bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Employment of woman in tribal region of Bihar
Authors: Singh Seema
Published: August 2017

Subsistence rural economy of the tribal region of Bihar compel woman, both tribal and non tribal to join the labour market. The Female Labour Force Participation Rate is significantly high in the region as compared to the State as a whole. This study, based on three clusters of villages from Ranchi district, has revealed that the economy is almost stagnant. Available employment opportunities are less productive and mainly rely on land and forest resources. Women works in even less remunerative activities.

Opportunities for gainful employment would depend on overall development of farm and non-farm activities. However, development of the area will not lead to the meaningful participation of women. Proper intervention is needed enhancing productivity of traditional activities done by women for immediate benefits and skill up-gradation as well as empowerment for long run gains.
Impact of Subarnarekha Multipurpose Project on three Singhbhum villages
Authors: Upadhyay V.
Published: August 2017

The impact of development projects on displaced people particularly tribals have been one of the most important concerns in recent times. The paper has assessed the impact of Subarnarekha Multipurpose Project (SMP), in West Singhbhum district of Bihar and is based on a sample study. The paper brings out the problems of the people who have already been uprooted and are in various stages of resettlement and rehabilitation and also of those who are to face eviction in the future. The paper also brings out the feelings of the people that they have been misled, misinformed and cheated and in no way it has been for the benefit of the people.
Bhuria Committee Report and Tribal Self-Governance in Jharkhand Region of Bihar
Authors: Sharan Ramesh , Singh Amar Kumar
Published: August 2017

The need for self governance in general and tribal self governance in particular is being advocated by various groups both at National and International levels, sometimes for differing reasons and in various forms. The present paper evaluates the Bhuria Committee recommendations in general and identifies the difficulties with implementation in the Jharkhand Region of Bihar.
Laying the Groundwork: Linking Internal Agenda-Setting Processes of Interest Groups to Their Role in Policy Making
Authors: Halpin Darren R. , Fraussen Bert
Published: August 2017

Although scholarship has highlighted the role of stakeholders in policy making, less is known about the preparations they make that lay the groundwork for their lobbying activities. This article links ideas on collaborative governance with the study of agenda setting within interest groups. We outline an orthodox mode of agenda setting that anticipates groups possess a proactive policy mode, an institutionalized policy platform, and a pyramid-like agenda structure. Subsequently, we use this orthodox mode as a heuristic device for examining agenda structures and processes, combining survey data on the practices of groups in Australia with illustrative qualitative evidence.
Hosting Jesus: Revisiting Luke’s ‘Sinful Woman’ (Luke 7.36-50) as a Tale of Two Hosts
Authors: Bertschmann Dorothea H.
Published: August 2017

The gospel narratives of Jesus’ table fellowship have attracted widespread attention, both as parables of divine generosity extended to the marginalized and as examples of radical inclusion, subverting social expectations and hierarchies. Offering a close reading of Lk. 7.36-50, this article uncovers an equally strong emphasis on mutuality and reciprocity, which is too often overlooked by exegetes. Drawing on anthropological insights about hospitality, this article argues that the pericope can be read as the forming, disturbing and re-creating of cycles of hospitality. The woman’s gestures are shown to be highly ambiguous; they were likely not deciphered as gestures of hospitality. It is only through Jesus’ intervention that the woman’s actions are reframed as expressions of generous hospitality. Jesus, who never leaves his role as guest, thus brings the woman into direct competition with Simon, the original host. The woman alone has properly hosted Jesus by approaching him lovingly as the divine saviour.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate augmentation for major depressive disorder in adults with inadequate response to antidepressant therapy
Authors: Richards Cynthia , Iosifescu Dan V , Mago Rajnish , Sarkis Elias , Reynolds James , Geibel Brooke , Dauphin Matthew
Published: August 2017

Background:

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated dose-response relationships of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate when used as augmentation for major depressive disorder in individuals exhibiting inadequate responses to antidepressant monotherapy.

