bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Significance of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio in Patients with Sepsis: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Liu Xuan , Shen Yong , Wang Hairong , Ge Qinmin , Fei Aihua , Pan Shuming
Published: March 2016

Background. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an easily accessible biological marker that has been reported to represent disease severity. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between NLR and mortality in patients with sepsis.Methods. A total of 333 consecutive adult patients with sepsis were screened for eligibility in this prospective, observational study cohort. Severity scores and leukocyte counts were prospectively recorded upon entry to the intensive care unit (ICU). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and binary logistic regression models were used to assess the performance of NLR in predicting unfavorable outcome. Correlations between variables and disease severity were analyzed through Spearman correlation tests.Results. Median NLR levels were significantly higher in patients who died than in survivors. NLR had a modest power for predicting poor outcome as suggested by area under the curve (AUC) of0.695±0.036. Multivariate linear regression indicated that increased NLR levels were related to unfavorable outcome independently of the effect of possible confounders. Spearman correlation tests showed that there was a positive correlation between NLR levels and disease severity.Conclusions. Increased NLR levels were independently associated with unfavorable clinical prognosis in patients with sepsis. Further investigation is required to increase understanding of the pathophysiology of this relationship.
A Case of Wegener’s Granulomatosis Presenting with Unilateral Facial Nerve Palsy
Authors: Ujjawal Roy , Koushik Pan , Ajay Panwar , Subrata Chakrabarti
Published: March 2016

Wegener’s granulomatosis or granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a necrotizing vasculitis affecting both arterioles and venules. The disease is characterized by the classical triad involving acute inflammation of the upper and lower respiratory tracts with renal involvement. However, the disease pathology can affect any organ system. This case presents Wegener’s granulomatosis presenting with facial nerve palsy as the first manifestation of the disease, which is rarely reported in medical literature.
Volumes of Velopharyngeal and Glossopharyngeal Airway Were Not Changed after Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty: Report of Three Cases
Authors: Nishimura Yoichi , Fujii Naoko , Yamamoto Takahisa , Hamed Mahmood A. , Nishimura Misato , Kojima Takuro , Iwata Noboru , Suzuki Kenji , Nakata Seiichi
Published: March 2016

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in velopharyngeal and glossopharyngeal airway morphology and volume after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty in three adult obstructive sleep apnea syndrome patients who had bilateral large tonsils using three-dimensional computed tomography.Case Report. All three patients (one male and two females) who presented with a history of heavy snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness were examined with overnight nocturnal polysomnography, which indicated moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Because all patients had large tonsils, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty was expected to enlarge the pharyngeal airway. Polysomnography and three-dimensional computed tomography scanning were performed and compared, both before and 3 months after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty.Results. Unexpectedly, although the morphology of the glossopharyngeal airway clearly changed after UPPP, the volume changes in the velopharyngeal and glossopharyngeal airways were negligible.
A Recommendation System Based on Regression Model of Three-Tier Network Architecture
Authors: Bailing Wang , Junheng Huang , Dongjie Zhu , Xilu Hou
Published: March 2016

The sparsity problem of user-item matrix is a major obstacle to improve the accuracy of the traditional collaborative filtering systems, and, meanwhile, it is also responsible for cold-start problem in the collaborative filtering approaches. In this paper, a three-tier network Architecture, which includes user relationship network, item similarity network, and user-item relationship network, is constructed using comprehensive data among the user-item matrix and the social networks. Based on this framework, a Regression Model Recommendation Approach (RMRA) is established to calculate the correlation score between the test user and test item. The correlation score is used to predict the test user preference for the test item. The RMRA mines the potential information among both social networks and user-item matrix to improve the recommendation accuracy and ease the cold-start problem. We conduct experiment based on KDD 2012 real data set. The result indicates that our algorithm performs superiorly compared to traditional collaborative filtering algorithm.
Two-Dimensional Nanostrips of Hydrophobic Copper Tetradecanoate for Making Self-Cleaning Glasses
Authors: Sarkar Subhrangsu , Mukherjee Indrani , Chatterjee Sriparna , Gohil Smita , Singh Bimal P. , Ayyub Pushan
Published: March 2016

We report a simple, solution-based technique for coating arbitrary surfaces with thin layers of self-assembled copper tetradecanoate (CTD) nanostrips, resulting in an optically transparent, superhydrophobic coating. The nanostrip-coated surfaces show water contact angles close to 150° and roll-off angles as small as 2°-3°. Importantly, CTD retains its hydrophobic nature even after annealing the self-assembled nanostrips at 200°C, which does not alter the crystal structure but “melts” the surface microstructure. This clearly indicates that the hydrophobicity in CTD is likely to be intrinsic in nature and not induced by the surface microstructure (as has been suggested earlier). Strong hydrophobicity in CTD over a relatively wide temperature range presumably results from the presence of the long aliphatic (tetradecanoate) chains in its structure. Importantly, the self-assembled copper tetradecanoate nanostrips can be dip-coated on glass to render it hydrophobic and at the same time retain a significant level of transparency over the entire visible region. Such nanostructured thin films may be expected to find applications not only as a self-cleaning glass, but also as a corrosion resistant coating, in gas storage (due to the layered structure), and as an active catalyst because of the visible absorbance.
Flow Field Simulation and Noise Control of a Twin-Screw Engine-Driven Supercharger
Authors: Wang Tao , Li Bo , Peng QiangQiang , He ZhiLong , Peng XueYuan
Published: March 2016

