5.5 vs. 7.3%; χ2 = 2.163, p = 0.076), but the incidence of SICH in low-dose group was significantly lower than that of the standard-dose group (2.2 vs. 5.9%; χ2 = 3.157, p = 0.001). Conclusion: The efficacy of low-dose alteplase intravenous thrombolytic therapy for AIS was equivalent to the standard-dose regimen but with higher safety.
Kombinierte Anwendung von Strahlentherapie und adjuvanter Therapie mit einem Mistelextrakt (Viscum album L.) zur Behandlung des oralen malignen Melanoms beim Hund: Eine retrospektive Studie
Authors: von Bodungen Uta , Ruess Katja , Reif Marcus , Biegel Ulrike
Published: December 2017

Hintergrund: Orale maligne Melanome (OMM) des Hundes zeichnen sich durch schnelles Wachstum, lokale Invasion und hohe Metastasierungsraten aus. Extrakte auf Basis von Viscum album L. (VAE) werden zunehmend in der Krebstherapie sowohl in der Human- als auch in der Veterinärmedizin eingesetzt. Ziel unserer Studie war es zu untersuchen, inwieweit die adjuvante Therapie mit VAE eine therapeutische Option zur Behandlung von OMM ist. Besonderes Augenmerk galt dabei der Überlebenszeit und möglichen Nebenwirkungen. Tiere und Methoden: 26 Hunde mit OMM, die in einem der größten veterinäronkologischen Zentren der Schweiz allesamt eine Strahlentherapie erhielten (teilweise nach operativer Tumorresektion) wurden in die retrospektive Studie eingeschlossen: 18 Hunde wurden mit VAE behandelt (1 ml VAE (Iscador®) in ansteigenden Konzentrationen von 0,1 bis 20 mg/ml subkutan 3-mal pro Woche (VAE-Gruppe), 8 erhielten keine adjuvante Behandlung (Vergleichsgruppe). Wir verglichen die Größenentwicklung der OMM sowie die Überlebenszeit. Ergebnisse: Patienten mit Bestrahlung und adjuvanter VAE-Therapie zeigten mit 236 Tagen eine signifikant längere mediane Überlebenszeit im Vergleich zu Patienten mit Bestrahlung, aber ohne adjuvante VAE-Therapie (49 Tage; Log-Rank-Test: p = 0,0047). Die VAE-Therapie verlängerte die Überlebenszeit um mehr als zwei Drittel (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 0,30, 95%-Konfidenzintervall (KI) 0,11-0,86; p = 0,024), während ein höheres Tumorstadium gemäß UICC (Union internationale contre le cancer) einen statistischen Trend zur Verdopplung des Sterberisikos zeigte (UICC-Stadium III/IV vs. I/II: HR = 2,12, 95%-KI 0,88-5,12; p = 0,095). Zwei Patienten zeigten milde Nebenwirkungen während der VAE-Behandlung. Einer der beiden zeigte 1 Tag lang ein selbstlimitiertes Fieber, bei dem anderen Patienten reduzierten wir die Dosis von einem konzentrierteren zu einem weniger konzentrierten VAE (Serie 0) aufgrund von Müdigkeit, die daraufhin verschwand. Schlussfolgerungen: VAE ist eine sichere, nebenwirkungsarme Behandlung und scheint sich positiv auf die Überlebenszeit von Hunden mit OMM auszuwirken. Somit ist dieser therapeutische Ansatz es wert, vermehrt bei der adjuvant zur Strahlentherapie eingesetzten Behandlung des OMM in Betracht gezogen zu werden. Die verglichenen Gruppen waren jedoch klein, divers und nicht konsistent hinsichtlich aller prognostischen Parameter. Eine prospektive Studie mit einer größeren Studienpopulation wäre daher von Interesse.
FAM3A Protects Against Glutamate-Induced Toxicity by Preserving Calcium Homeostasis in Differentiated PC12 Cells
Authors: Song Qing , Gou Wen-Li , Zou Yu-Liang
Published: December 2017