Methods:

Eligible adults (18–65 years) were assigned to antidepressant monotherapy (escitalopram or venlafaxine extended-release) plus lisdexamfetamine dimesylate-matching placebo during an eight-week single-blind lead-in phase. Participants meeting randomization criteria were randomized (1:1:1:1:1) to eight weeks of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (10, 30, 50, or 70 mg) or placebo while maintaining antidepressant therapy. Dose-responses for changes from augmentation baseline to week 16/early termination for Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale total score (primary efficacy endpoint) and vital signs (systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pulse) were assessed using multiple comparisons procedures with modeling.

Results:

For Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale total score change, no significant dose-responses were observed for any candidate dose-response curve (all p>0.10). In the dose-response evaluable population, least squares mean (90% confidence interval) treatment differences versus placebo for Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale total score change at week 16 were −1.4 (−3.9, 1.2), 0.1 (−2.5, 2.7), −0.7 (−3.4, 2.0), and −0.9 (−3.5, 1.6) with 10, 30, 50, and 70 mg lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, respectively. For all vital sign parameters, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate exhibited significant dose-responses for all candidate dose-response curves (all p<0.10), with increases observed as lisdexamfetamine dimesylate dose increased; a linear relationship provided the best fit. Mean±standard deviation changes from augmentation baseline for systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pulse at week 16/early termination were −0.7±9.90 and −0.3±7.24 mm Hg and 0.2±10.57 bpm with placebo and were 1.9±9.47 and 0.8±7.40 mm Hg and 3.6±9.74 bpm with lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (all doses combined). The safety and tolerability profile of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate was consistent with previous studies.

Conclusions:

Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate augmentation did not provide benefit over placebo in adults with inadequate responses to antidepressant monotherapy based on the assessed efficacy measures.
The People’s Plan? Participation and Post-Politics in Flint’s Master Planning Process
Authors: Lederman Jacob
Published: August 2017

Drawing upon an analysis of Flint’s 2012–2013 master planning process, this article explores a puzzling set of questions: Why would a city under emergency management with an abrogated democratic process explicitly encourage extensive citizen participation in one of its most important and strategic documents? How does the urge to involve the community in decision-making reflect new priorities of urban governance? The paper suggests that such a paradox can be conceived as a coherent strategy for addressing conflicting priorities. On the one hand, the exigencies of official claims to democratic engagement operate during a period in which public discourse on inequality has grown in prominence. On the other, harsh fiscal constraint compels local officials and stakeholders to create the conditions for new market-led investment as the singular remedy to urban decline. The result is a transformation of the normative boundaries of the public, lauded as democratic, yet narrowly defined as those participating in highly choreographed and non-binding civic rituals. Local stakeholders, outside consultants, and city administrators generated consensus on a set of urban planning best practices deemed conducive to novel forms of growth, suggesting a transferal of authority from elected office holders to non-elected experts. This process then established the conditions under which community participation was pursued. The intertwining of technical expertise and elite decision-making, however, predetermined community input by naturalizing technocratic logics in planning policy, while signaling the post-political bent of some participatory processes in U.S. cities.
How do public librarians constitute information literacy?
Authors: Demasson Andrew , Partridge Helen , Bruce Christine
Published: August 2017

The public library has historically been entrusted with the design and delivery of services and programmes aimed at supporting the information literacy needs of the community-at-large. However, despite that central role little research has been devoted to understanding the ways in which public librarians, the conduit between the programme and the public, constitute the very concept (information literacy) they are delivering. This study has sought to redress that inequity by way of a phenomenographic study into the ways in which public librarians constitute information literacy. Data was collected via 20 semi-structured, one-on-one interviews with public librarians working in Queensland, Australia. The study revealed that the respondents constituted information literacy in four ways, as: intellectual process, technical skills, navigating the social world and gaining the desired result. Those findings and the attending study will help to provide a new evidence base that assists in the design and delivery of activities supporting future information literacy endeavors in the nation’s public libraries.
Chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus presenting as atypical acneiform and comedonal plaque: case report and literature review
Authors: Vieira M L , Marques E R M C , Leda Y L A , Noriega L F , Bet D L , Pereira G A A M
Published: August 2017