With the advantages of good low-speed torque capability and excellent instant response performance, twin-screw superchargers have great potential in the automobile market, but the noise of these superchargers is the main factor that discourages their use. Therefore, it is important to study their noise mechanism and methods of reducing it. This study included a transient numerical simulation of a twin-screw supercharger flow field with computational fluid dynamics software and an analysis of the pressure field of the running rotor. The results showed that overcompression was significant in the compression end stage of the supercharger, resulting in a surge in airflow to a supersonic speed and the production of shock waves that resulted in loud noise. On the basis of these findings, optimization of the supercharger is proposed, including expansion of the supercharger exhaust orifice and creation of a slot along the direction of the rotor spiral normal line at the exhaust port, so as to reduce the compression end pressure, improve the exhaust flow channel, and weaken the source of the noise. Experimental results showed that the noise level value of the improved twin-screw supercharger was significantly lower at the same speed than the original model, with an average decrease of about 5 dB (A).
Nursing in Ghana: A Search for Florence Nightingale in an African City
Authors: Adu-Gyamfi Samuel , Brenya Edward
Published: March 2016

Nursing in Ghana is a crucial subject that permeates almost every issue in the society especially the field of hospital care. To a large extent, the frontiers of nursing have expanded since the time of Florence Nightingale. Globally some studies have been done to study nursing icons like her. The values in nursing practice however continue to preoccupy our minds. The need to accentuate the gains made by historical figures in nursing in present times as well as the nature of interactions between practitioners and patients continues to be of paramount concern to many across the globe and Ghana in particular. This study does an analysis of existing literature on Florence Nightingale and the nature of nursing in Ghana from the colonial times. Additionally, it analyzes responses concerning the activities of nurses and their interactions with patients in Kumasi. The varied information has been thematically pieced together to make inferences that are of great interest to nursing practitioners, policy makers, administrators, and educators among others. The findings to the study suggest among other things that the challenges faced by the nursing institution in modern times are similar to those of the earlier period. The study calls for the emulation of the positive ideas of Florence Nightingale to promote the interest of patients, a core objective championed by a revered nurse.
Dll4 Inhibition plus Aflibercept Markedly Reduces Ovarian Tumor Growth
Authors: Huang Jie , Hu Wei , Hu Limin , Previs Rebecca A. , Dalton Heather J. , Yang Xiao-Yun , Sun Yunjie , McGuire Michael , Rupaimoole Rajesha , Nagaraja Archana S. , Kang Yu , Liu Tao , Nick Alpa M. , Jennings Nicholas B. , Coleman Robert L. , Jaffe Robert B. , Sood Anil K.
Published: March 2016

Delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4), one of the Notch ligands, is overexpressed in ovarian cancer, especially in tumors resistant to anti-VEGF therapy. Here, we examined the biologic effects of dual anti-Dll4 and anti-VEGF therapy in ovarian cancer models. Using Dll4-Fc blockade and anti-Dll4 antibodies (murine REGN1035 and human REGN421), we evaluated the biologic effects of Dll4 inhibition combined with aflibercept or chemotherapy in orthotopic mouse models of ovarian cancer. We also examined potential mechanisms by which dual Dll4 and VEGF targeting inhibit tumor growth using immunohistochemical staining for apoptosis and proliferation markers. Reverse-phase protein arrays were used to identify potential downstream targets of Dll4 blockade. Dual targeting of VEGF and Dll4 with murine REGN1035 showed superior antitumor effects in ovarian cancer models compared with either monotherapy. In the A2780 model, REGN1035 (targets murine Dll4) or REGN421 (targets human Dll4) reduced tumor weights by 62% and 82%, respectively; aflibercept alone reduced tumor weights by 90%. Greater therapeutic effects were observed for Dll4 blockade (REGN1035) combined with either aflibercept or docetaxel (P < 0.05 for the combination vs. aflibercept). The superior antitumor effects of REGN1035 and aflibercept were related to increased apoptosis in tumor cells compared with the monotherapy. We also found that GATA3 expression was significantly increased in tumor stroma from the mice treated with REGN1035 combined with docetaxel or aflibercept, suggesting an indirect effect of these combination treatments on the tumor stroma. These findings identify that dual targeting of Dll4 and VEGF is an attractive therapeutic approach. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(6); 1344–52. ©2016 AACR.
Heat Killed Attenuated Leishmania Induces Apoptosis of HepG2 Cells Through ROS Mediated p53 Dependent Mitochondrial Pathway
Authors: Bose Dipayan , Banerjee Somenath , Das Subhadip , Chatterjee Nabanita , Saha Krishna Das
Published: March 2016

