bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From thrombosis to fibrosis in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Bochenek Magdalena , Rosinus Nico , Lankeit Mareike , Hobohm Lukas , Bremmer Felix , Schütz Eva , Klok Frederikus , Horke Sven , Wiedenroth Christoph , Münzel Thomas , Lang Irene , Mayer Eckhard , Konstantinides Stavros , Schäfer Katrin
Published: February 2017

The pathomechanisms underlying the development of thrombofibrotic pulmonary artery occlusions in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH) are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to allocate distinct cellular processes playing a role in thrombus resolution, such as inflammation, hypoxia, proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis, to different stages of thrombofibrotic remodelling. A total of 182 pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) specimens were collected from 31 CTEPH patients. To facilitate co-localisation, Tissue MicroArrays were prepared and processed for (immuno)-histochemistry and confocal fluorescence microscopy. Murine venous thrombus formation and resolution was examined after inferior vena cava ligation. PEA tissues exhibited five morphologically distinct regions predominantly consisting of either fibrin-, erythrocyte- or extracellular matrix-rich thrombus, myofibroblasts, vessels or fibrotic tissue, and were found to resemble chronological stages of thrombus resolution in mice. Cellularity was highest in vessel-rich regions, and numerous cells were strongly positive for HIF1α or HIF2α as well as markers of activated VEGF signalling, including endothelial nitric oxide synthase. On the other hand, negative regulators of angiogenic growth factor signalling and reactive oxygen species were also highly expressed. Immune cells, primarily macrophages of the M2 subtype and CD117 haematopoietic progenitors were detected and highest in vascularised regions. Our findings demonstrate the simultaneous presence of different stages of thrombus organisation and suggest that hypoxia-induced endothelial, mesenchymal and immune cell activation may contribute to thrombofibrosis in CTEPH. This systematic histological characterisation of the material obstructing pulmonary vessels in CTEPH may provide a valuable basis for further studies aimed at determining causal factors underlying this disease.

Supplementary Material to this article is available online at www.thrombosis-online.com.
Cardioembolic Stroke
Authors: Kamel Hooman , Healey Jeff S.
Published: February 2017

Cardiac embolism accounts for an increasing proportion of ischemic strokes and might multiply several-fold during the next decades. However, research points to several potential strategies to stem this expected rise in cardioembolic stroke. First, although one-third of strokes are of unclear cause, it is increasingly accepted that many of these cryptogenic strokes arise from a distant embolism rather than in situ cerebrovascular disease, leading to the recent formulation of embolic stroke of undetermined source as a distinct target for investigation. Second, recent clinical trials have indicated that embolic stroke of undetermined source may often stem from subclinical atrial fibrillation, which can be diagnosed with prolonged heart rhythm monitoring. Third, emerging evidence indicates that a thrombogenic atrial substrate can lead to atrial thromboembolism even in the absence of atrial fibrillation. Such an atrial cardiomyopathy may explain many cases of embolic stroke of undetermined source, and oral anticoagulant drugs may prove to reduce stroke risk from atrial cardiomyopathy given its parallels to atrial fibrillation. Non–vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant drugs have recently expanded therapeutic options for preventing cardioembolic stroke and are currently being tested for stroke prevention in patients with embolic stroke of undetermined source, including specifically those with atrial cardiomyopathy. Fourth, increasing appreciation of thrombogenic atrial substrate and the common coexistence of cardiac and extracardiac stroke risk factors suggest benefits from global vascular risk factor management in addition to anticoagulation. Finally, improved imaging of ventricular thrombus plus the availability of non–vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant drugs may lead to better prevention of stroke from acute myocardial infarction and heart failure.
Stroke Caused by Extracranial Disease
Authors: Barrett Kevin M. , Brott Thomas G.
Published: February 2017

Extracranial internal carotid artery atherosclerotic occlusive disease is a common ischemic stroke mechanism. Vascular risk factor control remains the cornerstone of stroke prevention in patients with both asymptomatic and symptomatic carotid occlusive diseases. Intensive medical therapy refers to the contemporary approach of antiplatelet therapy, blood pressure control, low-density lipoprotein reduction, and lifestyle modification to reduce stroke risk. Carotid revascularization with endarterectomy or angioplasty and stenting are established treatments for patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis ≥70%. Previously accepted ischemic stroke preventative strategies, such as carotid revascularization for asymptomatic carotid stenosis, require reassessment given advances in both medical therapy and surgical techniques. The purpose of this review is to describe contemporary approaches to the management of extracranial carotid atherosclerotic occlusive disease and the basis of these recommendations. Results from recently published clinical trials will be highlighted in addition to updated information from clinical trials addressing knowledge gaps in prevention of stroke caused by extracranial disease.
Preterm Delivery and Maternal Cardiovascular Disease in Young and Middle-Aged Adult Women
Authors: Tanz Lauren J. , Stuart Jennifer J. , Williams Paige L. , Rimm Eric B. , Missmer Stacey A. , Rexrode Kathryn M. , Mukamal Kenneth J. , Rich-Edwards Janet W.
Published: February 2017

Background:

Preterm delivery has been shown to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but it is unknown whether this risk remains after adjustment for prepregnancy lifestyle and CVD risk factors.