Introduction

Chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CCLE) usually presents as characteristic erythematous patches and infiltrated coin-shaped plaques. However, there are some atypical clinical variants that may mimic other dermatological conditions. Haroon et al. reported in 1972 an unusual presentation of CCLE with hypertrophic follicular scars seen in acne vulgaris. Acneiform presentation is one of the most rarely reported and one of the most confusing, as it resembles a very common inflammatory skin disease. A brief review of the literature using PubMed found only nine other reports.

Case report

A 32-year-old woman presented with two-year pruritic infiltrated acneiform and comedonal eruption on the right chin treated as acne with isotretinoin without improvement. On examination the patient presented with erythematous-infiltrated plaque, papules, open comedones, pitting scars and hypopigmented atrophic scars on the right chin area and scalp hair loss. An incisional skin biopsy on the chin and scalp lesions was performed and the anatomopathological and immunofluorescence exam showed findings that are consistent with CCLE. Additional tests ruled out systemic involvement. The patient was treated with prednisone and chloroquine diphosphate with great improvement. After four years the lesion is stable, with some scarring.

Discussion

In a literature review we found nine other cases of acneiform presentation of lupus erythematosus: Three cases were systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and seven others were diagnosed as CCLE (including our patient). All three patients who had SLE tested positive for antinuclear antibodies (ANA), and only one patient with CCLE, had a low titer of positive ANA (1:80). Ages varied from 24 to 60 years old, with a median of 32 years old, the same as our patient’s age and consistent with the literature. Seven were females and three were males, with a ratio of 2.3:1. Most cases, such as our patient, showed acneiform lesions mainly on the face, a common site of typical CCLE. The present case and literature review illustrates the need to expand the differential diagnosis of atypical acneiform and comedonal lesions. CCLE should be considered especially in a localized lesion, which can be itchy and does not improve with conventional treatment for acne vulgaris.
Game-based interventions and their impact on dementia: a narrative review
Authors: Zheng Jiaying , Chen Xueping , Yu Ping
Published: August 2017

Objective:

The aim of this review was to examine the efficacy of game-based interventions for people with dementia.

Methods:

Seven studies that met the inclusion criteria were found in four databases. Their interventions and key findings were analysed and synthesised.

Results:

Game-based interventions for people with dementia are showing promise for improving cognition, coordination and behavioural and psychological symptoms. The generalisability of the findings is limited by weak methodology and small sample size.

Conclusions:

Game-based interventions can improve cognition, coordination and behavioural and psychological symptoms for people with dementia. Future research should include methodological improvement and practice guideline development.
Original opinion: the use of Bloom’s Taxonomy to teach and assess the skill of the psychiatric formulation during vocational training
Authors: de Beer Wayne A
Published: August 2017

Objectives:

This paper proposes the use of the cognitive domain of Bloom’s Taxonomy, an educational classification system, to guide the critical thinking required for the composition of the psychiatric formulation during the various stages of specialist training.

Conclusions:

Bloom’s Taxonomy offers a hierarchical, structured approach to clinical reasoning. Use of this method can assist supervisors and trainees to understand better the concepts of and offer a developmental approach to critical reasoning. Application of the Taxonomy, using cognitive ‘action words’ (verbs) within each of the levels, can promote increasing sophistication in the construction of the psychiatric formulation. Examples of how the Taxonomy can be adapted to design educational resources are suggested in the article.
The Effect of Group Counseling Using Ellis’s A-B-C Technique on Irrational Beliefs and Self-Efficacy About Breast Self-Awareness of Women Health Volunteers
Authors: Rouzbeh Mahnaz , Namadian Masoumeh , Shakibazadeh Elham , Hasani Jafar , Rouzbeh Robabeh
Published: August 2017