Background/Aims: Cytotoxic effect of attenuated Leishmania on liver cancer cells by inducing ROS generation. Methods: Spectrophotometric study to analyze cell death and levels of different active caspases. Flow cytometric study was done to analyze apoptosis induction and ROS generation and levels of different protein. Western blot analysis was performed to study the levels of protein. Confocal microscopy was done to ascertain the expression of different apoptotic markers. Results: We have now observed that attenuated Leishmania donovani UR6 also has potentiality towards growth inhibition of HepG2 cells and investigated the mechanism of action. The effect is associated with increased DNA fragmentation, rise in number of annexinV positive cells, and cell cycle arrest at G1 phase. The detection of unregulated levels of active PARP, cleaved caspases 3 and 9, cytosolic cytochrome C, Bax, and Bad, along with the observed downregulation of Bcl-2 and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential suggested the involvement of mitochondrial pathway. Enhanced ROS and p53 levels regulate the apoptosis of HepG2 cells. NAC was found to inhibit p53 production but PFT-α has no effect on ROS generation. In conclusion, Leishmania donovani UR6 efficiently induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells through ROS mediated p53 dependent mitochondrial pathway. Conclusion: It has been reported earlier that some parasites show prominent cytotoxic effect and prevent tumor growth. From our study we found that Leishmania donovani UR6 efficiently induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells through ROS mediated p53 dependent mitochondrial pathway. This study has rejuvenated the age old idea of bio-therapy.
Associations between DNA Damage, DNA Base Excision Repair Gene Variability and Alzheimer's Disease Risk
Authors: Kwiatkowski Dominik , Czarny Piotr , Toma Monika , Jurkowska Natalia , Sliwinska Agnieszka , Drzewoski Jozef , Bachurska Agnieszka , Szemraj Janusz , Maes Michael , Berk Michael , Su Kuan-Pin , Galecki Piotr , Sliwinski Tomasz
Published: March 2016

Background: Increased oxidative damage to DNA is one of the pathways involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Insufficient base excision repair (BER) is in part responsible for increased oxidative DNA damage. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of polymorphic variants of BER-involved genes and the peripheral markers of DNA damage and repair in patients with AD. Material and Methods: Comet assays and TaqMan probes were used to assess DNA damage, BER efﬁciency and polymorphic variants of 12 BER genes in blood samples from 105 AD patients and 130 controls. The DNA repair efficacy (DRE) was calculated according to a specific equation. Results: The levels of endogenous and oxidative DNA damages were higher in AD patients than controls. The polymorphic variants of XRCC1 c.580C>T XRCC1 c.1196A>G and OGG1 c.977C>G are associated with increased DNA damage in AD. Conclusion: Our results show that oxidative stress and disturbances in DRE are particularly responsible for the elevated DNA lesions in AD. The results suggest that oxidative stress and disruption in DNA repair may contribute to increased DNA damage in AD patients and risk of this disease. In addition, disturbances in DRE may be associated with polymorphisms of OGG1 and XRCC1.
Clinical impact and course of major bleeding with edoxaban versus vitamin K antagonists
Authors: Brekelmans Marjolein , Bleker Suzanne , Bauersachs Rupert , Boda Zoltan , Büller Harry , Choi Youngsook , Gallus Alex , Grosso Michael , Middeldorp Saskia , Oh Doyeun , Raskob Gary , Schwocho Lee , Cohen Alexander
Published: March 2016

Edoxaban is a once-daily direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC). The Hokusai-VTE study revealed that, after initial treatment with heparin, edoxaban was non-inferior to and safer than vitamin K antagonists (VKA) in the prevention of recurrent deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. This is the first report on the clinical relevance and management of bleeding events with edoxaban. All major bleeding events were classified blindly by three study-independent adjudicators. Predefined criteria were used to classify severity of clinical presentation and, separately, the clinical course and outcome into four categories. Major bleeding occurred in 56 patients treated with edoxaban and 65 patients treated with VKA. The severest categories (3 or 4) of the clinical presentation were assigned to 46 % of the major bleeding episodes in edoxaban recipients versus 58 % of the major bleeds in VKA recipients (odds ratio [OR] 0.62, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.30–1.27, p = 0.19). Clinical course was classified as severe (category 3 or 4) in 23 % of the edoxaban and 29 % of the VKA associated bleeds (OR 0.73, 95 % CI 0.32–1.66, p = 0.46). In conclusion, edoxaban associated major bleeding events have a comparable clinical presentation and course to major bleeds with VKA in patients treated for venous thromboembolism in the Hokusai-VTE study. These results may assure physicians that it is safe to prescribe this medication. If a major bleeding during edoxaban treatment occurs, its clinical presentation and clinical course are not worse than in VKA-treated patients.
Primitive Embryonic Macrophages are Required for Coronary Development and Maturation
Authors: Leid Jamison , Carrelha Joana , Boukarabila Hanane , Epelman Slava , Jacobsen Sten E.W. , Lavine Kory J.
Published: March 2016

Rationale:

It is now recognized that macrophages residing within developing and adult tissues are derived from diverse progenitors including those of embryonic origin. Although the functions of macrophages in adult organisms are well studied, the functions of macrophages during organ development remain largely undefined. Moreover, it is unclear whether distinct macrophage lineages have differing functions.

