bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coexistent Sarcoidosis and Tuberculosis: A Case Report
Authors: Carbonelli Cristiano , Giuffreda Ernesto , Palmiotti Antonio , Loizzi Domenico , Lococo Filippo , Carpagnano Elisiana , Lacedonia Donato , Sollitto Francesco , Foschino Maria Pia
Published: February 2017

Necrotizing granulomatous diseases of the lungs are usually dependent on a narrow range of differential diagnoses. Tuberculosis (TB) is responsible for the largest number of cases, while necrotizing sarcoidosis is generally considered a rare and easily distinguishable disease substantially based on histological features. However, this entity has become a viable diagnosis in the absence of mycobacteria isolation or when a remarkable clinical improvement cannot be achieved with the combination of anti-TB drugs at full dosage. The classic manifestations of TB and sarcoidosis have an overlapping range for which it is sometimes difficult to make a clinical diagnosis. Furthermore, the role of mycobacteria as a trigger antigen capable of evoking the clinical expression of sarcoidosis is a hypothesis supported by evidence from some cases. We report a case of bilateral tuberculous pleurisy in a 45-year-old male native of a North-African region with an atypical severe multisystem disease characterized by a fever resistant to anti-TB therapy and respondent to corticosteroid treatment. The choice to continue both steroid and anti-TB therapy proved to be correct for the late evidence of TB mycobacterial growth only on pleural specimens. The case described is suggestive of a coexistent systemic sarcoid manifestation and low-antigen TB, which is an underrecognized entity in the medical literature.
Obesity and Kidney Disease: Hidden Consequences of the Epidemic
Authors: Kovesdy Csaba P. , Furth Susan L. , Zoccali Carmine ,   on behalf of the World Kidney Day Steering Committee
Published: February 2017

Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, and its prevalence has been projected to grow by 40% in the next decade. This increasing prevalence has implications for the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and also for chronic kidney disease. A high body mass index is one of the strongest risk factors for new-onset chronic kidney disease. In individuals affected by obesity, a compensatory hyperfiltration occurs to meet the heightened metabolic demands of the increased body weight. The increase in intraglomerular pressure can damage the kidneys and raise the risk of developing chronic kidney disease in the long-term. The incidence of obesity-related glomerulopathy has increased 10-fold in recent years. Obesity has also been shown to be a risk factor for nephrolithiasis, and for a number of malignancies including kidney cancer. This year, the World Kidney Day promotes education on the harmful consequences of obesity and its association with kidney disease, advocating healthy lifestyle and health policy measures that make preventive behaviors an affordable option.
Inhibition of Methylglyoxal-Induced AGEs/RAGE Expression Contributes to Dermal Protection by N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine
Authors: Yang Chun-tao , Meng Fu-hui , Chen Li , Li Xiang , Cen Lai-Jian , Wen Yu-hua , Zhang Hui , Li Cai-chen
Published: February 2017

Background/Aim: Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) is a major cause of diabetes mellitus (DM) skin complications. Methylglyoxal (MGO), a reactive dicarbonyl compound, is a crucial intermediate of AGEs generation. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), an active ingredient of some medicines, can induce endogenous GSH and hydrogen sulfide generation, and set off a condensation reaction with MGO. However, there is rare evidence to show NAC can alleviate DM-induced skin injury through inhibition of AGEs generation or toxicity. The present study aimed to observe the effects of NAC on MGO-induced inflammatory injury and investigate the roles of AGEs and its receptor (RAGE) in NAC’s dermal protection in human HaCaT keratinocytes. Methods: The cells were exposed to MGO to simulate a high MGO status in diabetic blood or tissues. The content of AGEs in serum or cell medium was measured with ELISA. The protective effects of NAC against MGO-induce injury were evaluated by administration before MGO one hour, in virtue of cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, inflammation reaction, nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 expression, as well as cellular behavioral function. Results: We found the AGEs levels of patients with DM were elevated comparing with healthy volunteers. The in vitro AGEs generation was also able to be enhanced by the exposure of HaCaT cells to MGO, which reduced dose-dependently cellular viability, damaged mitochondrial function, triggered secretion of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8, activated NF-κB and upregulated MMP-9 expression. Furthermore, the exposure caused cellular adhesion and migration dysfunction, as well as collagen type I inhibition. Importantly, before the exposure to MGO, the preconditioning with NAC significantly attenuated MGO-induced AGEs generation, improved cellular viability and mitochondrial function, partially reversed the overexpression of proinflammatory factors and MMP-9, as well as the activation of NF-κB. Lastly, NAC blocked MGO-induced RAGE upregulation, and inhibition of RAGE with its neutralizing antibody significantly alleviated MGO-induced NF-κB activation, MMP-9 upregulation and inflammatory injury in HaCaT cells. Conclusion: The present work indicates the administration of NAC can prevent MGO-induced dermal inflammatory injury through inhibition of AGEs/RAGE signal, which may provide a basal support for the treatment of diabetic skin complications with NAC-containing medicines in the future.
Stimulation of Erythrocyte Cell Membrane Scrambling by C-Reactive Protein
Authors: Abed Majed , Thiel Christian , Towhid Syeda T. , Alzoubi Kousi , Honisch Sabina , Lang Florian , Königsrainer Alfred
Published: February 2017