Purpose: This preliminary pilot effort assessed the effect of group counseling using A-B-C technique on irrational beliefs and self-efficacy for women health volunteers (WHVs) in breast self-awareness. Design: In this randomized controlled trial, 40 WHVs from three health centers (Abhar, Iran) were randomly allocated into two groups. Method: Seven weekly group counseling sessions were held for the intervention group. Data about cancer fatalism belief, dissatisfaction of body, anxiety, and self-efficacy were collected through validated questionnaires 1 month before and 2 weeks after the intervention. Results: Mean scores of anxiety ( p = .036), body dissatisfaction ( p = .002), cancer fatalism belief ( p ≤ .0001), and self-efficacy ( p ≤ .0001) were improved in the intervention group compared with control group. Discussion/Conclusion: Group counseling using A-B-C technique was effective in improving irrational beliefs and self-efficacy of the WHVs about breast self-awareness. Implications for Practice: The findings may help in further development of strategies and cultural programs to improve health-related irrational beliefs.
Nurse Religiosity and Spiritual Care: An Online Survey
Authors: Taylor Elizabeth Johnston , Gober-Park Carla , Schoonover-Shoffner Kathy , Mamier Iris , Somaiya Chintan K. , Bahjri Khaled
Published: August 2017

This study measured the frequency of nurse-provided spiritual care and how it is associated with various facets of nurse religiosity. Data were collected using an online survey accessed from the home page of the Journal of Christian Nursing. The survey included the Nurse Spiritual Care Therapeutics Scale, six scales quantifying facets of religiosity, and demographic and work-related items. Respondents ( N = 358) indicated high religiosity yet reported neutral responses to items about sharing personal beliefs and tentativeness of belief. Findings suggested spiritual care was infrequent. Multivariate analysis showed prayer frequency, employer support of spiritual care, and non-White ethnicity were significantly associated with spiritual care frequency (adjusted R2 = .10). Results not only provide an indication of spiritual care frequency but empirical encouragement for nurse managers to provide a supportive environment for spiritual care. Findings expose the reality that nurse religiosity is directly related, albeit weakly, to spiritual care frequency.
A novel drug interaction between busulfan and blinatumomab
Authors: Sweiss Karen , Quigley John G , Oh Annie , Lee Jonathan , Ye Rosa , Rondelli Damiano , Patel Pritesh
Published: August 2017

Busulfan is an alkylating agent used in pre-transplant conditioning for patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Several factors contribute to variations in busulfan drug disposition including bioavailability, age, liver function, genetic polymorphisms, and concurrent administration of other drugs. Busulfan is metabolized by hepatic oxidation via the cytochrome P450 3A4 system as well as through conjugation with glutathione. Interactions with drugs such as phenytoin, itraconazole, and metronidazole have been reported to alter busulfan clearance and result in sub- or supra-therapeutic concentrations. We report a case of a clinically significant drug interaction between intravenous busulfan and the bifunctional T-cell engager, blinatumomab, observed through busulfan therapeutic drug monitoring. We found that busulfan clearance was reduced resulting in a higher area under the concentration-time curve when it was administered 48 h after blinatumomab. Repeat busulfan pharmacokinetic testing two weeks later demonstrated increased clearance of the drug and a 31% higher dose recommendation.

Similar to other protein therapeutics, cytokine elevations during blinatumomab treatment can lead to cytochrome 3A4 suppression. We hypothesize that the increased busulfan levels observed could be related to a cytokine-mediated CYP3A4 suppression. This represents a unique pharmacologic consideration in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation which would impact several drugs that undergo CYP3A4 metabolism, including calcineurin inhibitors, cyclophosphamide, sirolimus, and triazole antifungals. Additionally, this mechanism of CYP3A4 suppression may be relevant in treatments and disease states where cytokine levels are elevated such as haploidentical stem cell transplantation, graft-versus-host disease, and use of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.
No Randomization? No Problem
Authors: Ledford Jennifer R.
Published: August 2017