Objective:

To address these issues, we investigated the functions of macrophage subsets resident within the developing heart, an organ replete with embryonic-derived macrophages.

Methods and Results:

Using a combination of flow cytometry, immunostaining, and genetic lineage tracing, we demonstrate that the developing heart contains a complex array of embryonic macrophage subsets that can be divided into chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2
−
and chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2
+
macrophages derived from primitive yolk sac, recombination activating gene 1
+
lymphomyeloid, and Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3
+
fetal monocyte lineages. Functionally, yolk sac–derived chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2
−
macrophages are instrumental in coronary development where they are required for remodeling of the primitive coronary plexus. Mechanistically, chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2
−
macrophages are recruited to coronary blood vessels at the onset of coronary perfusion where they mediate coronary plexus remodeling through selective expansion of perfused vasculature. We further demonstrate that insulin like growth factor signaling may mediate the proangiogenic properties of embryonic-derived macrophages.

Conclusions:

Together, these findings demonstrate that the embryonic heart contains distinct lineages of embryonic macrophages with unique functions and reveal a novel mechanism that governs coronary development.
Hyponatremia and Worsening Sodium Levels Are Associated With Long‐Term Outcome in Patients Hospitalized for Acute Heart Failure
Authors: Lu Dai‐Yin , Cheng Hao‐Min , Cheng Yu‐Lun , Hsu Pai‐Feng , Huang Wei‐Ming , Guo Chao‐Yu , Yu Wen‐Chung , Chen Chen‐Huan , Sung Shih‐Hsien
Published: March 2016

Background

Hyponatremia predicts poor prognosis in patients with acute heart failure (
AHF
). However, the association of the severity of hyponatremia and changes of serum sodium levels with long‐term outcome has not been delineated.

Methods and Results

The study population was drawn from the
HARVEST
registry (
H
eart F
a
ilure
R
egistry of Taipei
Ve
teran
s
General Hospi
t
al), so that patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (
AHF)
composed this study. The National Death Registry was linked to identify the clinical outcomes of all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular death, with a follow‐up duration of up to 4 years. Among a total of 2556 patients (76.4 years of age, 67% men), 360 had on‐admission hyponatremia, defined as a serum sodium level of <135 mEq/L on the first day of hospitalization. On‐admission hyponatremia was a predictor for all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio and 95%
CI
: 1.43, 1.11–1.83) and cardiovascular mortality (1.50, 1.04–2.17), independent of age, sex, hematocrit, estimated glomerular filtration rate, left ventricular ejection fraction, and prescribed medications. Subjects with severe hyponatremia (<125 mEq/L) would even have worse clinical outcomes. During hospitalization, a drop of sodium levels of >3 mEq/L was associated with a marked increase of mortality than those with minimal or no drop of sodium levels. In addition, subjects with on‐admission hyponatremia and drops of serum sodium levels during hospitalization had an incremental risk of death (2.26, 1.36–3.74), relative to those with normonatremia at admission and no treatment‐related drop of serum sodium level in the fully adjusted model.

Conclusions

On‐admission hyponatremia is an independent predictor for long‐term outcomes in patients hospitalized for
AHF
. Combined the on‐admission hyponatremia with drops of serum sodium levels during hospitalization may make a better risk assessment in
AHF
patients.
The Role of the European Parliament President in Parliamentary Diplomacy
Authors: Gianniti Luigi , Lupo Nicola
Published: March 2016

Summary

This contribution argues, counterintuitively, that the most important functions exercised by the European Parliament’s President are the external ones, which are expressly laid down in Rule 22(4) of the European Parliament’s Rules of Procedure. Among these, specific attention is devoted to the President’s ‘diplomatic functions’. This article analyses the presidencies of Jerzy Buzek and Martin Schulz and argues that these ‘diplomatic functions’ have been reinforced because of intensification of the European Union’s international activities as well as the European Parliament’s enhanced post-Lisbon Treaty powers in eu foreign policy. It is also observed that these functions are exercised differently depending on the personal and political preferences of each President. While Jerzy Buzek’s Presidency was oriented more towards the eastern European Union, the two consecutive Presidencies of Martin Schulz veered more towards the European Union’s south.
Costumes in Context: Masquerade in the Russian Silver Age
Authors: Lahti Katherine
Published: March 2016

This is a positive review of The Modernist Masquerade: Stylizing Life, Literature and Costumes in Russia by Colleen McQuillen. In the book the author supplies a history of masquerade in Russia in the 18th and 19th centuries, but the focus of the book is on the period called the Silver Age, from the end of the nineteenth century to the first decades of the twentieth. The author claims that costuming is at the center of the amazing cultural production of the Silver Age, and it is hard to argue with her. She finds costuming in Symbolist and Futurist poetry as well as works by Andreev and Akhmatova. Costuming was also central to the pre-revolutionary political activity of this period. The book has many surprises, and the reader will find masquerade permeating most aspects of Russian culture.
A new species of gecko from arid inland regions of eastern Australia (Diplodactylus; Diplodactylidae)
Authors: COUPER PATRICK J. , OLIVER PAUL M.
Published: March 2016