Methods:

We examined the association between history of having delivered an infant preterm (<37 weeks) and CVD in 70 182 parous women in the Nurses’ Health Study II. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards models were used to estimate hazards ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CVD events (myocardial infarction and stroke, n=949); we also adjusted for intermediates to determine the proportion of the association between preterm and CVD accounted for by postpartum development of CVD risk factors.

Results:

After adjusting for age, race, parental education, and prepregnancy lifestyle and CVD risk factors, preterm delivery in the first pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of CVD (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.16–1.72) in comparison with women with a term delivery (≥37 weeks) in the first pregnancy. When preterm delivery was split into moderate preterm (≥32 to <37 weeks) and very preterm (<32 weeks), the HRs were 1.22 (95% CI, 0.96–1.54) and 2.01 (95% CI, 1.47–2.75), respectively. The increased rate of CVD in the very preterm group persisted even among women whose first pregnancy was not complicated by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.38–2.93). In comparison with women with at least 2 pregnancies, all of which were delivered at term, women with a preterm first birth and at least 1 later preterm birth had a HR of CVD of 1.65 (95% CI, 1.20–2.28). The association between moderate preterm first birth and CVD was accounted for in part by the development of postpartum chronic hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and changes in body mass index (proportion accounted for, 14.5%; 95% CI, 4.0–41.1), as was the very-preterm-CVD relationship (13.1%; 95% CI, 9.0–18.7).

Conclusions:

Preterm delivery is independently predictive of CVD and may be useful for CVD prevention efforts. Because only a modest proportion of the preterm-CVD association was accounted for by development of conventional CVD risk factors, further research may identify additional pathways.
Anti-Müllerian Hormone Trajectories Are Associated With Cardiovascular Disease in Women
Authors: de Kat Annelien C. , Verschuren W. Monique , Eijkemans Marinus J.C. , Broekmans Frank J.M. , van der Schouw Yvonne T.
Published: February 2017

Background:

Earlier age at menopause is widely considered to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship remain undetermined. Indications suggest that anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), an ovarian reserve marker, plays a physiological role outside of the reproductive system. Therefore, we investigated whether longitudinal AMH decline trajectories are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) occurrence.

Methods:

This study included 3108 female participants between 20 and 60 years of age at baseline of the population-based Doetinchem Cohort. Participants completed ≥1 of 5 consecutive quinquennial visits between 1987 and 2010, resulting in a total follow-up time of 20 years. AMH was measured in 8507 stored plasma samples. Information on total CVD, stroke, and coronary heart disease was obtained through a hospital discharge registry linkage. The association of AMH trajectories with CVD was quantified with joint modeling, with adjustment for age, smoking, oral contraceptive use, body mass index, menopausal status, postmenopausal hormone therapy use, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glucose levels.

Results:

By the end of follow-up, 8.2% of the women had suffered from CVD, 4.9% had suffered from coronary heart disease, and 2.6% had experienced a stroke. After adjustment, each ng/mL lower
log
AMH level was associated with a 21% higher risk of CVD (hazard ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.07–1.36) and a 26% higher risk of coronary heart disease (hazard ratio, 1.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–1.46). Each additional ng/mL/year decrease of
log
AMH was associated with a significantly higher risk of CVD (hazard ratio, 1.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.14–1.87) and coronary heart disease (hazard ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.15–2.12). No association between AMH and stroke was found.

Conclusions:

These results indicate that AMH trajectories in women are independently associated with CVD risk. Therefore, we postulate that the decline of circulating AMH levels may be part of the pathophysiology of the increased cardiovascular risk of earlier menopause. Confirmation of this association and elucidation of its underlying mechanisms are needed to place these results in a clinical perspective.
The Brain as Muse: Bridging Art and Neuroscience
Authors: Maurides Patricia , Behrmann Marlene
Published: February 2017

This article describes a partnership between an artist and neuroscientist who share common interests. The authors discuss bridging the fine arts and neurosciences through the development of transdisciplinary courses and public engagement through an art and science exhibition. Their NeuroArt partnership promotes dialogue and creates community among students and faculty by sharing access, tools and probing questions common to both disciplines.
A new species of Lagis (Annelida: Polychaeta: Pectinariidae) from Korean waters
Authors: CHOI HYUN KI , JUNG TAE WON , YOON SEONG MYEONG
Published: February 2017