Background: Eryptosis, the suicidal erythrocyte death characterized by cell shrinkage and phosphatidylserine-translocation, is triggered by fever and inflammation. Signaling includes increased cytosolic Ca2+-activity ([Ca2+]i), caspase activation, and ceramide. Inflammation is associated with increased plasma concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP). The present study explored whether CRP triggers eryptosis. Methods: Phosphatidylserine abundance at the cell surface was estimated from annexin-V-binding, cell volume from forward scatter, [Ca2+]i from Fluo3-fluorescence, ceramide abundance and caspase-3-activity utilizing FITC-conjugated antibodies. Moreover, blood was drawn from patients with acute appendicitis (9♀,11♂) and healthy volunteers (10♀,10♂) for determination of CRP, blood count and phosphatidylserine. Results: A 48h CRP treatment significantly increased the percentage of annexin-V-binding cells (≥5µg/ml), [Ca2+]i (≥5µg/ml), ceramide (20µg/ml) and caspase-activity (20µg/ml). Annexin-V-binding was significantly blunted by caspase inhibitor zVAD (10µM). The percentage of phosphatidylserine-exposing erythrocytes in freshly drawn blood was significantly higher in appendicitis patients (1.83±0.21%) than healthy volunteers (0.81±0.09%), and significantly higher following a 24h incubation of erythrocytes from healthy volunteers to patient plasma than to plasma from healthy volunteers. The percentage of phosphatidylserine-exposing erythrocytes correlated with CRP plasma concentration. Conclusion: C-reactive protein triggers eryptosis, an effect at least partially due to increase of [Ca2+]i, increase of ceramide abundance and caspase activation.
Écfrase da Vila de Plínio na Túscia (Plínio o Jovem, Epístola 5.6)
Authors: Oliva Neto João Angelo
Published: February 2017

Na epístola 5.6, uma das mais longas do autor, endereçada a Domício Apolinar, Plínio faz a descrição de sua vila na Túscia, por meio da qual procura mostrar ao destinatário que a propriedade não é insalubre, mas muito salutar. Neste breve artigo, antes de apresentar a tradução anotada da epístola em português, aponto como Plínio deliberadamente agencia a écfrase, primeiro como ingrediente da enargia, que é tropo retórico, e depois como tropo poético, isto é, como ingrediente mais característico de poemas épicos heroicos – afamado pelas descrições do escudo de Aquiles (Ilíada 18.468–613) e do escudo de Eneias (Eneida 8.617–718), ambas as quais o autor menciona. A passagem da condição retórica para a condição poética corresponde não apenas à mudança do escopo da descrição – que de persuadir (mouere) passa a deleitar (placere) – mas também a transformação de um argumento persuasivo em ornamento deleitável. As passagens acarretam outrossim certo elevamento, mesmo momentâneo (justamente no interregno de uma digressão, que enfim toda écfrase épica é) do epistológrafo prosador à potencial condição de poeta épico.
Ékphrasis e as fronteiras da descrição em Tácito
Authors: Faversani Fábio
Published: February 2017

Este artigo busca analisar dois episódios dos Anais, de Tácito, que permitem apontar para o afastamento entre o que era dado a ver e o que fato se passava nos ambientes aristocráticos no Principado romano. Essa tensão entre o que via/dizia e o que se fazia/pensava é fundamental para entender a ékphrasis na estratégia narrativa taciteana.
Ritmo e expressividade do dístico elegíaco: Tibulo 1.3.1–4
Authors: Prado João Batista Toledo
Published: February 2017

A partir da consciência de que sílabas longas e breves (cor)respondem-se mutuamente num sistema de oposições básicas, é imprescindível verificar o papel desempenhado por elas nas cadeias fonossintáticas que formam os pés métricos, função que elas só desempenham através de valores psicológicos investidos nas estruturas hieraquicamente organizadas do verso, geradas a partir da oposição básica que elas encetaram. Tais valores são as propriedades combinatórias que os segmentos do nível seguinte permitem, quais sejam os metros e, em seguida, os pés métricos que eles realizam ou integram, daí o verso e, eventualmente, a estrofe, de modo a estruturar o poema todo. Tendo em vista que se trata sempre de concatenação de elementos, o conjunto formado tenderá a gerar uma orientação, isto é, um sentido, que é a princípio um determinado ritmo poético. O ritmo, entretanto, é influenciado por outras ocorrências ao longo da cadeia fonossintática, como as cesuras que incidem sobre a linha do verso. A partir da passagem de Tibulo, 1.3.1–4, o presente texto propõe levar em conta tais fatores para analisar o andamento rítmico-melódico da unidade estrófica formada pelo dístico elegíaco, com especial enfoque nas possibilidades de escansão geradas pela cesura-diérese fixa do pentâmetro e suas consequências para a expressividade poética.
Declamação, arte mimética: tradução e breve comentário de dialexis 12 (xxi) e de dialexis 21 (xxxiv) de Corício de Gaza
Authors: Costa e Silva Bárbara Da
Published: February 2017