Randomization of large number of participants to different treatment groups is often not a feasible or preferable way to answer questions of immediate interest to professional practice. Single case designs (SCDs) are a class of research designs that are experimental in nature but require only a few participants, all of whom receive the treatment(s) of interest. SCDs are particularly relevant when a dependent variable of interest can be measured repeatedly over time across two conditions (e.g., baseline and intervention). Rather than using randomization of large numbers of participants, SCD researchers use careful and prescribed ordering of experimental conditions, which allow researchers to improve internal validity by ruling out alternative explanations for behavior change. This article describes SCD logic, control of threats to internal validity, the use of randomization and counterbalancing, and data analysis in the context of single case research.
Hierarchical Association Coefficient Algorithm: New Method for Genome-Wide Association Study
Authors: Kim Bongsong
Published: August 2017

Hierarchical association coefficient algorithm calculates the degree of association between observations and categories into a value named hierarchical association coefficient (HA-coefficient) between 0 for the lower limit and 1 for the upper limit. The HA-coefficient algorithm can be operated with stratified ascending categories based on the average of observations in each category. The upper limit refers to a condition where observations are increasingly ordered into the stratified ascending categories, whereas the lower limit refers to a condition where observations are decreasingly ordered into the stratified ascending categories. An HA-coefficient represents how close an observed categorization is to the upper limit, or how distant an observed categorization is from the lower limit. To demonstrate robustness and reliability, the HA-coefficient algorithm was applied to 3 different simulated data sets with the same pattern in terms of the association between observations and categories. From all simulated data sets, the same result was obtained, indicating that the HA-coefficient algorithm is robust and reliable.
The Marching Dunstans: performing memory, queering memory
Authors: Baird Barbara , Prosser Rosslyn
Published: August 2017

The Marching Dunstans were a group of over 100 people in the annual Pride March in Adelaide, South Australia, in 2015, the 40th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in this state. The Marching Dunstans dressed in either safari suits or pink shorts and white T-shirts, signature 1970s costumes of Premier Don Dunstan, the socially progressive Premier who oversaw decriminalisation and many other progressive changes. The Marching Dunstans constituted a queer intervention into the collective memory of this period of social change and the inspiring leadership of Don Dunstan. This article documents the role of the various mnemonic technologies and the affects that these generated. These included the dress, placards, badges, marching, voice and spectacle. It argues that, as an embodied performance of queer memory, The Marching Dunstans created space for a radical queer community politics for the present.
Aquaporin-4 serostatus does not predict response to immunotherapy in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders
Authors: Mealy Maureen A , Kim Su-Hyun , Schmidt Felix , López Reydmar , Jimenez Arango Jorge A , Paul Friedemann , Wingerchuk Dean M , Greenberg Benjamin M , Kim Ho Jin , Levy Michael
Published: August 2017

Background:

Debate exists about whether neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder seronegative disease represents the same immune-mediated attack on astrocytic aquaporin-4 as in seropositive disease.

Objective:

We investigated whether response to common treatments for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder differed by serostatus, as assessed by change in annualized relapse rate.

Methods:

We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of 245 patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder who were treated with either rituximab or mycophenolate mofetil as their first-line immunosuppressive treatment for disease prevention. Patients were followed for a minimum of 6 months following treatment initiation.

Results:

In those started on rituximab, the pre-treatment annualized relapse rates for seropositive and seronegative patients were 1.81 and 1.93, respectively. On-treatment annualized relapse rates significantly declined to 0.32 (seropositive; p < 0.0001) and 0.12 (seronegative; p = 0.0001). In those started on mycophenolate mofetil, the pre-treatment annualized relapse rates for seropositive and seronegative patients were 1.79 and 1.45, respectively. On-treatment annualized relapse rates declined to 0.29 (seropositive; p < 0.0001) and 0.30 (seronegative; p < 0.005).