A new pectinariid polychaete, Lagis plurihamus sp. nov., is reported from intertidal habitats in the southern and western coasts of Korea. Lagis plurihamus sp. nov. is clearly distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological features: the cephalic veil bears usually 10–15 cirri; two pairs of thoracic branchiae are present on the segments 3 and 4; the scaphe is robust with 9–14 delicate scaphal hooks; the scaphal anal flap has a dorsal anal cirrus and fringed margin. Previously described species of Lagis from East Asia, L. bocki (Hessle, 1917) and L. crenulatus Sun & Qiu 2012 together with the newly described species L. plurihamus sp. nov., all have both short, recurved notochaetae with bordered serrations and long, straight notochaetae with fine serrations. We provide detailed description and illustrations with SEM photographs for the new species. A revised key to all Lagis species is also provided with a comparison of the morphological characteristics of them.
Experimental and numerical investigation on the open-hole compressive strength of AFP composites containing gaps and overlaps
Authors: Marouene Aymen , Legay Pierre , Boukhili Rachid
Published: February 2017

Laminated composite structures manufactured via the automated fiber placement process inherently contain process defects know as gaps and overlaps. These defects raise concerns when they are located on or near holes intended for mechanical fastening. This investigation attempts to predict the effect of automated fiber placement-generated defects on the open-hole compression strength by combining both experimental tests and numerical simulation. Tested open-hole compression specimens containing gaps and overlaps oriented at 0° or 90° and centered on or shifted near the hole show that, depending on their location, the gaps and overlaps may have negative, negligible, or positive effects on the open-hole compression strength. The better than expected effects are compatible with microscopic observations that clearly show the rearrangement of the plies during the consolidation process, which prevent the formation of deleterious discontinuities. Incorporating these observations in a numerical model, which simulates gaps and overlaps embedded inside the composite laminates, and applying a progressive failure analysis, confirms that the effects of automated fiber placement defects depend as much on their type as on their location relative to the hole center. Finally, the results obtained from a parametric study provided further explanation on the effects of automated fiber placement defects on the failure strength of perforated composite laminates.
Synergistic effects of marine environments and flexural fatigue on carbon fiber–vinyl ester composites protected by gelcoat
Authors: Afshar Arash
Published: February 2017

The current process for designing reliable and enduring naval composite crafts and structures is instrumentally dependent upon utilizing protective coatings to shield composite materials against environmental based degradation. However, as coatings can be vulnerable to corrosion and/or erosion in harsh marine environments, they may gradually lose their protective abilities, leading to damage accumulation in the protected composites. To demonstrate the criticality of this process, gel-coated carbon fiber–vinyl ester laminates are subjected to a simulated marine environment consisting of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, moisture, and cyclic mechanical loading. Next, degradation in composite laminates is probed through measuring the flexural strength. Damage in gelcoat is further characterized by digital microscopy of its surface. Correlation between degradation of the gelcoat surface and loss in the mechanical properties of coated composite laminates is also investigated.
Discrimination and Telomere Length Among Older Adults in the United States
Authors: Liu Sze Yan , Kawachi Ichiro
Published: February 2017

Objectives:

Chronic stress from experiencing discrimination can lead to long-term changes in psychological and physiologic responses, including shorter leukocyte telomere length. We examined the association between leukocyte telomere length and variations in the association by race or type of discrimination.

Methods:

Our study consisted of 3868 US-born non-Hispanic black (hereinafter, black) and non-Hispanic white (hereinafter, white) adult participants from the 2008 Health and Retirement Study biomarker sample with complete sociodemographic and discrimination information. We examined major lifetime unfair treatment and everyday discrimination. Coarsened exact matching matched exposed and unexposed participants on several sociodemographic factors. Coarsened exact matching creates analytic weights for the matched data sets. We applied weighted linear regression to the matched data sets. We conducted 2 subanalyses in which we matched on potential mediators—physical activity, smoking status, and obesity—and examined if racism was associated with shorter telomere length compared with other attributes. All analyses were stratified by race.

Results:

We found no difference in telomere length for black and white participants reporting major lifetime unfair treatment (β = 0.09; 95% CI, –0.33 to 0.15) or everyday discrimination (β = 0.04; 95% CI, –0.12 to 0.40). Everyday discrimination was associated with shorter leukocyte telomere length among black people (β = –0.23; 95% CI, –0.44 to –0.01) but not among white people (β = 0.05; 95% CI, –0.01 to 0.10). Matching on potential mediators generally decreased the effect estimate among black people.

Conclusions:

Experiencing everyday discrimination was associated with shortened telomere length among older black adults. Further research is needed to understand the adverse physiologic effects of discrimination to create effective interventions.
Mechanical and optical properties of silk fabric/glass fiber mat composites: an artistic application of composites
Authors: Yang Yuqiu , Zhao Defang , Xu Jing , Dong Yuying , Ma Yan , Qin Xiaohong , Fujiwara Kiyoshi , Suzuki Erika , Furukawa Takashi , Takai Yuka , Hamada Hiroyuki
Published: February 2017