We describe a new species of small terrestrial gecko in the genus Diplodactylus from inland regions of western Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. Diplodactylus ameyi sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners in the Diplodactylus conspicillatus species-group by its relatively large size, bulbous tail which lacks an acute attenuated extension at tip, small first labial scale and comparatively robust head morphology (which includes a broadly rounded snout and no well-defined canthus rostralis). Related populations from eastern and central Queensland currently referred to D. platyurus include further deeply divergent lineages but additional material is required to resolve systematic boundaries in this region.
Continuous measurement of apparent Poisson’s ratio for yarn based on omni-directional diameters
Authors: Takatera Masayuki , Arichi Tamotsu , Peiffer Julie , Zhu Chunhong , Kim KyoungOk
Published: March 2016

We proposed a new method for measuring apparent Poisson’s ratio for yarn and developed a new tensile tester equipped with a digital micrometer that can measure the omni-directional diameter of the yarn annularly while the yarn is elongated. Values of apparent Poisson’s ratio were obtained from the longitudinal and transverse strains continuously. The mean diameter measured omni-directionally was used to calculate the transverse strain for each longitudinal strain. We tested five spun yarns, one monofilament yarn and two filament yarns and obtained values of apparent Poisson’s ratio against longitudinal strain for all samples. Apparent Poisson’s ratio was not constant for spun and filament yarns, while it was constant for monofilament yarn. When the longitudinal strain was low, apparent Poisson’s ratios of ring spun yarns and filament yarns were large, owing to the fiber packing density. As the longitudinal strain increased, apparent Poisson’s ratio gradually decreased. Furthermore, we approximated the relationship between apparent Poisson’s ratio and the longitudinal strain using a power function. The apparent Poisson values can be used in the simulation of fabrics.
Mild surface modification of para-aramid fiber by dilute sulfuric acid under microwave irradiation
Authors: Deng Tingting , Zhang Guangxian , Dai Fangyin , Zhang Fengxiu
Published: March 2016

In aramid fiber-reinforced composites manufacturing, para-aramid fiber requires surface modification to improve its interfacial adhesion with matrix materials. In this study, aramid fiber was modified with dilute sulfuric acid, which was gradually concentrated under microwave irradiation. Results showed that the aramid fiber could be efficiently modified. Sulfonic acid groups were introduced on the surface of the aramid fiber, as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The breaking strength and thermal stability of the modified aramid fiber were not adversely affected. When the concentration of sulfuric acid was 30.0 g/L, the breaking strength of the aramid fiber remained at 90.7% of the original value, and the number of sulfonic acid groups of 1 g modified aramid fibers was 1.38 × 10–5 mol/g. Thermogravimetric and X-ray diffraction analyses showed that the main structure of the aramid fibers was not affected. The aramid fiber surface was not severely etched, as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy images. Therefore, this modifying method involving a gradual change in sulfuric acid concentration may be widely applied in many fields.
An Ecological Analysis of School Engagement Among Urban, Low-Income Latino Adolescents
Authors: Roundfield Katrina D. , Sánchez Bernadette , McMahon Susan D.
Published: March 2016

This study examined a multidimensional model of school engagement (Fredricks, Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004) among low-income, urban Latino adolescents. Ecological theory suggests that students’ school, family, and peer contexts influence their behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. Using qualitative methods of inquiry, this study examined how these various microsystemic factors influenced the school engagement of 32 Latino adolescents. Participants between 18 and 20 years of age participated in interviews focused on their retrospective experiences in high school. Participants identified school, family, and peer themes that facilitated or hindered various components of school engagement. Youth discussed how school and peer factors affected all three dimensions of school engagement, while family affected behavioral and cognitive engagement. Understanding processes involved in high school completion will aid in designing effective policies and programs to reduce dropout rates among Latino youth.
The treatment of venous malformations with percutaneous sclerotherapy at a single academic medical center
Authors: Ali Sumera , Weiss Clifford R , Sinha Amitasha , Eng John , Mitchell Sally E
Published: March 2016

Purpose

We report a retrospective analysis of venous malformation patients treated with percutaneous sclerotherapy, describing their clinical manifestations, therapeutic outcomes and procedural complications.

Materials and methods

We reviewed our Vascular Anomalies database for all patients who underwent percutaneous sclerotherapy for venous malformation between January 2005 and July 2011 and retrieved 186 patients, out of which 116 were included in the final analysis. The majority of patients were treated using 100% alcohol (72%) and the rest were treated with <100% alcohol, Sodium Tetradecyl Sulfate or combination of these therapies. The most common location was the lower extremity in 67 patients (58%), followed by the head and neck in 27 (23%) and the upper extremity in 11 (9%). Retrospective review of medical records was performed. Outcomes were classified on an improvement scale based on clinical therapeutic effects.