Conclusion:

In this international collaboration involving a large number of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder patients, treatment was effective regardless of serostatus. This suggests that treatment should not differ when considering these treatments.
Detection and Delineation of Oral Cancer With a PARP1-Targeted Optical Imaging Agent
Authors: Kossatz Susanne , Weber Wolfgang , Reiner Thomas
Published: August 2017

More sensitive and specific methods for early detection are imperative to improve survival rates in oral cancer. However, oral cancer detection is still largely based on visual examination and histopathology of biopsy material, offering no molecular selectivity or spatial resolution. Intuitively, the addition of optical contrast could improve oral cancer detection and delineation, but so far no molecularly targeted approach has been translated. Our fluorescently labeled small-molecule inhibitor PARPi-FL binds to the DNA repair enzyme poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase 1 (PARP1) and is a potential diagnostic aid for oral cancer delineation. Based on our preclinical work, a clinical phase I/II trial opened in March 2017 to evaluate PARPi-FL as a contrast agent for oral cancer imaging. In this commentary, we discuss why we chose PARP1 as a biomarker for tumor detection and which particular characteristics make PARPi-FL an excellent candidate to image PARP1 in optically guided applications. We also comment on the potential benefits of our molecularly targeted PARPi-FL-guided imaging approach in comparison to existing oral cancer screening adjuncts and mention the adaptability of PARPi-FL imaging to other environments and tumor types.
An Embodied and Intersubjective Practice of Occupational Therapy
Authors: Arntzen Cathrine
Published: August 2017

The literature on clinical reasoning tends to ignore the context and the interaction between patient and therapist. This article outlines a theoretical foundation for an extended mode of clinical reasoning in occupational therapy. Cognitive theories of human action, as well as narrative and instrumental approaches, provide an insufficient picture of the nature of clinical reasoning in occupational therapy practice. An embodied intersubjective clinical reasoning can function as an adjunct to traditional clinical reasoning in occupational therapy practice and is discussed through the concepts of the ambiguous body, incorporation of things, and the process of shared meaning-making. This mode of reasoning can help occupational therapy practitioners to be aware of how they influence the patient’s perception of body, self, and world. It can promote a better understanding of details in embodied performances and in the co-construction of meaning, positively influencing occupation, participation, and health.
Subject coordinators as boundary managers: The impact on team learning and organizational outcomes
Authors: Somech Anit , Naamneh Manar
Published: August 2017

The present research examines the functioning of subject coordinators as boundary managers. According to this approach, effective team leaders move back and forth across the team boundary, by means of internal activities, which focus on internal team processes, and external activities, which focus on connecting the team with the external environment in which it operates. The research model suggests that internal and external boundary management activities will promote team learning, which in turn will advance team outcomes (innovation and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)) as well as organizational outcomes (academic achievements of students). Eighty-three subject coordinators and 260 teachers from elementary and junior high schools were studied. In general, structural equation modeling supported the mediating role of team learning in the relationship between boundary management and outcomes. The findings revealed positive relationships between internal and external activities and team learning, as well as between team learning and innovation and OCB. No significant relation was found between team learning and academic achievements. Implications, limitations, and future research directions pertaining to the boundary-related roles of subject coordinators are discussed.
How does health-promoting lifestyle relate to sexual function among women of reproductive age in Iran?
Authors: Abedi Parvin , Jorfi Maryam , Afshari Poorandokht , Fakhri Ahmad
Published: August 2017

This study aimed to evaluate the relation between health-promoting lifestyle and sexual function among women of reproductive age. In this cross-sectional study, 1200 women were recruited randomly from 10 public health centers in Ahvaz, Iran. A demographic questionnaire, Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile 2 (HPLP2), and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) were used for data collection. The inclusion criteria were as follows: women aged 15–45 years, married, monogamous, and having basic literacy. Data were analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis test, chi-square test, Spearman correlation coefficient, and logistic regression. All aspects of sexual function showed a significant relationship with different dimensions of HPLP2, except for pain and physical activity ( p < 0.001). Women who had better self-actualization were more likely to have better sexual function than other women (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.06–1.14, p < 0.001). Other variables like responsibility, interpersonal relations and stress management also showed a significant correlation with sexual function. Results of this study showed that health-promoting lifestyle dimensions are significantly related to all aspects of sexual function in women of reproductive age. Health policy makers should take lifestyle-related factors of reproductive-aged women into account when seeking to improve the sexual wellbeing of this population. Further attention should also be given to assessing the direction of causality.
Dysplastic pulmonary valve stenosis associated with unilateral absent first metacarpal: A rare association
Authors: Kodliwadmath Ashwin
Published: August 2017