Currently, hybrid glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GFRPs) have attracted increasing attention as gradually common used materials. Glass/silk fiber hybrid reinforced plastic (GSFRP), a new kind of material, is designed aiming to create a kind of opaque effect of specific use. Three types of silk/glass composites with five layers of glass mats and a single layer of woven silk fabric lamina with small, medium and large crepe are fabricated by using the hand lay-up method to compare with pure GFRP. Optical properties, including the light transmission property and luminance distribution, were examined with regard to the specimens of GSFRP. Results indicate that light was diffused more efficiently by GSFRP than pure GFRP laminates. Moreover, the greater the crepe degree of silk fabric is, the more efficiently light is diffused and the rise of luminance suppressed. Furthermore, mechanical properties, including the flexural as well as the impact property, were examined through three-point bending and Izod tests, respectively. There is little negative influence on the flexural strength of GSFRP when silk inserted in layer 3 and, as the crepe degree of silk fabric increases, a slightly inferior effect on the impact test presented. From the scanning electron microscopy observation, it is found that the existence of silk fabric inserted in layer 3 could prevent further propagation of the crack and alleviate the delamination of the specimens during the bending process, improving resistance to delamination and bending.
Partners for Good: How Business and NGOs Engage the Commercial–Social Paradox
Authors: Sharma Garima , Bansal Pratima
Published: February 2017

Businesses and NGOs are collaborating more frequently to address social issues with commercial solutions, yet not all collaborations work well. We wanted to know why some collaborations struggle where others succeed. We studied five projects in India in which businesses bought goods and services from NGOs that employed disadvantaged people. Two of these five projects met the expectations of both parties, whereas the other three did not. By drawing on the paradox literature, we argue that the project’s success indicates that the business and NGO engaged the commercial-social paradox. We found that in the projects that worked well, the two parties held fluid categories, i.e. they saw differences between business and NGO as contextual and aimed to find creative workarounds to emergent problems. In the projects that did not work well, businesses and NGOs imposed categorical imperatives, i.e. they saw sharp differences that they intensified by imposing standardized and familiar solutions on their partner. We contribute to the literature on paradox to show how cognition and action create generative or limited outcomes. We also weigh in on the ontological foundations of paradox, arguing that actors that assume that paradoxes are a social construction are more likely to engage paradoxes than actors that assume paradoxes are a social reality.
Volatility in daily relationship quality
Authors: Cooper Ashley N. , Totenhagen Casey J. , McDaniel Brandon T. , Curran Melissa A.
Published: February 2017

Previous research on attachment orientations has focused on how attachment is associated with levels of relationship quality; however, the nature of associations with variability over time ( volatility) on relationship quality remains unclear. Couples who are higher in volatility have poorer relationship outcomes, thus it is important to understand factors that influence volatility. We used 7-day daily diaries with both members of 157 heterosexual couples to analyze associations between actor and partner reports of attachment anxiety and avoidance and gender in associations with both general levels of relationship quality and volatility in daily relationship quality. Overall, we found that regardless of gender, attachment avoidance was linked with decreased levels of relationship quality for both actors and partners. Gender differences in volatility of daily relationship quality emerged such that women’s attachment influenced both their own and their male partner’s volatility. Women’s attachment anxiety was positively associated with volatility for both their own and their partner’s relationship quality. Women’s attachment avoidance was also negatively associated with volatility in their partner’s relationship quality. We discuss how attachment avoidance is a greater predictor for average levels of daily relationship quality, whereas attachment anxiety drives volatility in daily feelings about the relationship. Further, conflict is an important factor to consider in these links between attachment anxiety and volatility in relationship quality; on days when individuals reported greater conflict than usual, they reported lower relationship quality, and this association was stronger for those whose partners were high in attachment anxiety. We explore implications for research and practice.
Holy Mary Goes ’Round
Authors: Scaraboto Daiane , Figueiredo Bernardo
Published: February 2017

This study examines how object circulation—the recurrent transferring of objects among members of a group—can be used to foster a hybrid value regime in alternative economies. Prior research notes that alternative economies harbor multiple conceptions of what is valuable, suggesting that hybridity can help sustain alternative economies. This study mobilizes ethnographic and netnographic data to examine the circulation of singularized objects in a religion-based alternative economy in Brazil. It focuses on value creation through object circulation to shed light on the constitution of value regime hybridity. Findings explain how the governing institution in this economy—the church – fosters a hybrid value regime through promoting the creation of multiple types of value outcomes and incentivizing their intertwining. We discuss how value regime hybridity reduces tension and criticism directed at the alternative economy and promotes resource dependence among heterogeneous participants.
Ambivalent engagements: The Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean world
Authors: Mukherjee Rila
Published: February 2017

This article investigates the role played by the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean world. It argues that formulations that suggest the Bay’s encounters were ambivalent and sporadic until c.1000 – when there was a trade revolution – and see it as a latecomer in the Indian Ocean world, are wrong. Examples from commerce and cultural flows reveal the Bay world as an active participant in the Indian Ocean world from early times and debunk the notion of passivity.
Effects of UV irradiation and condensation on poly(ether-ether-ketone)/carbon fiber composites from nano- to macro-scale
Authors: Niu Yi-Fan , Yang Ying , Li Tian-Yi , Yao Jia-Wei
Published: February 2017