Results

Two-hundred and forty-five sclerotherapy procedures were performed in 116 patients, of which 52 patients (45%) underwent a single procedure, 32 (28%) had two procedures and 32 (28%) underwent ≥3 procedures. Median follow-up period from the last procedure was 2.5 months (interquartile range of 2.0 to 6.75 months). Significant improvement was seen in 37 patients (32%), moderate improvement in 31 (27%), mild improvement in 20 (17%), no improvement in 21 (18%) and worse than before in 7 (6%) patients. Major post-procedural complications were nerve injuries in 6 patients (5%), deep vein thrombosis in 5 (4%), muscle contracture in 2 (2%), infection in 3 (3%), skin necrosis in 4 (3%) and other complications in 3 (3%).

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated that 76% of our patients with venous malformation had some level of improvement in symptoms with majority (72%) undergoing only one or two percutaneous sclerotherapy procedure/s. Although major complications occurred in 20% of the patients, majority (74%) of the complications either resolved spontaneously or were successfully treated.
Imagined Interaction Frequency and the Five-Factor Model of Personality
Authors: Eldredge Judson H.
Published: March 2016

Imagined interactions (IIs) are a form of daydream in which an individual imagines a communication interaction with one or more others. One of the most important attributes of II is frequency, a trait variable that measures how often people have imagined interactions. Individual differences in personality have been shown to predict II frequency. This cross-sectional study of N = 104 undergraduates examines the effects of personality, operationalized with the five-factor model, on II frequency. Results indicate that the model overall does predict II frequency. Individually, openness to experience, neuroticism, and conscientiousness are significant predictors of II frequency, but extroversion and agreeableness seem to have little to no effect.
Worlding and wilding: Lagos and Detroit as global cities
Authors: Marr Stephen
Published: March 2016

A long-standing debate in the urban studies literature emphasises the place of cities in the global cultural, financial and political economy. Traditional approaches to the study of world cities have typically left little room for the cities of the South or the more ‘marginal’ cities in the West. In this essay, I argue for a more inclusive theoretical and conceptual space that incorporates a broader range of urban situations through a comparative investigation of two cities: Lagos and Detroit. Though they are in some ways peripheral to the functioning of global capitalism, they remain central to its narrative. I therefore suggest that even as Detroit and Lagos undergo experiences of ‘wilding’ these processes represent an often unacknowledged aspect of ‘worlding’. The paper represents a preliminary attempt to centre African and post-industrial cities in the wider critical narrative of contemporary global urbanism.
How the lifestyle of the rich became anthropogenic activity in the climate change debate
Authors: Seabrook Jeremy
Published: March 2016

The author argues that originally concern about the destruction of the ecosphere rested on an awareness of the damaging technologies which sustained the lifestyle of the rich world. There was an emphasis on the unsustainability of development based on a permanently expanding economy and the need to address the abuse of resources and extravagance of the North at the expense of the South. Now, and particularly after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the rich world has successfully exported its development paradigm and managed to attribute climate change to ‘anthropogenic activity’ thereby making everyone appear equally culpable for degrading the planet. In the process, discussion has moved from the need to curb consumption to the necessity of changing energy sources.
Late Victorian aristocrats and the racial other: the Devonshire House ball of 1897
Authors: Spies Martin
Published: March 2016

The Devonshire House ball of 1897 was the last and most spectacular fancy dress ball held in the Victorian era. So far, discussions of the ball have almost exclusively focused on the list of illustrious guests and the costumes they wore. This article investigates for the first time the significance of those disguised as black servants or slaves who attended the ball not as guests in their own right but as attendants of three aristocratic ladies. As these attendants were from various ethnic backgrounds and belonged to different classes, their presence at the fancy dress ball sheds new light on late-Victorian notions of race and class in this particular field of entertainment.
Global commercial surrogacy and international adoption: parallels and differences
Authors: Scherman Rhoda , Misca Gabriela , Rotabi Karen , Selman Peter
Published: March 2016

Over the decades, there have been numerous trends in the formation of family for those experiencing infertility. Adoption – initially domestic but now mostly international – has long been a prevailing method, with a dual outcome of also finding homes for parentless children. Those would-be parents with a stronger desire for genetic relatedness have turned to assisted reproductive technologies for the creation of their families. In the 21st century, capitalising on globalisation and advances in medical sciences and communication, global commercial surrogacy (GCS) is emerging as a dominant method of family formation. In seeking to publish this article in Adoption & Fostering, our primary objective was to provide its readership with an introductory look at GCS, thereby expanding an awareness of surrogacy to an audience whose work has traditionally been concerned with the care and protection of children through foster care and adoption. A secondary aim was to see where the long-standing field of adoption could potentially inform the burgeoning field of global commercial surrogacy. To achieve these objectives, we use international adoption and the adoption triangle as a framework, as we look at the similarities and differences between: (1) the adoptive and commissioning parents; (2) the birth mother and the surrogate; and (3) the adopted children and the children born of global surrogacy.
Why am I in care? A model for communicating with children about entry to care that promotes psychological safety and adjustment
Authors: Coman William , Dickson Sinead , McGill Lynda , Rainey Michelle
Published: March 2016