Background/Aims: Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability, and glutamate-induced dysregulation of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis is a key mechanism. FAM3A is the first member of the family with sequence similarity 3 (FAM3) gene family, and its biological function remains largely unknown. We have recently reported that FAM3A exerts protective effects against oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in HT22 cells. Methods: Here, we investigated the protective effects of FAM3A using a glutamate-induced neuronal injury model in nerve growth factor (NGF)-differentiated PC12 cells. The protective effects were determined by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, apoptosis and mitochondrial oxidative stress. Ca2+ imaging was performed to detect changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration in PC12 cells. The related molecular mechanisms were investigated by fluorescence staining, coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and western blotting. Results: Upregulation of FAM3A by lentivirus transfection markedly decreased LDH release, inhibited apoptosis and reduced mitochondrial oxidative stress, which were accompanied by alleviated intracellular Ca2+ levels as measured by calcium imaging. The results of western blotting showed that FAM3A significantly decreased the surface expression of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1/5 (mGluR1/5), with no effect on the expression of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) or α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid receptor (AMPAR) subunits. FAM3A overexpression also inhibited the intracellular Ca2+ release mediated by mGluR1/5 and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), but not the ryanodine receptor (RyR). In addition, FAM3A significantly attenuated the store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) induced by thapsigargin (Tg), but the expression of SOCE-related proteins was not altered. The results of coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) showed that FAM3A disrupted the interaction of stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) with Orai1 triggered by glutamate. Conclusion: These results suggest that the upregulation of FAM3A protects against glutamate-induced dysfunction of Ca2+ homeostasis not only by inhibiting mGluR1/5-dependent endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ release, but also by attenuating SOCE mediated by the STIM1-Orai1 interaction.
In Vitro and In Vivo Activity of Fomitopsis Pinicola (Sw. Ex Fr.) Karst Chloroform (Fpkc) Extract Against S180 Tumor Cells
Authors: Gao Ye , Wang Pan , Wang Yaqin , Wu Lijie , Wang Xiaobing , Zhang Kun , Liu Quanhong
Published: December 2017

Background/Aims: Non-toxic fomitopsis is has been traditionally used in folk medicine in many countries for its anti-inflammatory and anti-vascular disease activities. The present study investigates the antitumor effect of Fomitopsis pinicola (Sw. Ex Fr.) Karst chloroform extract (FPKc) on S180 tumor cells in vitro and in vivo and we determined the underlying mechanisms. Methods: HPLC was employed to analyze the constituents of FPKc. In-vitro 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was performed to quantify the growth inhibition of FPKc; Propidium iodide (PI) exclusion assay and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to observe the damage on the cell membrane and the changes of the cell morphology; Staining with Hoechst 33342/propidium iodide (HO/PI) and the application of the Annexin V-FITC/PI analysis permitted to observe the cell death triggered by FPKc; DNA damage and cell cycle arrest were detected by flow cytometry; Rhodamine 123 (RH123) and Cytochrome C were used as dyes to investigate the alterations of the mitochondria. In-vivo tumor inhibition and mice survival time were determined. Results: The results of the HPLC assay indicated that FPKc might contain DA (dehydroeburiconic acid), PA (pachymic acid), and ES (ergosterol), at percentages of 0.25%, 17.8%, and 10.5%, respectively. Concerning the study of the biological function, the results showed that FPKc exhibited preferential and significant suppression of proliferation on specific cell lines including S180, HL-60, U937, K562, SMMC-7721, and Eca-109 cells, which induced plasma membrane and cell morphology damages, triggering S180 tumor-cells late apoptosis and leading to DNA damage and S phase arrest. Mitochondria were suspected to play a vital role in these changes. In vivo data indicated that FPKc inhibited the solid tumor growth and prolonged the survival time of tumor-bearing mice. Moreover, FPKc provoked only little damage on normal cells in vitro and also on normal tissues in vivo. Conclusion: FPKc inhibited S180 tumor cells growth and prolonged the lifespan of mice. In vitro, we found that FPKc induced S180 tumor cells apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, possibly via the mitochondrial pathway.
SC1 Promotes MiR124-3p Expression to Maintain the Self-Renewal of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells by Inhibiting the MEK/ERK Pathway
Authors: Wei Qing , Liu Hongliang , Ai Zhiying , Wu Yongyan , Liu Yingxiang , Shi Zhaopeng , Ren Xuexue , Guo Zekun
Published: December 2017

Background/Aims: Self-renewal is one of the most important features of embryonic stem (ES) cells. SC1 is a small molecule modulator that effectively maintains the self-renewal of mouse ES cells in the absence of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), serum and feeder cells. However, the mechanism by which SC1 maintains the undifferentiated state of mouse ES cells remains unclear. Methods: In this study, microarray and small RNA deep-sequencing experiments were performed on mouse ES cells treated with or without SC1 to identify the key genes and microRNAs that contributed to self-renewal. Results: SC1 regulates the expressions of pluripotency and differentiation factors, and antagonizes the retinoic acid (RA)-induced differentiation in the presence or absence of LIF. SC1 inhibits the MEK/ERK pathway through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis and pathway reporting experiments. Small RNA deep-sequencing revealed that SC1 significantly modulates the expression of multiple microRNAs with crucial functions in ES cells. The expression of miR124-3p is upregulated in SC1-treated ES cells, which significantly inhibits the MEK/ERK pathway by targeting Grb2, Sos2 and Egr1. Conclusion: SC1 enhances the self-renewal capacity of mouse ES cells by modulating the expression of key regulatory genes and pluripotency-associated microRNAs. SC1 significantly upregulates miR124-3p expression to further inhibit the MEK/ ERK pathway by targeting Grb2, Sos2 and Egr1.
Qualidade do registro de dados sobre acidentes de trabalho fatais no Brasil
Authors: Galdino Adriana , Santana Vilma Sousa , Ferrite Silvia
Published: December 2017