Durability and damage mechanism of carbon fiber–reinforced poly(ether-ether-ketone) composites (T300/PEEK) have been investigated under ultraviolet (UV) and water condensation conditions for 1560 h. The tensile modulus decreased by 5.4% after 1560 h of exposure, while no significant changes were found in tensile strength. The microhardness and elastic modulus of the resin measured by atomic force microscope–based nanoindentation were found to be dramatically increased after 240 h treatment and then decreased after longer treatment. The thermal decomposition temperature decreased from 549° to 522° after 840 h of exposure due to the formation of side chains and low molecular products induced by UV. The damage of resin was attributed to chain scission and recombined cross-linking by UV irradiation and hydrolytic deterioration by hydrothermal conditioning, where the decomposition led to the formation of carbonyl groups and hydroxyl groups, as well as the reduction of ether groups determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscope. Scanning electron microscopy analysis on tensile fractures near the exposed surface indicated fiber/matrix debonding. The resin on the surface degraded rapidly, and its roughness increased continuously from 30.8 ± 4.1 nm to 88.8 ± 6.8 nm after 840 h of degradation, with the formation of microholes and microcracks. A degradation mechanism was proposed, and the accelerated weather aging affected only the surface region of T300/PEEK.
A systematic review of the effects of modifiable risk factor interventions on the progression of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Hempel Susanne , Graham Glenn D , Fu Ning , Estrada Elena , Chen Annie Y , Miake-Lye Isomi , Miles Jeremy N V , Shanman Roberta , Shekelle Paul G , Beroes Jessica M , Wallin Mitchell T
Published: February 2017

Background:

Several risk factors are associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) progression and may be amenable to intervention.

Objective:

To systematically review the evidence for interventions targeting risk factors for MS progression.

Methods:

We searched six databases and existing reviews till March 2015 and consulted with experts to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions targeting MS risk factors (PROSPERO 2015:CRD42015016461).

Results:

In total, 37 RCTs met inclusion criteria. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores after exercise interventions did not differ compared with untreated controls (standardized mean differences (SMDs): 0.02; confidence interval (CI): −0.40, 0.44; I2: 0%; seven RCTs; very low quality of evidence (QoE)). Dietary interventions did not show a statistically significant effect on the relative risk (RR) of progression (RR: 0.86; CI: 0.67, 1.05; I2: 0%; four RCTs; moderate QoE) compared to placebo. EDSS scores after vitamin D supplementation were not significantly different from placebo (SMD: −0.15; CI: −0.33, 0.02; I2: 0%; five RCTs; very low QoE).

Conclusion:

We did not identify any risk factor interventions with significant effects on MS progression, but the overall QoE was limited. More adequately powered trials are needed on vitamin D supplementation, long-term exercise, and smoking cessation.
Systematic Reviews in Political Science: What Can the Approach Contribute to Political Research?
Authors: Dacombe Rod
Published: February 2017

Recent years have seen the growing use of systematic literature reviews within the social sciences. Despite some reservations over the adoption of an approach originally popularised within clinical and health sciences, the literature in the area has contributed some clear benefits to accounts of existing research. It is surprising, therefore, that political scientists have tended to ignore, or at best marginalise, reviews of this kind. This article outlines a number of features of systematic reviews which might be suitable for the kinds of questions political scientists ask of their data. Throughout, it highlights both the value and the potential complications of the approach, raising a number of questions which should be considered if systematic reviews are to be adopted more widely.
Targeted Imaging of Tumor-Associated Macrophages by Cyanine 7-Labeled Mannose in Xenograft Tumors
Authors: Jiang Chong , Cai Huawei , Peng Xiaodong , Zhang Ping , Wu Xiaoai , Tian Rong
Published: February 2017

Mannose receptor is considered as a hallmark of M2-oriented tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), but its utility in TAMs was rarely reported. Therefore, deoxymannose (DM), a high-affinity ligand of mannose receptor, was labeled with near-infrared dye cyanine 7 (Cy7), and its feasibility of targeted imaging on TAMs was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The Cy7-DM was synthesized, and its binding affinity with induced TAMs in vitro, whole-body imaging in xenograft tumor mouse model in vivo, and the cellular localization in dissected tissues were evaluated. We demonstrated a high uptake of Cy7-DM by induced M2 macrophages and TAMs in tumor tissues. In vivo near-infrared live imaging visualized abundant TAMs in tumor lesions instead of inflammatory sites by Cy7-DM imaging, and the quantity of Cy7-DM signals in tumors was significantly higher than that shown in inflammatory sites from 1 to 8 hours of imaging. Our results suggest that mannose could rapidly and specifically target TAMs and is a promising candidate for targeted diagnosis of tumor with rich TAMs.
PET Study of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor 1 Expression in Response to Vascular Inflammation in a Rat Model of Carotid Injury
Authors: Liu Hui , Jin Hongjun , Yue Xuyi , Han Junbin , Baum Pamela , Abendschein Dana R. , Tu Zhude
Published: February 2017

Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor (S1PR) activation plays a key role in vascular inflammatory response. Here, we report in vivo validation of [11C]TZ3321, a potent S1PR1 radioligand, for imaging vascular inflammation in a rat model of carotid injury. The right common carotid artery of male adult Sprague-Dawley rats was injured by balloon overinflation that denuded the endothelium and distended the vessel wall. Animals received a 60-minute micro-positron emission tomography (micro PET) scan with [11C]TZ3321 at 72 hours after injury. Ex vivo autoradiography was also conducted. The expression and cellular location of S1PR1 were examined by immunohistological analysis. Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the first 100-second microPET/computed tomography (CT) image indicated the location of bilateral common carotid arteries. [11C]TZ3321 displayed significantly higher accumulation (standardized uptake values: 0.93 ± 0.07 vs 0.78 ± 0.09, n = 6, P = .001) in the injured carotid artery than in the contralateral side. Increased tracer uptake in the injured artery was confirmed by autoradiography (photostimulated luminescence measures: 85.5 ± 0.93 vs 71.48 ± 6.22, n = 2). Concordantly, high S1PR1expression was observed in infiltrated inflammatory cells in the injured artery. Our studies demonstrate [11C]TZ3321 microPET is able to detect the acute upregulation of S1PR1 expression in inflamed carotid artery. Therefore, [11C]TZ3321 has potential to be a PET radiotracer for detecting early inflammatory response and monitoring therapeutic efficacy of vascular inflammation.
The XXI International Society of Hypertension in Pregnancy meeting, São Paulo, Brazil – A global health perspective
Authors: Sharma Sumedha
Published: February 2017

The 21st International Society of Hypertension in Pregnancy (ISSHP) meeting was held in São Paulo, Brazil from 23 to 26 October 2016. The discourse at this Congress brought global maternal health into the foray among basic science and clinical research. In concordance with the United Nations sustainable development goals which warrant an integrated view to health with investments in adolescence and childhood, the research at Congress focussed on a ‘life course’ approach to maternal health – examining intergenerational effects of maternal obesity and hypertension on the behavioral and physical developments of infants. Bringing in research from the Global South highlighted inequities in treatment and management of women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, in addition to the challenges in adoption of recommendations generated in Global North. The evidence shared can serve as platform for further discourse on global maternal health and in generating accountability to close the ‘evidence to policy’ gap.
Indirect maternal deaths: UK and global perspectives
Authors: Nair Manisha , Nelson-Piercy Catherine , Knight Marian
Published: February 2017

Indirect maternal deaths outnumber direct deaths due to obstetric causes in many high-income countries, and there has been a significant increase in the proportion of maternal deaths due to indirect medical causes in low- to middle-income countries. This review presents a detailed analysis of indirect maternal deaths in the UK and a perspective on the causes and trends in indirect maternal deaths and issues related to care in low- to middle-income countries. There has been no significant decrease in the rate of indirect maternal deaths in the UK since 2003. In 2011–2013, 68% of all maternal deaths were due to indirect causes, and cardiac disease was the single largest cause. The major issues identified in care of women who died from an indirect cause was a lack of clarity about which medical professional should take responsibility for care and overall management. Under-reporting and misclassification result in underestimation of the rate of indirect maternal deaths in low- to middle-income countries. Causes of indirect death include a range of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases and nutritional disorders. There has been evidence of a shift in incidence from direct to indirect maternal deaths in many low- to middle-income countries due to an increase in non-communicable diseases among women in the reproductive age. The gaps in care identified include poor access to health services, lack of healthcare providers, delay in diagnosis or misdiagnosis and inadequate follow-up during the postnatal period. Irrespective of the significant gains made in reducing maternal mortality in many countries worldwide, there is evidence of a steady increase in the rate of indirect deaths due to pre-existing medical conditions. This heightens the need for research to generate evidence about the risk factors, management and outcomes of specific medical comorbidities during pregnancy in order to provide appropriate evidence-based multidisciplinary care across the entire pathway: pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy and delivery, and postpartum.
Design of a proportional-integral controller to track pitch angle in a mini aerial vehicle
Authors: Reddy Raja Vardhan K , Sambasivam SM , Prem S , Ramprasadh C
Published: February 2017

Mini aerial vehicles have gained a lot of significance in the past five decades. The future defense strategies mainly rely upon mini aerial vehicles. In maneuvering a mini aerial vehicle, control of parameters like pitch angle, roll angle, side slip angle, etc., are very crucial and important. Due to geometry and weight constraints, controlling a mini aerial vehicle is very difficult. Mini aerial vehicles also gets easily disturbed from its path because of slight disturbance of wind. As weight constraint is imposed on mini aerial vehicle, low cost sensors are adopted. Low cost sensors gives noisy feedback, which still makes a challenging task to design a controller to track pitch angle for a mini aerial vehicle. The present work attempts to develop a flight simulator for Black Kite mini aerial vehicle and to design a proportional-integral controller to track pitch angle by taking feedback from an observer, which takes consideration of noisy sensor inputs.
The Athletic Shoe in Football
Authors: Jastifer James , Kent Richard , Crandall Jeff , Sherwood Chris , Lessley David , McCullough Kirk A. , Coughlin Michael J. , Anderson Robert B.
Published: February 2017