When children are removed from their parents’ care, the adults often become involved in processes that are highly attentive to the past and future care of the child. While the present physical and educational needs are attended to in the new placement, there are often dilemmas about how to help the child adjust psychologically to their new situation. In particular, children often struggle with why they have been admitted to care and what the future holds for them. The authors discuss the challenges of communicating with children about these issues and then outline the model they have found to be helpful.
A qualitative exploration of how adopted children and their parents conceptualise mental health difficulties
Authors: O'Reilly Michelle , Bowlay-Williams Jeanette , Svirydzenka Nadzeya , Vostanis Panos
Published: March 2016

Adopted children tend to have high levels of emotional, behavioural and developmental need and are more likely to present to a range of services, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Although research exploring adopted children's perspectives is growing, it remains limited. Furthermore, there has been little work to engage adopted children in research. Our project aimed to examine adopted children's viewpoints of mental health and services alongside those of their adoptive carers. Results indicated that although there were some similarities between carer and child perspectives, they also frequently differed. They provided different constructions of the problem but agreed that family relationships were strained. Some acknowledgement of the role of the school was offered and other external sources of support cited. Coping was considered to be complex and while some issues were analogous to ‘normal’ family life, much was inherent to the adoption status.
Education unbound? Enlivening debates with a mobilities perspective on learning
Authors: Waters Johanna L.
Published: March 2016

This paper contributes to recent debates on the geographies of education. I argue that research in geography over the past decade has conceptualized education principally in terms of attachment to – and boundedness within – particular (often institutional) places and spaces. Yet a productive tension has emerged in contemporary scholarship around the competing concepts of mobilities and emplacement. The paper considers what the ‘mobilities turn’ offers for understanding geographies of education and learning, with a focus on ripple effects, structures and subject positionings. Four different but related bodies of work are identified that productively engage a notion of ‘mobilities’ to challenge bounded conceptions of education through their focus on (i) community and mobility; (ii) ‘alternative’ spaces of education; (iii) student mobilities; and (iv) embedded institutional capital and internationalization. Through the lens of mobilities, the paper advances research agendas within both geography (on ‘geographies of education’) and cognate disciplines (such as sociology and education).
Solar-Powered Drip Irrigation Impacts on Crops Production Diversity and Dietary Diversity in Northern Benin
Authors: Alaofè Halimatou , Burney Jennifer , Naylor Rosamond , Taren Douglas
Published: March 2016

Background:

Meeting the food needs of Africa's growing population will require innovative and appropriate technologies whose effectiveness needs to be assessed.

Objective:

To evaluate the impact of Solar Market Gardens (SMGs) on crops production diversity and dietary diversity in the Kalalé district of Northern Benin.

Methods:

In 2007, SMGs were installed in 2 villages for women's agricultural groups as a strategy for enhancing food and nutrition security. Data were collected through interviews at installation and 1 year later from all women's group households (30–35 women/group) and from a random representative sample of 30 households in each village, for both treatment and matched-pair comparison villages.

Results:

Comparison of baseline and endline data indicated increases in the variety of fruits and vegetables produced and consumed by SMG women's groups compared to other groups. The proportion of SMG women’s group households engaged in vegetable and fruit production significantly increased by 26% and 55%, respectively ( P < .05). After controlling for baseline values, SMG women's groups were 3 times more likely to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption compared with comparison non-women's groups ( P < .05). In addition, the percentage change in corn, sorghum, beans, oil, rice and fish purchased was significantly greater in the SMG women’s groups compared to other groups. At endline, 57% of the women used their additional income on food, 54% on health care, and 25% on education.

Conclusions:

Solar Market Gardens have the potential to improve household nutritional status through direct consumption and increased income to make economic decisions.
Factors Associated With Accuracy in Prekindergarten Teacher Ratings of Students’ Mathematics Skills
Authors: Furnari Emily C. , Whittaker Jessica , Kinzie Mable , DeCoster Jamie
Published: March 2016

The No Child Left Behind Act requires that 95% of students in all public elementary and secondary schools are assessed in mathematics. Unfortunately, direct assessments of young students can be timely, costly, and challenging to administer. Therefore, policy makers have looked to indirect forms of assessment, such as teachers’ ratings of student skills, as a substitute. However, prekindergarten teachers’ ratings of students’ mathematical knowledge and skills are only correlated with direct assessments at the .50 level. Little is known about factors that influence accuracy in teacher ratings. In this study, we examine the influence of student and teacher characteristics on prekindergarten teachers’ ratings of students’ mathematical skills, controlling for direct assessment of these skills. Results indicate that students’ race/ethnicity and social competency, as well as teachers’ self-efficacy, are significantly related to prekindergarten teachers’ ratings of students’ mathematical skills.
Homework Emotion Regulation Scale: Confirming the Factor Structure With High School Students
Authors: Xu Jianzhong , Fan Xitao , Du Jianxia
Published: March 2016