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a qualidade do registro de dados sobre acidentes de trabalho fatais no Brasil nos Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade (SIM) e Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação para acidentes de trabalho grave (Sinan-AT), analisando a distribuição espacial e temporal entre 2007 e 2012. MÉTODOS: Identificaram-se os campos relacionados ao acidente de trabalho fatal, que foram examinados para a completude e uso da opção “ignorado”. Do SIM, foram extraídos os registros de óbitos por causas externas, para os quais é requerido o preenchimento do campo , sobre a relação com o trabalho. Do Sinan, analisou-se o campo , que permite a identificação dos casos fatais dentre os acidentes de trabalho graves. RESULTADOS: No SIM, dos 469.121 registros, o campo foi deixado sem preenchimento ou foi preenchido como ignorado em 84,2%, maior na região Nordeste (79,1%) e, em especial, no estado do Alagoas (94,4%). A tendência foi de queda de 5,5% entre 2007 (86,6%) e 2012 (81,8%). Para os 251.681 registros no Sinan-AT, a falta de preenchimento ou o uso de resposta ignorada no campo representaram, juntos, 28,3%, passando de 39,7% em 2007 para 23,2% em 2012, um declínio de 41,6%. CONCLUSÕES: A qualidade do preenchimento de campos de interesse para o reconhecimento de casos de acidentes de trabalho fatais é ruim no SIM, mas vem gradualmente melhorando. No Sinan-AT, a qualidade dos registros foi melhor do que no SIM e vem melhorando acentuadamente.
O processo de implantação das unidades de pronto atendimento no Brasil
Authors: O’Dwyer Gisele , Konder Mariana Teixeira , Reciputti Luciano Pereira , Lopes Mônica Guimarães Macau , Agostinho Danielle Fernandes , Alves Gabriel Farias
Published: December 2017

OBJETIVO: Analisar o processo de implantação das unidades de pronto atendimento no Brasil. MÉTODOS: Realizou-se análise documental, entrevistas com 24 coordenadores estaduais de urgência e um painel de especialistas. Analisaram-se questões relativas a: antecedentes e trajetória da política; atores envolvidos na implantação; processo de expansão; avanços, limites e dificuldades de implantação; e capacidade de coordenação estadual. Utilizou-se o referencial teórico da análise da conduta estratégica da teoria da estruturação de Giddens. RESULTADOS: As unidades de pronto atendimento foram implantadas a partir de 2007, inicialmente na região Sudeste, e em 2016 existiam 446 unidades de pronto atendimento considerando todas as regiões. Atualmente, há 620 unidades de pronto atendimento em construção, indicando expectativa de expansão. O financiamento federal foi um forte indutor da implantação. Os estados planejaram suas unidades de pronto atendimento, mas a existência de negociação direta entre os municípios e a União contribuiu com o significativo número de unidades de pronto atendimento construídas que não funcionam. Em relação à rede de urgência, há tensão com o hospital pela insuficiência de leitos no país, gerando internação na unidade de pronto atendimento. A gestão das unidades de pronto atendimento é predominantemente municipal, com a maioria das unidades de pronto atendimento localizadas fora das capitais e classificadas como Porte III. Os principais desafios identificados foram: o sub-financiamento e a dificuldade de contratar médicos. CONCLUSÕES: A unidade de pronto atendimento tem o mérito de ter recursos tecnológicos e ser arquitetonicamente diferenciada, mas só será bem-sucedida dentro de uma rede de urgência. A indução federal gerou respostas contraditórias, pois nem todos os estados consideram a unidade de pronto atendimento como prioritária. O fortalecimento da gestão estadual foi identificado como desafio para a implantação da rede de urgências.
Patients’ Rights, Medical Error and Harmonisation of Compensation Mechanisms in Europe
Authors: Watson Kenneth , Kottenhagen Rob
Published: December 2017

In 1999 the Institute of Medicine reported that most medical injuries relate to unavoidable human error in a context of system failure. Patient safety improves when healthcare providers facilitate blame-free reporting and organisational learning. This is at odds with fault-based civil liability law, which discourages a more open (doctor-patient) communication on medical injuries. The absence of a clear-cut definition of ‘medical error’ complicates litigation and hence swift, appropriate patient compensation. No-fault systems perform better in this respect. A dual track liability system for medical malpractice is challenging to implement and operate, yet may be the only option for Pan-European harmonisation of medical liability.
“The Most Passionate of All”
Authors: Silverman Willa Z.
Published: December 2017