Background:

Foot and ankle injuries are common in sports, particularly in cleated athletes. Traditionally, the athletic shoe has not been regarded as a piece of protective equipment but rather as a part of the uniform, with a primary focus on performance and subjective feedback measures of comfort. Changes in turf and shoe design have poorly understood implications on the health and safety of players.

Evidence Acquisition:

A literature search of the MEDLINE and PubMed databases was conducted. Keywords included athletic shoewear, cleated shoe, football shoes, and shoewear, and search parameters were between the years 2000 and 2016.

Study Design:

Clinical review.

Level of Evidence:

Level 5.

Results:

The athletic shoe is an important piece of protective sports equipment. There are several important structural considerations of shoe design, including biomechanical compliance, cleat and turf interaction, and shoe sizing/fit, that affect the way an athlete engages with the playing surface and carry important potential implications regarding player safety if not understood and addressed.

Conclusion:

Athletic footwear should be considered an integral piece of protective equipment rather than simply an extension of the uniform apparel. More research is needed to define optimal shoe sizing, the effect that design has on mechanical load, and how cleat properties, including pattern and structure, interact with the variety of playing surfaces.
Old age psychiatry and geriatric medicine: Shared challenges, shared solutions?
Authors: Fisher James , Teodorczuk Andrew
Published: February 2017

The co-occurrence of physical and mental ill health means there is considerable overlap between the patients that geriatric medicine and old age psychiatry serve. In this editorial we detail similarities between the specialisms, highlight the common challenges facing them and argue that closer alignment holds the potential to improve patient care.
In with the Big, Out with the Small: Removing Small-Scale Reservations in India
Authors: Martin Leslie A. , Nataraj Shanthi , Harrison Ann E.
Published: February 2017

An ongoing debate in employment policy is whether promoting small and medium enterprises creates jobs. We use the elimination of small-scale industry (SSI) promotion in India to address this question. For 60 years, SSI promotion in India focused on reserving certain products for manufacture by small and medium enterprises. We identify the consequences for employment growth, investment, output, productivity, and wages of dismantling India's SSI reservations. We exploit variation in the timing of de-reservation across products and also measure the long-run impact of national SSI policy changes using variation in pretreatment exposure at the district level. Districts more exposed to de-reservation experienced higher employment and output growth. Entrants into the de-reserved product spaces and incumbents that were previously constrained by the size restrictions drove the increase in growth. The results suggest that dismantling India's SSI policies encouraged overall employment growth. (JEL E24, L25, L53, L60, O14, O25)
A Two-Time-Scale Approach to Time-Varying Queues in Hospital Inpatient Flow Management
Authors: Dai J. G. , Shi Pengyi
Published: February 2017

We analyze a time-varying Mperi/Geo2timeScale/N queueing system. The arrival process is periodic Poisson. The service time of a customer has components in different time scales: length of stay (LOS) in days and departure time (hdis) in hours. This queueing system has been used to study patient flows from the emergency department (ED) to hospital inpatient wards. In that setting, the LOS of a patient is simply the number of days she spends in a ward, and her departure time hdis is the discharge hour on the day of her discharge.

We develop a new analytical framework that can perform exact analysis on this novel queueing system. This framework has two steps: first analyze the midnight customer count process and obtain its stationary distribution, then analyze the time-dependent customer count process to compute various performance measures. We also develop approximation tools that can significantly reduce the computational time. In particular, via Stein’s method, we derive explicit expressions to approximate the stationary distribution of the midnight count. We provide error bounds for these approximations and numerically demonstrate that they are remarkably accurate for systems with various sizes and load conditions. Our theoretical and numerical analysis have produced a number of insights that can be used to improve hospital inpatient flow management. We find that the LOS term affects the overnight wait caused by the mismatch between daily arrivals and discharges, whereas the hdis term affects the intraday wait caused by the nonsynchronization between the arrival and discharge time patterns. Thus, reducing LOS or increasing capacity can impact the daily average performance significantly; shifting the discharge timing to earlier times of a day can alleviate the peak congestion in the morning and mainly affects the time-dependent performance.

The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/opre.2016.1566 .
Impact of a maternal sepsis training package on maternity staff compliance with Trust guidelines
Authors: Bolger Sarah , Rhodes Alison , Coward Melanie
Published: February 2017

Background

Maternal sepsis is the leading cause of direct maternal death in the UK. Cost-effective training for staff is essential in providing safe, high-quality maternity care.