Context:

Dysplastic pulmonary valve stenosis is a less common variety of valvular pulmonary stenosis. It is known to be part of Noonan syndrome. Bony hand anomalies in patients of pulmonary stenosis are very rare.

Case report:

A 50-year-old lady, with no significant past history, presented with slowly progressive breathlessness and fatigue, and had progressed from NYHA class 1 to 2 over 2 years. She had unilateral absent first metacarpal and diagnosed on workup to have dysplastic pulmonary valve stenosis and was treated with balloon valvuloplasty.

Conclusion:

Dysplastic pulmonary valve stenosis can rarely be associated with bony hand anomalies like absent first metacarpal.
Therapeutic Social Control of People with Serious Mental Illness: An Empirical Verification and Extension of Theory
Authors: Perry Brea L. , Frieh Emma , Wright Eric R.
Published: August 2017

Mental health services and psychiatric professional values have shifted in the past several decades toward a model of client autonomy and informed consent, at least in principle. However, it is unclear how much has changed in practice, particularly in cases where client behavior poses ethical challenges for clinicians. Drawing on the case of clients’ sexual behavior and contraception use, we examine whether sociological theories of “soft” coercion remain relevant (e.g., therapeutic social control; Horwitz 1982) in contemporary mental health treatment settings. Using structured interview data from 98 men and women with serious mental illness (SMI), we explore client experiences of choice, coercion, and the spaces that lie in between. Patterns in our data confirm Horwitz’s (1982) theory of therapeutic social control but also suggest directions for updating and extending it. Specifically, we identify four strategies used to influence client behavior: coercion, enabling, education, and conciliation. We find that most clients’ experiences reflect elements of ambiguous or limited autonomy, wherein compliance is achieved by invoking therapeutic goals. However, women with SMI disproportionately report experiencing intense persuasion and direct use or threat of force. We argue that it is critical to consider how ostensibly noncoercive and value-free interventions nonetheless reflect the goals and norms of dominant groups.
Patients Undergoing Cesarean Delivery After Exposure to Oxytocin During Labor Require Higher Postpartum Oxytocin Doses
Authors: Foley Amanda , Gunter Ashley , Nunes Kenneth J. , Shahul Sajid , Scavone Barbara M.
Published: August 2017

BACKGROUND:

Experts recommend postpartum oxytocin to prevent uterine atony and hemorrhage, but oxytocin may be associated with dose-dependent adverse effects, and the correct dose of postpartum oxytocin has yet to be determined. The effective dose in 90% of patients (ED90) of oxytocin after cesarean delivery may be higher in patients exposed to oxytocin during labor compared to patients unexposed. We therefore undertook this study to compare postpartum oxytocin requirements in patients exposed to oxytocin prior to cesarean delivery versus those not exposed, when all were treated according to a specific institutional protocol.

METHODS:

In this retrospective chart review, we reviewed medical records of patients who underwent cesarean delivery under neuraxial anesthesia and noted demographic data, relevant comorbidities, and oxytocin exposure, infusion rate, and duration prior to delivery. Patients exposed to oxytocin before cesarean (OXY+ group) were compared to those not exposed (OXY− group). The primary outcome variable was highest infusion rate of postpartum oxytocin required per institutional protocol. Secondary outcomes included estimated blood loss, proportion of patients with postpartum hemorrhage, and proportions who received other uterotonic medications or red blood cell transfusion.