Known primarily as a jeweler in the vanguard of Art nouveau and an important collector of the Impressionists, Henri Vever (1854-1942), as his private diaries make clear, was also a foremost connoisseur of Japanese art in fin-de-siècle France, “the most passionate of all,” to Edmond de Goncourt. Well-connected to networks of dealers, museum officials, publications, and sites of sociability such as the dîners japonais, Vever figures among the most prominent members of a second wave of Parisian enthusiasts of Japanese art, active from approximately 1880 to 1900. Under the tutelage of the Japanese art dealers Hayashi Tadamasa and Siegfried Bing and the fine art printer Charles Gillot, Vever constituted a renowned collection of not only Japanese prints but also other art objects previously disregarded by collectors. Vever’s multiple and intersecting identities as luxury craft producer, leading member of professional associations, art historian and critic, collector, and Republican mayor placed him at the forefront of efforts to legitimate the collection and appreciation of Japanese art in France. His diaries also underscore the connections between the worlds of Japanese and Impressionist art collectors, and between proponents of japonisme and Art nouveau. Further, they highlight the importance of the 1900 Paris Exposition universelle as a triumphant moment for japonisme in France, just as they signal the shift on the part of some japonisants, at the same time, from Japanese art towards the decorative arts of the Islamic world.
When the Going Gets Tough … Patience
Authors: Sulkes Stan
Published: December 2017

Dr. Sulkes is an associate professor of English at Raymond Walters College, University of Cincinnati. A frequenter of Paul Bartel's shop, ‘the Baroque Violin,’ he was encouraged to write of his own experiences as a student violinist.

Dr. Sulkes recently published an article on the background of individual Stradivarius violins in Cincinnati Horizons.
Let's Formalize Orchestral Audition Preparation at the University Level
Authors: Brandolino L. Tony
Published: December 2017

The ideas expressed in this column are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of ASTA with NSOA. AST welcomes your responses to this article and anything appearing in the journal. Articles submitted for consideration to “My Turn” should be no more than 750 words and on computer disk.
Reframing the public sociology debate: Towards collaborative and decolonial praxis
Authors: Arribas Lozano Alberto
Published: December 2017

This article presents a critical analysis of Michael Burawoy’s model of public sociology, discussing several of its epistemic and methodological limitations. First, the author focuses on the ambiguity of Burawoy’s proposal, problematizing the absence of a clear delimitation of the concept of ‘public sociology’. Second, the author links the academic success of the category of public sociology to the global division of sociological labour, emphasizing the ‘geopolitics of knowledge’ involved in Burawoy’s work and calling for the decolonization of social science. Then, the author expounds his concerns regarding the hierarchy of the different types of sociology proposed by Burawoy, who privileges professional sociology over other types of sociological praxis. Reflecting upon these elements will provide a good opportunity to observe how our discipline works, advancing also suggestions for its transformation. Along these lines, in the last section of the article the author elaborates on the need to go beyond a dissemination model of public sociology – the unidirectional diffusion of ‘expert knowledge’ to extra-academic audiences – and towards a more collaborative understanding of knowledge production.
Change or be changed: Diagnosing the readiness to change in the Canadian police sector
Authors: Duxbury Linda , Bennell Craig , Halinski Michael , Murphy Steven
Published: December 2017

Concerns have emerged over the readiness of police agencies to adapt to change. To better understand why this might be the case, we used Lewin’s theory of change and an emic methodology to investigate the internal and external forces for and against change within this sector. Using a qualitative methodology we analysed the data from 103 interviews with key police and community stakeholders to identify the drivers and barriers to planned change. Examination of the resulting force field diagram revealed that: (1) community stakeholders feel the forces for change exceed the barriers, while police stakeholders perceive the reverse, (2) strong drivers of change are largely external to the police service, (3) key barriers to change were internal to the police service, and (4) police culture is a strong barrier to change. We end by offering suggestions on how this information can be used to manage change in this sector better.
Mutual Exchange: Caregiving and Life Enhancement in Siblings of Individuals With Developmental Disabilities
Authors: Mauldin Laura , Saxena Mamta
Published: December 2017

Individuals with disabilities increasingly live at home. This study focuses on experiences of adult siblings (aged 18 years and older) in the United States who have a brother or sister with an intellectual/developmental disability. It is based on qualitative survey data ( n = 224). We coded narratives of siblings’ experiences and identified themes, correlating themes with demographic characteristics. The major finding was that narratives of the youngest age group (aged 18-25 years) had the highest number of direct care codes. This group of siblings also had the highest number of codes indicating that their lives were enhanced by their brother or sister. To account for this, we utilize the mutual exchange theory of care from sociology and a social model of disability. As a result, we suggest a richer theoretical understanding of care and disability that can capture these nuances, and comment on some of the historical tensions between disability studies and caregiving.
Measuring L2 speakers’ interactional ability using interactive speech tasks
Authors: van Batenburg Eline S. L. , Oostdam Ron J. , van Gelderen Amos J. S. , de Jong Nivja H.
Published: December 2017

This article explores ways to assess interactional performance, and reports on the use of a test format that standardizes the interlocutor’s linguistic and interactional contributions to the exchange. It describes the construction and administration of six scripted speech tasks (instruction, advice, and sales tasks) with pre-vocational learners ( n = 34), and reports on the extent to which these tasks can be used to assess L2 speakers’ interactional performance in a reliable and valid manner.