No presente artigo, apresento uma tradução inédita ao português brasileiro de dois discursos curtos do gênero dialexis atribuídos ao retórico grego Corício de Gaza (VI d.C.), bem como um comentário interpretativo. Ambos os discursos trazem valiosas informações acerca da relação entre retórica (em especial, a declamação) e artes visuais (pintura, escultura, dança, poesia) na antiguidade tardia. Os declamadores, tanto quanto outros artistas miméticos, tinham a tarefa de imitar de modo verossímil o caráter do objeto de imitação, de sorte que esporadicamente vemos a aproximação entre o declamador e o ator/dançarino/poeta, algo largamente desenvolvido nos breves discursos aqui traduzidos.
Cardiovascular and Ventilatory Consequences of Laparoscopic Surgery
Authors: Atkinson Tamara M. , Giraud George D. , Togioka Brandon M. , Jones Daniel B. , Cigarroa Joaquin E.
Published: February 2017

Although laparoscopic surgery accounts for >2 million surgical procedures every year, the current preoperative risk scores and guidelines do not adequately assess the risks of laparoscopy. In general, laparoscopic procedures have a lower risk of morbidity and mortality compared with operations requiring a midline laparotomy. During laparoscopic surgery, carbon dioxide insufflation may produce significant hemodynamic and ventilatory consequences such as increased intraabdominal pressure and hypercarbia. Hemodynamic insults secondary to increased intraabdominal pressure include increased afterload and preload and decreased cardiac output, whereas ventilatory consequences include increased airway pressures, hypercarbia, and decreased pulmonary compliance. Hemodynamic effects are accentuated in patients with cardiovascular disease such as congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, and congenital heart disease. Prevention of cardiovascular complications may be accomplished through a sound understanding of the hemodynamic and physiological consequences of laparoscopic surgery as well as a defined operative plan generated by a multidisciplinary team involving the preoperative consultant, anesthesiologist, and surgeon.
eu Marketing Authorisation of Orphan Medicinal Products and Its Impact on Related Research
Authors: Gerke Sara , Pattinson Shaun D.
Published: February 2017

Over the last 15 years, there has been a steady increase in the development of orphan medicinal products (omps). This raises an important question: What impact does the eu marketing authorisation of an omp have on related research? This article establishes that the key orphan incentive, namely the 10‑year market exclusivity provision laid down in Article 8 of the eu Regulation on omps (Regulation 141/2000), has a huge potential impact on related research. It is argued that this provision can make it too difficult for researchers/sponsors to attain marketing approval for closely related products. This article advances two proposals to address this problem. First, it argues for new principles for assessing similarity, so as to clarify and narrow the ambit of market exclusivity. Secondly, it argues for improved conditions for a demonstration of ‘clinical superiority’ for similar omps.
Notes on the genus Larnaca Walker, 1869 (Orthoptera: Gryllacridinae) from China
Authors: DU BAOJIE , BIAN XUN , SHI FUMING
Published: February 2017

Walker (1869) proposed the genus Larnaca with type species Larnaca fasciata Walker, 1869. Karny (1937) gave the characters of the genus and listed 8 species. Gorochov (2003) subdivided the genus into two subgenera: Larnaca and Paralarnaca, and their type species are Larnaca (Larnaca) fasciata Walker, 1869 (Malesia) and Larnaca (Paralarnaca) johni (Griffini, 1911) (Malesia) respectively, and described 2 new species, i.e. Larnaca (Larnaca) vietnamensis Gorochov, 2003 (type locality: Vietnam) and Larnaca (Larnaca) phetchaburi Gorochov, 2003 (type locality: Thailand). Bian et al. (2015) firstly reported Larnaca Walker, 1869 from China, and described 1 new species, i.e. Larnaca (Larnaca) emarginata Bian, Guo & Shi, 2015. So far, the genus Larnaca includes 13 species.
Australian species of Ommatius Wiedemann (Diptera: Asilidae) with an anepimeral bristle
Authors: DANIELS GREG
Published: February 2017

The presence of an anepimeral bristle in Australian Ommatius Wiedemann species is newly recorded and descriptions of seven new species possessing this character are presented: O. aquilonaris sp. nov., O. burwelli sp. nov., O. imaginis sp. nov., O. limbatus sp. nov., O. melasmus sp. nov., O. musselbrookensis sp. nov. and O. radamnis sp. nov. All species occur in Queensland but O. melasmus sp. nov. also occurs in New South Wales and O. musselbrookensis sp. nov. also occurs in the Northern Territory. A key to separate the species is presented.
Sound production in an Australian cockroach, Megazosteria patula (Walker) (Blattodea: Blattidae: Polyzosteriinae)
Authors: RENTZ DAVID
Published: February 2017

The large, diurnal Australian cockroach, Megazosteria patula (Walker), produces a sound when disturbed. The sound was found to be a form of stridulation caused by the rubbing of pegs on the underside of the thoracic segments against a ridge on the following segment.
The fossil species Merothrips dietrichi (Schliephake) comb.n. redescribed and transferred from the genus Heterothrips (Thysanoptera)
Authors: ULITZKA MANFRED R. , MOUND LAURENCE
Published: February 2017