The current investigation studied psychometric properties of the Homework Emotion Regulation Scale (HERS) for math homework, with 915 tenth graders from China. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) supported the presence of two separate yet related subscales for the HERS: Emotion Management and Cognitive Reappraisal. The latent factor means for both subscales were shown to be invariant across gender. Furthermore, both subscales were positively related to homework purposes and behaviors (effort and completion) in the theoretically expected directions. Meanwhile, math performance was positively related to emotion management, but not cognitive reappraisal.
Attentional Biases Toward Latinos
Authors: Guillermo Steffanie , Correll Joshua
Published: March 2016

The current research examined attention allocation to assess whether people preferentially attend to Latino versus White faces. The current work also tested whether this attentional bias depended on whether the task involved a bi-ethnic context (only Latino and White faces) or a multi-ethnic context (Black, Latino, and White faces). Attention was measured with an exogenous cueing task that assessed attentional capture and holding toward faces of each racial group. Results showed that Latino faces captured attention faster and held attention longer than White faces. This attentional bias was evident in both bi-ethnic and multi-ethnic racial contexts.
Periodontal regeneration with stem cells-seeded collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold
Authors: Liu Zeping , Yin Xing , Ye Qingsong , He Wulin , Ge Mengke , Zhou Xiaofu , Hu Jing , Zou Shujuan
Published: March 2016

Re-establishing compromised periodontium to its original structure, properties and function is demanding, but also challenging, for successful orthodontic treatment. In this study, the periodontal regeneration capability of collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffolds, seeded with bone marrow stem cells, was investigated in a canine labial alveolar bone defect model. Bone marrow stem cells were isolated, expanded and characterized. Porous collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold and cross-linked collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold were prepared. Attachment, migration, proliferation and morphology of bone marrow stem cells, co-cultured with porous collagen-hydroxyapatite or cross-linked collagen-hydroxyapatite, were evaluated in vitro. The periodontal regeneration capability of collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold with or without bone marrow stem cells was tested in six beagle dogs, with each dog carrying one sham-operated site as healthy control, and three labial alveolar bone defects untreated to allow natural healing, treated with bone marrow stem cells – collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold implant or collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold implant, respectively. Animals were euthanized at 3 and 6 months (3 animals per group) after implantation and the resected maxillary and mandibular segments were examined using micro-computed tomography scan, H&E staining, Masson's staining and histometric evaluation. Bone marrow stem cells were successfully isolated and demonstrated self-renewal and multi-potency in vitro. The porous collagen-hydroxyapatite and cross-linked collagen-hydroxyapatite had average pore sizes of 415 ± 20 µm and 203 ± 18 µm and porosity of 69 ± 0.5% and 50 ± 0.2%, respectively. The attachment, proliferation and migration of bone marrow stem cells were satisfactory on both porous collagen-hydroxyapatite and cross-linked collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffolds. Implantation of bone marrow stem cells – collagen-hydroxyapatite or collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold in beagle dogs with experimental periodontal defects resulted in significantly enhanced periodontal regeneration characterized by formation of new bone, periodontal ligament and cementum, compared with the untreated defects, as evidenced by histological and micro-computed tomography examinations. The prepared collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffolds possess favorable bio-compatibility. The bone marrow stem cells – collagen-hydroxyapatite and collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffold – induced periodontal regeneration, with no aberrant events complicating the regenerative process. Further research is necessary to improve the bone marrow stem cells behavior in collagen-hydroxyapatite scaffolds after implantation.
The Power of the Network: Teach For America’s Impact on the Deregulation of Teacher Education
Authors: Kretchmar Kerry , Sondel Beth , Ferrare Joseph J.
Published: March 2016

In this article, we illustrate the relationships between Teach For America (TFA) and the deregulation of university-based teacher education programs. We use policy network analysis to create a visual representation of TFA’s connections to individuals, organizations, and private corporations who are working to shift the way teachers are prepared. In doing this, we identify human capital dependents, jurisdictional challengers, and legislative supporters who are working independently and collectively to shift our national focus from teacher education to teacher training for those teachers serving students in marginalized communities.
Combining inertia and constriction technique in the PSO applied to fault identification in a hydraulic system
Authors: Tripathi Jay Prakash , Ghoshal Sanjoy
Published: March 2016

A novel methodology for simultaneous parametric fault isolation and mode switching identification in the spool motion of a Directional Control Valve (DCV), under multi fault assumption, has been reported in this paper. The shape of the profile traversed by the DCV spool was assumed to be trapezoidal in both healthy and faulty condition, but the slope of trapezoidal may change due to fault. Under this assumption, the real valued fault parameter and binary mode switching were identified by real valued Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) alone instead of a combined real and binary valued PSO (Hybrid PSO). A novel PSO algorithm by combining the concepts of varying inertia weight (both increasing and decreasing trend) and constriction factor has been proposed in the article to achieve more accurate identification. Its validity was examined using an existing heuristic formula and by conducting several tests on a benchmark function used for fault identification. Superior improvement was observed in the identification with increasing inertia weight than that of widely used decreasing inertia weight, when combined with the constriction coefficient. A high pressure hydraulic circuit used in dumper and several other lifting machines was used as a simulation example.