The high levels of agreement found between three independent raters on both holistic and analytical measurements of interactional performance indicate that this construct can be measured reliably with these tasks. Means and standard deviations demonstrate that tasks differentiate between speakers’ interactional performance. Holistic ratings of linguistic accuracy and interactional ability correlate highly between tasks that focus on different language functions, and are situated in different interactional domains. Furthermore, positive correlations are found between both holistic and analytic ratings of oral performance and vocabulary size. Positive within-task correlations between analytical ratings of specific interactional strategies and holistic ratings of overall interactional ability show that analytic ratings of meaning negotiation and correcting misinterpretation provide additional information about speakers’ interactional ability that is not captured by holistic assessment alone.

It is concluded that these tasks are a useful diagnostic tool for practitioners to support their learners’ interactional abilities at a sub-skill level.
Measuring the impact of musical learning on cognitive, behavioural and socio-emotional wellbeing development in children
Authors: Rose Dawn , Jones Bartoli Alice , Heaton Pamela
Published: December 2017

This study investigated the effects of musical instrument learning on the concomitant development of cognitive, behavioural and socio-emotional skills in 38 seven- to nine-year-old children. Pre- and post-test measures of intelligence, memory, socio-emotional behaviour, motor ability and visual-motor integration were compared in children who received either extra-curricular musical training (EMT: n = 19) or statutory school music group lessons (SSM: n = 19). Results showed a significant association between musical aptitude and intelligence overall. The EMT group showed a significant increase in IQ (7 points), in comparison to 4.3 points for the SSM group, suggesting an effect of musical learning on intelligence. No effects were found for memory, or for visual motor integration or socio-emotional behaviour. However, significant improvements in gross motor ability where revealed for the EMT group only, for the aiming and catching composite. With regard to the measure of fluid intelligence, these findings support previous studies. The novel use of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children provides evidence that musical learning may support development in a child’s ability to judge distance, consider velocity, focus and use their proprioceptive, interoceptive and exteroceptive nervous systems.
Prehistoric Sites along the Edge of the Western Nile Delta: Report on the Results of the Imbaba Prehistoric Survey 2013–14
Authors: Rowland Joanne , Tassie G. J.
Published: December 2017

In the winter/spring of 2013 a new project was initiated by the lead author in the region of Merimde Beni Salama: the Imbaba Governorate Prehistoric Survey.1 This inter-disciplinary survey focussed along the western Nile Delta desert edge, from the registered archaeological site of Merimde Beni Salama in the south, northwards to the modern town of el-Khatatbah and the el-Ahmes quarry area. This survey developed from previous research in the region by the EES Minufiyeh Archaeological Survey, when members of the team first visited the region in 2008.2 A second study season was also undertaken in in the winter of 2014,3 and the third in autumn 2014; the results of the latter are not included here.
Fowl for the Governor. the Tomb of Governor Djehutinakht IV or V at Dayr AL-Barshā Reinvestigated. Part 2: Pottery, Human Remains, and Faunal Remains*
Authors: De Meyer Marleen , Linseele Veerle , Vereecken Stefanie , Williams Lana J.
Published: December 2017

In 2009 the shaft of governor Djehutinakht IV or V at Dayr al-Barshā was re-excavated. This tomb with its well-preserved funerary equipment had been discovered by George Reisner in 1915, and most of its contents are housed at the MFA in Boston. While the primary objective was the documentation of the architecture of the tomb, a deposit was found inside the shaft that had not been touched by Reisner (see Part 1 of this report in JEA 98 (2012), 55–72). Fowl bones, belonging to ducks and cranes, and pottery inside this deposit form the sole surviving remnants of food offerings in the burial of this Middle Kingdom governor. In addition, a number of human remains that had been carefully placed in the eastern side chamber of the shaft may have belonged to the wife of the governor, also named Djehutinakht.
The Netjerikhet Stela and the Early Dynastic Cult of Ra
Authors: Reader Colin
Published: December 2017

This paper presents an assessment of a distinctive standing stone which is currently on display in the Imhotep Museum, Saqqara. The prominent snake decoration of the stela is compared with other examples of snake stelae from Ancient Egypt, leading to the proposed identification of the monument as part of an Early Dynastic senut(i) shrine, a shrine associated with the cult of Ra.
A wooden cylinder seal at Norwich Castle Museum
Authors: Kalloniatis Faye
Published: December 2017