Identifying and describing fossil thrips (Thysanoptera) sometimes touches the limits of feasibility. Complications handling these tiny fossils are not only caused by their size, their position or fragmentary nature, but also by the state and condition of the matrices surrounding them. Due to poor preservation in some matrices (such as lime, potash and lignite) their identification often remains uncertain (Ulitzka 2015a). Amber, however, considered as a window on times past (Gröhn et al. 2015), presents a wide range of insect inclusions in excellent condition. Nevertheless, many problems can impede our visibility through this ‘window’. Fissures, opacity or clouding in the fossil resin, as well as inclusions or bubbles of air, can cover specific characteristics of an included specimen. Curvature of the amber surface results in optical distortions that can impede a reliable assessment of certain features, and the deeper an inclusion is in the amber the greater are the problems. For these reasons cutting or grinding the amber as close as possible to a specimen is essential. In the future, synchrotron X-ray microtomography may be an alternative (Henderickx et al. 2012; van de Kamp et al. 2014), but at present is too complex and expensive.
Rewriting the Tropical Record Books: The Extraordinary Intensification of Hurricane Patricia (2015)
Authors: Rogers Robert F. , Aberson Sim , Bell Michael M. , Cecil Daniel J. , Doyle James D. , Kimberlain Todd B. , Morgerman Josh , Shay Lynn K. , Velden Christopher
Published: February 2017

Hurricane Patricia was a historic tropical cyclone that broke many records, such as intensification rate, peak intensity, and overwater weakening rate, during its brief 4-day lifetime in late October 2015 in the eastern Pacific basin. Patricia confounded all of the intensity forecast guidance owing to its rapid intensity changes. Fortunately, the hurricane-penetrating National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration WP-3D and U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration WB-57 high-altitude jet, under support of the Office of Naval Research, conducted missions through and over Patricia prior to and during its extreme intensity changes on all 4 days, while an extensive array of pressure sensors sampled Patricia after landfall. The observations collected from these missions include traditional data sources such as airborne Doppler radar and flight-level instruments as well as new data sources like a high-density array of dropsondes released from high-altitude and wide-swath radiometer. The combination of data from these sources and from satellites provides an excellent opportunity to investigate the physical processes responsible for Patricia’s structure and evolution and offers the potential to improve forecasts of tropical cyclone rapid intensity changes. This paper provides an overview of Patricia as well as the data collected during the aircraft missions.
Multichannel Empirical Orthogonal Teleconnection Analysis: A Method for Space–Time Decomposition of Climate Variability
Authors: Parmentier Benoit , Neeti Neeti , Nickl Elsa , Millones Marco
Published: February 2017

With the increasing availability of Earth observation datasets, developing methods for the identification of modes of variability is becoming crucial in Earth system science. These modes, also referred as teleconnections, are useful to understand the global climate system and to predict short-term climate and climate variability. For example, the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, a teleconnection with global climate impacts, has been associated with major social, economic, and ecological consequences. In this study, a novel procedure called multichannel empirical orthogonal teleconnection (MEOT) analysis is introduced as a simple extension of the logic of empirical orthogonal teleconnections to uncover the temporal evolution of recurrent space–time patterns. A global monthly sea surface temperature dataset (1982–2007 time series) is used to explore the MEOT method and its differences and similarities with the multichannel singular spectrum analysis (MSSA). Both methods are applied with a 13-month embedding dimension to extract spatiotemporal patterns that exhibit clear basis vectors in quadrature. MSSA extracted four quadratures, and MEOT extracted three. Findings show that MEOT quadratures are more easily related to climate events corresponding to ENSO, South Atlantic Ocean dipole, and Atlantic meridional mode. MSSA identified one quadrature related to ENSO and one related to the quasi-biennial oscillation. The two remaining MSSA quadratures are mixtures of different indices rather than one climate event. Thus, results indicate that, since it does not suffer from a biorthogonality constraint, MEOT is effective at extracting modes of variability in climate datasets, suggesting its potential use in climate research.
A Physically Based Two-Dimensional Seamless Reflectivity Mosaic for Radar QPE in the MRMS System
Authors: Qi Youcun , Zhang Jian
Published: February 2017

The U.S. Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) network has provided meteorologists and hydrologists with quantitative precipitation observations at an unprecedented high spatial–temporal resolution since its deployment in the mid-1990s. Since each single radar can only cover a maximum range of 460 km, a mosaic of multiple-radar observations is needed to generate any national-scale products. The Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) system utilizes a physically based two-dimensional mosaicking algorithm of the WSR-88D data to generate seamless national quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) products. For areas covered by multiple radars, the mosaicking scheme first determines if precipitation is present by checking the lowest-altitude observation. If the lowest observed radar data indicate no precipitation, then the mosaicked value is set to no precipitation. Otherwise, a weighted mean of multiple-radar observations is taken as the mosaicked value. The weighting function is based on multiple factors, including the distance from the radar and the height of the observation with respect to the melting layer. The mosaic algorithm uses the physically lowest radar observations with no/little blockage while maintaining a spatial continuity in the mosaicked field. The performance of the MRMS seamless radar mosaic algorithm was examined for various precipitation events of different characteristics. The results of these case evaluations are presented in this paper.
Retention of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hiPS) With Injectable HA Hydrogels for Vocal Fold Engineering
Authors: Imaizumi Mitsuyoshi , Li-Jessen Nicole Y.K. , Sato Yuka , Yang David T. , Thibeault Susan L.
Published: February 2017

Objective:

One prospective treatment option for vocal fold scarring is regeneration with an engineered scaffold containing induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). In the present study, we investigated the feasibility of utilizing an injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) scaffold encapsulated with human-iPS cell (hiPS) for regeneration of vocal folds.