Aims

This project aimed to examine the impact of a maternal sepsis training package, provided during the period 1 April – 30 September 2013 (quarters 2–3), on maternity staff's compliance with the Trust's maternal sepsis guideline, as documented in maternity notes.

Methods

An audit was undertaken of the staff compliance rates for the Trust's maternal sepsis guideline (on which the training package is based) recorded in maternal notes during the period 1 January – 31 December 2013 (quarters 1–4). Data were analysed to investigate significance.

Findings

There was no statistically significant increase in compliance with the guideline from quarter 1 through to quarter 4.

Conclusions

Despite its limitations, this audit suggests the training has not had a significant impact on practice. When an initiative starts to deliver results that are not providing value for money, reassessing services in the interest of quality care must be the priority.
Pre-registration midwifery education: Do learning styles limit or liberate students?
Authors: Power Alison , Farmer Robert
Published: February 2017

In 1995, all pre-registration health education moved into higher education, signalling a shift from the apprenticeship model to an academic one. Since 2008, the Nursing and Midwifery Council has required all pre-registration midwifery programmes to be offered at degree level only, with a required practice-to-theory ratio of no less than 50% practice and no less than 40% theory. Individual education institutions vary in how these requirements are met in terms of learning and teaching strategies. This article explores literature in relation to the ‘learning styles’ pedagogical approach, which advocates that all students have a particular preferred learning style and will learn best if they are allowed to learn in their preferred style. The key question is: What are the most appropriate learning and teaching strategies to support student midwives to develop the skill set required to meet the demands of contemporary practice?
Engaged midwives offer better care
Authors: Dunkley-Bent Jacqueline
Published: February 2017

Policy documents have made recommendations for improving our maternity services, but these can only be implemented with the support of an engaged workforce, says Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent.
Caesarean section and evolution
Authors: Winter George F
Published: February 2017

It has been suggested that a history of intervening in childbirth has left women biologically less adept at giving birth. George Winter considers this notion in the context of the debate over caesarean sections.
Teaching staff using tech enhanced learning skills
Authors: Francis Jo
Published: February 2017

Children and adults of all ages are familiar with the use of technology, such as apps and tablet computers, and while over-use is not to be promoted, as an aide or tool, they can be useful, especially in staff teams.
Successful collaborations
Authors: Armstrong Phil
Published: February 2017

This is the start of a series of articles that will explore ways of making Early Years Pupil Premium work for children and settings. Phil Armstrong explores the need to work in partnership with other settings.
Training attentive fingers
Authors: Dolya Galina
Published: February 2017

These finger gym activities are based on switching smoothly, rapidly and exactly from one position to another, so that young children become able to do this automatically and without making mistakes.
La Influencia Del Culto A Los Orishas En La Patrimonialización Del Central Méjico (Matanzas)
Authors: Maxime Toutain
Published: February 2017

Hace más de veinte años que se celebra cada 21 de agosto, en el antiguo ingenio Álava – hoy Central Méjico – el ‘Día del Alavense Ausente’, una fiesta patrimonial donde se recuerda el pasado esclavista local. A lo largo del día y en sus diferentes actividades se nota la presencia del hecho religioso de origen africano, y en particular del culto a los orishas. De hecho, varias reliquias, llamadas ‘santo parado’ se encuentran dentro del antiguo barracón, siendo la más venerada un muñeco de madera del orisha Elegguá. Estas reliquias aún se integran a la práctica de los religiosos del Central, quienes reivindican una continuidad con los esclavos que las trajeron desde África. Pero el culto tal y como se practica hoy no es endémico, sino que fue importado de centros urbanos como La Habana desde la primera mitad del siglo XX. Además, casi solo es evocado el culto a los orishas, a pesar de que se constata que los habitantes tienen una práctica diversificada, pasando sin contradicción, de éste a otros cultos como el Palo-Monte y el espiritismo ‘cruzado’. Este artículo propone, basándose en datos etnográficos, un análisis de la dinámica patrimonial, preguntándose cuáles son los mecanismos que permiten erigir al culto a los orishas como una herencia valorizada de los esclavos.
Estimating Stellar Parameters and Interstellar Extinction from Evolutionary Tracks
Authors: Sichevsky S. , Malkov O.
Published: February 2017

Developing methods for analyzing and extracting information from modern sky surveys is a challenging task in astrophysical studies. We study possibilities of parameterizing stars and interstellar medium from multicolor photometry performed in three modern photometric surveys: GALEX, SDSS, and 2MASS. For this purpose, we have developed a method to estimate stellar radius from effective temperature and gravity with the help of evolutionary tracks and model stellar atmospheres. In accordance with the evolution rate at every point of the evolutionary track, star formation rate, and initial mass function, a weight is assigned to the resulting value of radius that allows us to estimate the radius more accurately. The method is verified for the most populated areas of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram: main-sequence stars and red giants, and it was found to be rather precise (for main-sequence stars, the average relative error of radius and its standard deviation are 0.03% and 3.87%, respectively).