One of the objects in the Egyptian collection at Norwich Castle Museum is a wooden cylinder seal, originally part of a nineteenth-century private collection, but later donated to the museum. While still in the hands of the donors, it was viewed and catalogued by James Edward Quibell at a time when not a great deal was known about seals of this kind. Inscriptions on such seals continue to pose difficulties but a tentative reading of the Norwich cylinder can be offered. It is likely to be a private-name cylinder originating from a private tomb and belonging to a distinctive group of Early Dynastic seals which combine two motifs— the Neith symbol and the seated figure at the offering table.1 The Neith emblem forms one part of a two-part name, an occurrence attested in names of the Early Period. The significance of this figure is not yet fully understood; however, the evidence points in a certain direction. Its absence on clay sealings suggests that the cylinders on which it appears were not strictly administrative tools but amulets, though their exact significance is uncertain. The motif had funerary associations, although cylinders decorated with this seated figure were not exclusively funerary. There is evidence suggesting that some were also worn by the living. This article explores the Norwich cylinder and Quibell's catalogue entry in the light of what is now known about this type of artefact.
Awkward sincerity and critical empathy: Encounters in “international marriage brokering” and feminist anthropology
Authors: Patico Jennifer
Published: December 2017

When feminist anthropologists engage “Others” close to home – those who might actively criticize feminism or whose political orientations are uncomfortably both familiar and strange – fieldwork encounters engender discomfiting methodological and representational challenges. Here, I explore those challenges through an examination of my own fieldwork among U.S. men participating in the “international marriage brokering” industry, specifically those married to or seeking spouses from the former Soviet Union. Anthropology traditionally represents the experiences and beliefs of culturally distant others relativistically and rather empathetically; but does this task shift when those observed are (at least in some ways) close to home, and when the researcher's personal and intellectual politics (and those of her most expected academic audiences) are in tension with her interlocutors'? This essay describes some of the tense moments and unsettling questions that arose in my own (conventional and online) ethnography and how I chose to navigate them. Ultimately, it argues that a key goal of feminist anthropology should be to use ethnography to create humanizing portrayals of those whom our audiences might otherwise find confusing or offensive – even as we keep dynamics of power and inequity in view. This is a politics of critical empathy that ideally lends itself to opening up new conversations among distinct, mutually skeptical audiences.
Pain worsening with physical activity during migraine attacks in women with overweight/obesity: A prospective evaluation of frequency, consistency, and correlates
Authors: Farris Samantha G , Thomas J Graham , Abrantes Ana M , Lipton Richard B , Pavlovic Jelena , Smitherman Todd A , Irby Megan B , Penzien Donald B , Roth Julie , O’Leary Kevin C , Bond Dale S
Published: December 2017

Background

Migraine is a neurological disease involving recurrent attacks of moderate-to-severe and disabling head pain. Worsening of pain with routine physical activity during attacks is a principal migraine symptom; however, the frequency, individual consistency, and correlates of this symptom are unknown. Given the potential of this symptom to undermine participation in daily physical activity, an effective migraine prevention strategy, further research is warranted. This study is the first to prospectively evaluate (a) frequency and individual consistency of physical activity-related pain worsening during migraine attacks, and (b) potential correlates, including other migraine symptoms, anthropometric characteristics, psychological symptoms, and daily physical activity.

Methods

Participants were women (n = 132) aged 18–50 years with neurologist-confirmed migraine and overweight/obesity seeking weight loss treatment in the Women’s Health and Migraine trial. At baseline, participants used a smartphone diary to record migraine attack occurrence, severity, and symptoms for 28 days. Participants also completed questionnaires and 7 days of objective physical activity monitoring before and after diary completion, respectively. Patterning of the effect of physical activity on pain was summarized within-subject by calculating the proportion (%) of attacks in which physical activity worsened, improved, or had no effect on pain.

Results

Participants reported 5.5 ± 2.8 (mean ± standard deviation) migraine attacks over 28 days. The intraclass correlation (coefficient = 0.71) indicated high consistency in participants’ reports of activity-related pain worsening or not. On average, activity worsened pain in 34.8 ± 35.6% of attacks, had no effect on pain in 61.8 ± 34.6% of attacks and improved pain in 3.4 ± 12.7% of attacks. Few participants (9.8%) reported activity-related pain worsening in all attacks. A higher percentage of attacks where physical activity worsened pain demonstrated small-sized correlations with more severe nausea, photophobia, phonophobia, and allodynia (r = 0.18 – 0.22, p < 0.05). Pain worsening due to physical activity was not related to psychological symptoms or total daily physical activity.

Conclusions

There is large variability in the effect of physical activity on pain during migraine attacks that can be accounted for by individual differences. For a minority of participants, physical activity consistently contributed to pain worsening. More frequent physical activity-related pain worsening was related to greater severity of other migraine symptoms and pain sensitivity, which supports the validity of this diagnostic feature.