Methods:

Thirty athymic nude rats underwent unilateral vocal fold injury. Contralateral vocal folds served as uninjured controls. Hyaluronic acid hydrogel scaffold, HA hydrogel scaffold containing hiPS, and HA hydrogel scaffold containing hiPS with epidermal growth factor (EGF) were injected in both vocal folds immediately after surgery. One and 2 weeks after injection, larynges were excised for histology, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Results:

Presence of HA hydrogel was confirmed in vocal folds 1 and 2 weeks post injection. The FISH analysis confirmed the presence and viability of hiPS in the injected vocal folds. Histological results demonstrated that vocal folds injected with HA hydrogel scaffold containing EGF demonstrated less fibrosis than those with HA hydrogel only.

Conclusions:

Human-iPS survived in injured rat vocal folds. The HA hydrogel with hiPS and EGF ameliorated the fibrotic response. Additional work is necessary to optimize hiPS differentiation and further confirm the safety of hiPS for clinical applications.
Cilia and Ear
Authors: Piatti Gioia , De Santi Maria Margherita , Torretta Sara , Pignataro Lorenzo , Soi Daniela , Ambrosetti Umberto
Published: February 2017

Objective:

To investigate the prevalence of otological complications derived from primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) in adulthood.

Methods:

Twenty-three patients with diagnosed PCD underwent medical history aimed at recording the presence of ear, nose, and throat manifestations (ENT) and any surgical treatments. The ENT objectivity was annotated, and then patients were subjected to audiometric test, tympanometry, registration of otoacoustic emission, and vestibular evaluation.

Results:

Otitis media with chronic middle ear effusion (OME) during childhood was reported in 52% of the subjects, no patient had undergone ear surgery, and only 2 patients had an episode of otitis in the last year. Eleven of 23 patients showed normal hearing, 11 had a conductive hearing impairment, and 1 showed a severe sensorineural hearing loss unrelated to the syndrome. The bilateral stapedial reflex was only found in all cases of normoacusia and type A tympanogram, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) were present in 8 patients, and no patient had vestibular alterations.

Conclusion:

Our study confirms a very frequent prevalence of OME in PCD during childhood. Careful monitoring of otological complications of the syndrome is always desirable, also given the high presence in adults of other manifestations in the upper airways, such as chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis.
Psychiatric Morbidity among Dunedin Chinese Women
Authors: Cheung Peter , Spears George
Published: February 2017

A community postal survey of minor psychiatric morbidity among Chinese women living in Dunedin was conducted. The 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used as the case identification instrument. The overall rate of psychiatric morbidity of Dunedin Chinese women did not differ from their European counterparts. The sociodemographic factors found to be associated with minor psychiatric morbidity included having no children, and being either very well or very poorly educated. Among (foreign born) migrants, those who were born in China, whose reason for migration was “follow the lead of their family” or “family reunion”, had resided in NewZealand for ten years or more and spoke English infrequently tended to have higher psychiatric morbidity.
Psychological Adjustment of Relinquishing Mothers before and after Reunion with their Children
Authors: Field Jeff
Published: February 2017

A main objective of this study was to compare the emotional well-being of mothers who had already experienced a reunion with children relinquished two to four decades ago, with that of mothers who were still awaiting the possibility of such re-contact. A nationwide postal survey was carried out in New Zealand of the relinquishment experiences and subsequent adjustment of 238 women who had been able to re-contact their children and of 206 women who had not as yet made contact. The two subgroups did not differ on two standardised measures of psychological well-being (GHQ-28 and global self esteem). However, the post-reunion women reported significantly greater improvements in their feelings connected with “adoption events”, and also reported higher levels of perceived social support than did the pre-reunion women. Women who still lacked any information about their relinquished child showed significantly more negative affect and poorer psychological well-being than those who had at least obtained some non-identifying information.
Drug-Induced Movement Disorders in Institutionalised Adults with Mental Retardation: Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors
Authors: Sachdev Perminder
Published: February 2017

Fifty-three institutionalised adults with mental retardation, the majority (73.5%) moderate to severe, were examined for drug-induced movement disorders. Using a global AIMS score of 2 or more, 16 (34%) of the 47 subjects who had been exposed to neuroleptics had tardive dyskinesia (TD). Three of these had developed the dyskinesia upon withdrawal of neuroleptics. The dyskinetic movements were mainly seen in the lingual, perioral and other facial muscles. Two (33%) out of 6 subjects with no history of exposure to neuroleptics also had similar dyskinetic movements. The total neuroleptic dose significantly, and age marginally, but not sex, brain damage or level of mental retardation, emerged as risk factors for TD. Two (3.7%) subjects had definite akathisia and 16 (30.8 %) significant extrapyramidal side effects. This study supports the findings of previous studies of considerable neurological adverse effects of neuroleptics in this patient group and cautions against their injudicious use. It provides further evidence for some putative risk factors for TD and is noteworthy for its lack of support for the contentious issue of brain damage as a risk factor.
Encounter with Neurophilosophy
Authors: Blomfield O.H.D.
Published: February 2017

Neurophilosophy. Towards a Unified Science of the Mind/Brain. Patricia Smith Churchland, Cambridge Mass: MIT Press, 1986.
Chance: A Major Factor in the Causation of Mental Illness
Authors: Drew Les R. H.
Published: February 2017

This paper questions the adequacy of traditional models of human behaviour, including models of functional mental illness. It is proposed that random (chance) variation is an invariable rule of nature which must apply to neurophysiological processes. Because of this, internal chance (random variation in neurophysiological processes) must be an important factor in determining the course and onset of mental illness. It is proposed that external chance - fortuitous changes in the complex pattern of interaction between physical and functional factors influencing behaviour - is also an important determinant of mental illness. It is proposed that many of the key characteristics of mental illness are explicable in terms of the properties of complex interactional systems.
Constipation-Related Health Care Utilization in Children Before and After Hospitalization for Constipation
Authors: Stephens John R. , Steiner Michael J. , DeJong Neal , Rodean Jonathan , Hall Matt , Richardson Troy , Berry Jay G.
Published: February 2017

We studied constipation-related health care among children before and after constipation admission. Index admissions for constipation in 2010-2011 were identified in the Truven Marketscan Database, which includes children receiving Medicaid in 10 states. We measured number of and spending for outpatient constipation visits 12 months before and after index hospitalizations. We also measured spending for constipation hospitalizations and rehospitalization rate. There were 780 index constipation admissions. The median number of outpatient constipation visits was 1 (interquartile range [IQR] = 0, 3) in the 12 months before and 2 (IQR [0, 4]) after admission ( P = .001). Median outpatient spending for constipation was $110 (IQR [0, 429]) before and $132 (IQR [0, 431]) after admission ( P = .2). Median spending for index constipation admissions was $5295 (IQR [2756, 8267]); 78 children (10%) were rehospitalized for constipation within 12 months. Constipation-related health care utilization increased after constipation admission. Median spending for one constipation admission was 50 times the median spending for 12 months of outpatient constipation visits.
Widening the Debate on Educational Reform: Prevention as a Viable Alternative
Authors: Pianta Robert C.
Published: February 2017

Current debate on educational reform and on delivery of special education services has neglected the area of prevention. In a highly stressed service delivery system, preventive services demand consideration as a viable alternative to current service delivery models. While not replacing remedial programs, prevention would greatly expand the scope of services offered and lower stress on remedial programs. In turn, remedial programs could address children with more extreme needs instead of being the only alternative available to regular classroom placement.
Teaching bioethics in high schools
Authors: Araújo Joana , Gomes Carlos Costa , Jácomo António , Pereira Sandra Martins
Published: February 2017

Objective:

The Bioethics Teaching in Secondary Education (Project BEST) aims to promote the teaching of bioethics in secondary schools. This paper describes the development and implementation of the programme in Portugal.

Design:

Programme development involved two main tasks: (1) using the learning tools previously developed by the US Northwest Association of Biomedical Research and the Council of Europe and (2) applying the project in classrooms, conducting lectures on bioethics for students and teachers, and then using the previously developed learning tools.

Setting:

32 schools representing the most densely populated regions of Portugal.

Methods:

Two surveys, based on previously validated measures, were used to evaluate the project.

Results:

The surveys were answered by the 179 students and 16 teachers attending a conference held by the project, which concluded the project’s implementation phase. The findings point to the positive impact of this project.

Conclusion:

Based on evidence collected to date, it is clear that (1) students can develop reflective skills using this kind of an approach, (2) the project is well suited to secondary school syllabuses and to the age range of students from secondary schools, and (3) the teaching of values should start earlier at school, thereby helping young people develop a critical perspective on problems linked to scientific development and its implications on human health.
Sentinels of Breach: Lexical Choice as a Measure of Urgency in Social Media
Authors: Hampton Andrew J. , Shalin Valerie L.
Published: February 2017

Objective

This paper identifies general properties of language style in social media to help identify areas of need in disasters.

Background

In the search for metrics of need in social media data, much of the existing literature ignores processes of language usage. Psychological concepts, such as narrative breach, Gricean maxims, and lexical marking in cognition, may assist the recovery of disaster-relevant metrics from altered patterns of word prevalence.

Method

We analyzed several hundred thousand location-specific microblogs from Twitter for Hurricane Sandy, Oklahoma tornadoes, and the Boston Marathon bombing along with a fantasy football control corpus, examining the relative frequency of words in 36 antonym pairs. We compared the ratio of words within these pairs to the corresponding ratios recovered from an online word norm database.