Study protocol

ClinicalTrials.govIdentifier: NCT01197196
Maintaining Quality in Lower Volume Cardiac Surgery: A Blueprint From a Military Program
Authors: Antevil Jared L. , Mullenix Philip S. , Reoma Junewai L. , Massimiano Paul S. , Lough Frederick C. , Elster Eric A.
Published: December 2017

Although there is a clear volume–outcome relationship in the field of cardiac surgery, the existence of high-performing programs with relatively low case volumes is well established. This report describes the programmatic and institutional processes in place at a lower volume cardiac surgery center in a US military hospital, which have been executed to optimally leverage available resources in the delivery of exemplary patient care. By implementing a highly collaborative practice, rigorous outcomes review, evidence-based standardized care pathways, consistent attending surgeon oversight for care delivery, careful case selection, and a mechanism for support from highly experienced outside cardiac surgeons, the cardiac surgery program at the authors’ institution delivers care on par with its higher volume counterparts. A review of these practices and available supporting evidence may provide a model for other programs seeking success in this setting.
Liver Fibrosis Associated With Crigler–Najjar Syndrome in a Compound Heterozygote: A Case Report
Authors: Fata Cynthia R , Gillis Lynette A , Pacheco M Cristina
Published: December 2017

Crigler–Najjar syndrome is a hereditary unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. Two forms of the disease are recognized. Type I is more severe and results in kernicterus if left untreated, and Type II is less severe and responds to phenobarbital. While Crigler–Najjar syndrome is thought by many to have normal liver histology, few reports of the liver pathology exist. Herein, we present a 19-year-old patient with Crigler–Najjar who underwent liver transplantation. The liver showed marked canalicular cholestasis with portal and variable, delicate, bridging fibrosis. Correlation of the patient’s genetic test results and clinical phenotype is presented.
A new retrieval method for an already detached coil mass in the aneurysm sac: ‘Thread and catch’ technique
Authors: Lee Sang Hun , Suh Dae Chul , Park Jung Cheol , Lee Deok Hee
Published: December 2017

During endovascular coiling, unexpected procedure-related complications such as coil misplacement have been reported, and these complications may induce emboli or thrombotic vessel occlusion. A malpositioned detached coil contained and immobilized within an intracranial aneurysm is difficult to remove using current methods. We report an effective retrieval technique for detached coils. The ‘thread and catch technique’ can be used when the malpositioned detached coil is immobilized within the aneurysm.
Warranty analysis of a two-component system with type I stochastic dependence
Authors: Zhang Nan , Fouladirad Mitra , Barros Anne
Published: December 2017

This article develops the warranty cost analysis of a two-component in-series system with stochastic dependence. From the perspectives of both the manufacturer and the consumer, the short-run total profits and costs under the non-renewing free replacement (non-renewing free replacement warranty) policy and the renewing free replacement warranty policy are derived, respectively. Numerical examples are given showing the impact of the failure dependence to both the consumer and the manufacturer.
Journalism and mass communication education in the Arab World: Towards a typology
Authors: Al Nashmi Eisa , Alkazemi Mariam F , Wanta Wayne
Published: December 2017

This study offers an overview of the current status of journalism and mass communication education in the Arab World. Specifically, through an exploratory analysis of structure, curricula and faculty from ten journalism and mass communication programs in five Arab countries, the study identified four typologies that characterize journalism and mass communication education in the Arab World. These typologies were also determined by political and economic differences in the region. In an effort to expand literature on global journalism and mass communication education, this study was the first to apply typologies in its methodological approach. Through the process of classification, the study was able to provide a better understanding of how and why journalism education differs within a specific region.
Links Between Life Stories and Identity Profiles in Emerging Adults From Georgia
Authors: Skhirtladze Nino , Javakhishvili Nino , Schwartz Seth J. , Luyckx Koen
Published: December 2017

In this study, we examine personal identity formation using two approaches: a dual-cycle model of identity development and a narrative life-story model. We used quantitative and qualitative methods for studying personal identity: Luyckx et al.’s Dimensions of Identity Development Scale and D. P. McAdams’ life-story interview. Using six cases selected from a sample of 62 Georgian emerging adults, we illustrate how identity profiles created using six identity dimensions (exploration in breadth, commitment-making, identification with commitment, reflective exploration in depth, reconsideration of commitment, and ruminative exploration) are reflected in life stories depicting participants’ paths toward identity commitments and their ideas about the future and life themes. This article demonstrates how identity dimensions are connected to the context and how this connection is manifested in their life stories. The research illustrates theoretical exemplification by case studies and exemplifies the manifestation of dual-cycle identity development theorizing in case examples through narratives.
Assessing Physician and Patient Perceptions of Generic Drugs via Facebook: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Khokhar Bilal , Park Jina Yujin , Kiptanui Zippora , Palumbo Francis , Dutcher Sarah , Jiang Wenlei , Pradel Françoise , Harris Ilene
Published: December 2017

Background: Social media offer a novel avenue to engage with and recruit research participants. Facebook in particular is a promising option given its popularity and widespread use. Objective: To explore the feasibility of using Facebook to recruit physicians and patients to participate in a survey to assess their perceptions about generic venlafaxine extended release (ER) tablet indicated for depression. Methods: Web-based surveys were developed to gauge physicians’ prescribing experiences with and patients’ perceptions of generic venlafaxine ER tablet. The surveys included questions specific to venlafaxine ER tablets, such as perceived safety and efficacy of the drug and overall comfort level with either prescribing or taking the drug. Survey links were then posted and advertised on Facebook to recruit physicians and patients. Results: Advertisement for physicians reached 1898 Facebook users and advertisement for patients reached 1144 users during a 10-day advertising period. However, only 14 and 35 users clicked on the survey for physicians and patients, respectively. No physician completed the physician survey while 3 patients completed the patient survey. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that Facebook may not be an effective method to recruit physicians. Facebook holds promise to recruit patients, but additional recruitment efforts, such as incentives, are needed.
Altered plasma clot properties increase the risk of recurrent deep vein thrombosis: a cohort study
Authors: Cieslik Joanna , Mrozinska Sandra , Broniatowska Elżbieta , Undas Anetta
Published: December 2017