Results

Partial rank correlation values between observed antonym ratios demonstrate consistent patterns across disasters. For Hurricane Sandy data, 25 antonym pairs have moderate to large effect sizes for discrepancies between observed and normative ratios. Across disasters, 7 pairs are stable and meet effect size criteria. Sentiment analysis, supplementary word frequency counts with respect to disaster proximity, and examples support a “breach” account for the observed results.

Conclusion

Lexical choice between antonyms, only somewhat related to sentiment, suggests that social media capture wide-ranging breaches of normal functioning.

Application

Antonym selection contributes to screening tools based on language style for identifying relevant content and quantifying disruption using social media without the a priori specification of content keywords.
The Wage Impact of the Marielitos: A Reappraisal
Authors: Borjas George J.
Published: February 2017

This article brings a new perspective to the analysis of the wage effects of the Mariel boatlift crisis, in which an estimated 125,000 Cuban refugees migrated to Florida between April and October, 1980. The author revisits the question of wage impacts from such a supply shock, drawing on the cumulative insights of research on the economic impact of immigration. That literature shows that the wage impact must be measured by carefully matching the skills of the immigrants with those of the incumbent workforce. Given that at least 60% of the Marielitos were high school dropouts, this article specifically examines the wage impact for this low-skill group. This analysis overturns the prior finding that the Mariel boatlift did not affect Miami’s wage structure. The wage of high school dropouts in Miami dropped dramatically, by 10 to 30%, suggesting an elasticity of wages with respect to the number of workers between −0.5 and −1.5.
Process Theology and its Metaphysical Implications: “Reflections Occasioned by a Recent Article”
Authors: Curtin Maurice
Published: February 2017

The full title of the article in question is: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES IN THE PROCESS APPROACH TO GOD. The author is E.R. Baltazar, of the Department of Philosophy, Federal City College, Washington D.C. It is published in this periodical (I.T.Q.) 1977, No. I, pp 30-38.
Staying Focused on the Goal
Authors: Brooms Derrick R. , Davis Arthur R.
Published: February 2017

This qualitative study investigated the collegiate experiences of 59 Black males at three different historically White institutions. Specifically, we explore how these students construct meaning from their collegiate experiences and their efforts for educational success. As Black males, they were confronted by a deficit perspective that often translated into lowered expectations of them across the college milieu—both academic and social—and posited them as outsiders on campus. In response, the students articulated two critical components of their college experience that positively shaped their persistence efforts: (a) peer-to-peer bonding and associations with other Black males and (b) mentoring from Black faculty members. Findings suggest that these social networks and micro-communities both enhance and support Black males’ persistence in college.
The translation of an imagined community in Raja Rao’s Kanthapura
Authors: Daigle Amelie
Published: February 2017

In Imagined Communities, Benedict Anderson describes how sacred script languages (Arabic, Chinese, Latin) were usurped in political primacy by languages based on the spoken vernacular (French, English, German). In this article I examine one instance of these complications through Raja Rao’s classic novel of Indian independence, Kanthapura, a novel written in Indian English that works both with and against Anderson’s concept of nationalism’s linguistic underpinnings. Kanthapura not only proposes a model for Indian English speakers and writers, but performs a rhetorical argument about the necessity for Indian English if India is to cohere as a nation. I argue that the residents of Kanthapura are “translated” into citizens of the nation of India. This movement of translation is echoed by the language of the novel: the largely spoken language of Kannada is translated into the largely written (in India) language of English. English in Kanthapura performs a double function, unifying the nation as a script language while also reflecting the idiosyncrasies of local regional vernaculars. Kanthapura demonstrates that a nativized form of Indian English can serve as an invaluable tool for the development of a national consciousness, and that novels written in Indian English will play a role in determining the shape and identity of the nation.
The Influence of Socialization on Early Helping From a Cross-Cultural Perspective
Authors: Giner Torréns Marta , Kärtner Joscha
Published: February 2017

This cross-cultural study examines, first, whether 18-month-olds’ helping behavior differs between cultures and, second, the way in which caregivers’ socialization goals and practices are associated with toddlers’ helping behavior. Helping behavior was assessed in three out-of-reach tasks with increasing motivational demands. We found that Delhi toddlers ( n = 32) helped more than Münster toddlers ( n = 60). Regarding socialization practices (SPs), Delhi mothers, compared with Münster mothers, reported to provide more opportunities to help in the family context and to praise less when fostering toddlers’ prosocial behavior. Furthermore, Delhi mothers reported to use more punitive practices after their children did not follow a helping request. On an intra-cultural level, we found that helping was positively associated with punitive practices in the Delhi sample, whereas helping was negatively related with punitive practices and providing opportunities to help in Münster. On the basis of these results, we first propose that culture affects toddlers’ helping behavior from the time of emergence during the second year. Second, we propose that the culture-specific conceptions of prosocial behavior influence which SPs parents use, which, in turn, may influence children’s motivation underlying early prosocial behavior.
Madness (Eemwengu) and Its Sources
Authors: Bartholomew Theodore T.
Published: February 2017