Key Points

Formation of more compact plasma fibrin clots associated with impaired susceptibility to lysis predisposes to recurrent DVT. Determination of plasma clot phenotype before anticoagulation withdrawal might help identify patients at elevated risk of DVT recurrence.
Consequences of Modeling Choices in Seismic Performance Assessment of Buildings
Authors: Swensen Daniel J. , Kunnath Sashi K.
Published: December 2017

Performance-based approaches utilizing nonlinear analyses have become increasingly popular for seismic evaluation of buildings. Nonlinear simulations of building response require various assumptions and modeling decisions—from choice of software to model parameters—which opens the door to differences in demand assessments from what essentially could be very similar computational models. This study examines nonlinear response sensitivity of three steel moment frame structures to variations in basic nonlinear modeling parameters using three different software platforms: OpenSees, Perform-3D, and SAP2000. The building models were analyzed in the inelastic range using a suite of near-fault and far-fault ground motions, and response sensitivity was assessed using interstory drift and plastic rotation demands. Findings from the study indicate that sensitivity to modeling assumptions and choice of software are more pronounced at the local/element level than at the global/system level and can have an impact in performance-based seismic assessment.
Increasing Student Understanding of Response Spectra: An Argument for the Inductive Learning Approach
Authors: Mason H. Benjamin , Hurwitz David S. , Adams Rachel K. , Buker Kamilah , Slocum Richard K. , Scott Michael H.
Published: December 2017

Creating and interpreting earthquake response spectra are important fundamentals in earthquake engineering education. We argue that an effective approach for teaching the fundamentals of earthquake response spectra is to use an inductive learning approach in an interactive classroom, which is well supported by engineering education literature. To demonstrate this approach we use desktop learning modules that exhibit response spectra concepts. Preliminary data based on post-class interviews with instructors support our opinion. Notably, all interviewed instructors have chosen to adopt the inductive learning approach when teaching response spectra concepts in future iterations of their classes.
Phase II Study of Everolimus in Patients With Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma Previously Treated With Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy
Authors: Zucali Paolo Andrea , De Pas Tommaso , Palmieri Giovannella , Favaretto Adolfo , Chella Antonio , Tiseo Marcello , Caruso Michele , Simonelli Matteo , Perrino Matteo , De Vincenzo Fabio , Toffalorio Francesca , Damiano Vincenzo , Pasello Giulia , Garbella Erika , Ali Marco , Conforti Fabio , Ottaviano Margaret , Cioffi Angela , De Placido Sabino , Giordano Laura , Bertossi Monica , Destro Annarita , Di Tommaso Luca , Santoro Armando
Published: December 2017

Purpose

No effective salvage treatments are available for patients with advanced/recurrent thymoma (T) or thymic carcinoma (TC) who have progressed after platinum-based chemotherapy. This study evaluated the activity of everolimus in patients with advanced/recurrent T or TC previously treated with cisplatin-containing chemotherapy.

Patients and Methods

This was a single-arm, single-stage, open-label, multicenter, phase II trial. Patients received oral everolimus 10 mg/d until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or patient refusal. A Fleming phase II trial was designed. The null hypothesis of a true disease control rate (DCR) of 40% was tested against a one-sided alternative of a true DCR of 60% (α = β = 0.10): If disease control were achieved in ≥ 21 of the first 41 evaluable patients, everolimus could be recommended for further evaluation. Progression-free survival, overall survival, and safety were also evaluated.

Results

From 2011 to 2013, 51 patients were enrolled (T, n = 32; TC, n = 19). Complete remission was observed in one patient with TC, partial response in five patients (T, n = 3; TC, n = 2), and stable disease in 38 patients (T, n = 27; TC, n= 11), with a DCR of 88% (T,: 93.8%; TC, 77.8%). With a median follow up of 25.7 months, median progression-free survival was 10.1 months (T,: 16.6 months; TC, 5.6 months), and median overall survival was 25.7 months (T, not reached; TC, 14.7 months). Fourteen patients had a serious drug-related adverse event; of these patients, nine permanently discontinued treatment. Three patients died of pneumonitis while in the study. Immunohistochemical positivity for p4E-BP1 or insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor was statistically significantly related to a shorter survival.

Conclusion

Everolimus may induce durable disease control in a high percentage of patients with T or TC, albeit with a potential high risk of fatal pneumonitis.