Integrating indigenous cultural knowledge into conceptualizing mental illness offers fruitful avenues to better contextualize mental health. What is abnormal and indicative of psychological distress varies in the meaning given to symptoms and the actual identification of disorders. This is no less true in Ovambo culture in Namibia, Southern Africa. The Namibian government, however, has noted that little is known about the mental health needs throughout the country. Although some researchers have identified symptoms of psychological distress in Namibian men and women, cultural tradition and belief systems are typically missing. The purpose of this study was to use ethnographic data to develop an understanding of what Ovambo men and women living in a rural area of Northern Namibia believe about mental illness. Informal discussions and formal interviews served as data. Participants ( N = 14) were all Ovambo men or women who were sampled after ongoing engagement in a rural community in northern Namibia. Data from field observations and interviews were analyzed using grounded theory open coding, resulting in two key categories: (a) Eemwengu (madness) and Omunanamwengu (the mad one) and (b) Where Madness Comes From: Explanations of Mental Illness. The first category offers insight into a culturally embedded way of identifying mental illness in Ovambo culture. The second category includes several subcategories oriented to the etiology of mental illness in Ovambo culture. Etiological beliefs about mental illness, eemwengu as a culturally embedded construct, and social control in the beliefs about psychological distress in Ovambo culture are discussed.
Fathers Raising Motherless Children: Widowed Men Give Voice to Their Lived Experiences
Authors: McClatchey Irene Searles
Published: February 2017

Little is known about the experiences of widowed men with dependent children. With such limited knowledge it is not clear how mental health professionals can assist this population. In this qualitative case study the researcher describes the experiences of ten widowed fathers from the Southeastern United States as they struggle with their new parenting responsibilities after the death of their wives and their children's mothers. The researcher used an inductive constant comparative method to reveal themes. The interview data revealed three themes: Ways to Cope, Concerns, and Newfound Respect. These themes and their subcategories are presented together with suggestions on how to assist widowers with dependent children.
Prevalence of Personality Disorders in a General Population Among Men and Women
Authors: Gawda Barbara , Czubak Katarzyna
Published: February 2017

The aim of the present study is to establish the prevalence of personality disorders (PDs) in a healthy (nonclinical) Polish population, to examine sex difference in PDs, and to show the structure of clusters which PDs form with regard to men and women. A large sample of 1460 individuals of age between 18 and 65 years was examined. The Structured Clinical Interview for Axis II was used to obtain information on PDs, the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview to obtain information on other disorders, and an interview to record demographic data. Results show that approximately 9% of the sample had at least one PD (the overall rate is 8.9%) and rates on sex differences in PDs are similar to other European and North American countries. The most prevalent PDs are obsessive-compulsive (9.6%), narcissistic (7%), and borderline (7%). Results show the considerable comorbidity of PDs which means that about 9% of the adult population have at least one PD and in fact they display features of many specific PDs. A factor analysis revealed that 12 PDs form different clusters in men and women.
Using Corpora in EFL Classrooms: The Case Study of IELTS Preparation
Authors: Smirnova Elizaveta A.
Published: February 2017

This article describes the gathered experience in using corpora in an IELTS preparation course. The practice demonstrates an attempt to reduce negative washback effects occurring when preparation courses just concentrate on the test format neglecting the importance of development of learners’ language skills and general study skills. Some corpus-based activities, which were used in a group of Russian university students for teaching vocabulary and writing, are provided. The author’s experience in using corpora proves such positive effects of corpus teaching as an increase in the learners’ understanding of usage patterns, drop in the number of collocation errors they make, enhancement of the students’ autonomy and self-correction skills.
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy
Authors: Jani Sushma , White Mattie , Rosenberg Leon A. , Maisami Mohammad
Published: February 2017

This study examined the indicators of possible presence of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP) in pediatric inpatients discharged against-medical-advice (AMA), in cases transferred to another hospital, and in regular discharges. In a two-year period, there were fourteen AMA discharges and twenty-four transfer cases. These were compared to a randomly selected sample of forty-one regular discharges occurring during the same time period, matched for age, sex and pediatric service. The records were scored for the presence or absence of six MSBP characteristics, which had been developed from a review of MSBP literature. The findings indicated a suspicion for MSBP in 64 percent of the AMA cases, 8 percent of the transfer cases, and none in regular discharges. The findings suggest that AMA discharges need to be examined for the possible presence of MSBP.
Water Technology and the Urban Environment: Water, Sewerage, and Disease in San Francisco and Melbourne before 1920
Authors: Frost Lionel
Published: February 2017

The challenges cities face in supplying safe water and disposing effectively of sewage and wastewater are affected by historical and environmental conditions and the long-lasting effects of choices of infrastructure. This article provides case studies of two similar cities, San Francisco and Melbourne, from the mid-nineteenth-century gold rushes to 1920, to show how differences in geography and governance structure can shape water technologies in a path-dependent way. While the two cities developed safe water supplies early in their histories, these were not well integrated with sewerage systems. The use of typhoid death rates, which provide a proxy for water quality and urban pollution, reveals the impact of defective water technology on the urban environment in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.