RESULTS:

OXY+ patients were more likely to be nulliparous and had higher estimated gestational age and neonatal weight than OXY− patients. They also had higher incidence of chorioamnionitis and lower incidence of multiple gestation. OXY+ patients required a high postpartum oxytocin infusion rate more often than OXY− patients (adjusted odds ratio 1.94 [95% confidence interval, 1.19–3.15; P = .008]). They also received other uterotonic agents more commonly. Estimated blood loss, hemorrhage rates, and transfusion rates did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

Reported increases in the ED90 of postpartum oxytocin after oxytocin exposure during labor appear to be clinically significant. We have therefore altered our institutional protocol so that women preexposed to oxytocin routinely receive higher initial postpartum oxytocin infusion rates.
Recent advances in cerebral oximetry. Assessment of cerebral autoregulation with near-infrared spectroscopy: myth or reality?
Authors: Moerman Anneliese , De Hert Stefan
Published: August 2017

In recent years, the feasibility of near-infrared spectroscopy to continuously assess cerebral autoregulation has gained increasing interest. By plotting cerebral oxygen saturation over blood pressure, clinicians can generate an index of autoregulation: the cerebral oximetry index (COx). Successful integration of this monitoring ability in daily critical care may allow clinicians to tailor blood pressure management to the individual patient’s need and might prove to be a major step forward in terms of patient outcome.
Recent advances in in vitro fertilization
Authors: Casper Robert , Haas Jigal , Hsieh Tzu-Bou , Bassil Rawad , Mehta Chaula
Published: August 2017

The field of assisted reproductive technology is rapidly progressing with many new advances in the last decade. The present review discusses methods to improve oocyte quality in older women and new stimulation protocols that may improve the number of mature oocytes retrieved during an in vitro fertilization cycle. We will discuss the present use of pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) and finally focus on some new methods to determine endometrial receptivity. The focus of this review is to point out areas of technology that may be controversial or are new enough to require proper controlled studies for validation.
Recent advances in understanding and prevention of sudden cardiac death
Authors: Vandenberg Jamie I. , Perry Matthew D. , Hill Adam P.
Published: August 2017

There have been tremendous advances in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease over the last 50 years. Nevertheless, it remains the number one cause of death. About half of heart-related deaths occur suddenly, and in about half of these cases the person was unaware that they had underlying heart disease. Genetic heart disease accounts for only approximately 2% of sudden cardiac deaths, but as it typically occurs in younger people it has been a particular focus of activity in our quest to not only understand the underlying mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmogenesis but also develop better strategies for earlier detection and prevention. In this brief review, we will highlight trends in the recent literature focused on sudden cardiac death in genetic heart diseases and how these studies are contributing to a broader understanding of sudden death in the community.
Coordinating ERK signaling via the molecular scaffold Kinase Suppressor of Ras
Authors: Frodyma Danielle , Neilsen Beth , Costanzo-Garvey Diane , Fisher Kurt , Lewis Robert
Published: August 2017

Many cancers, including those of the colon, lung, and pancreas, depend upon the signaling pathways induced by mutated and constitutively active Ras. The molecular scaffolds Kinase Suppressor of Ras 1 and 2 (KSR1 and KSR2) play potent roles in promoting Ras-mediated signaling through the Raf/MEK/ERK kinase cascade. Here we summarize the canonical role of KSR in cells, including its central role as a scaffold protein for the Raf/MEK/ERK kinase cascade, its regulation of various cellular pathways mediated through different binding partners, and the phenotypic consequences of KSR1 or KSR2 genetic inactivation. Mammalian KSR proteins have a demonstrated role in cellular and organismal energy balance with implications for cancer and obesity. Targeting KSR1 in cancer using small molecule inhibitors has potential for therapy with reduced toxicity to the patient. RNAi and small molecule screens using KSR1 as a reference standard have the potential to expose and target vulnerabilities in cancer. Interestingly, although KSR1 and KSR2 are similar in structure, KSR2 has a distinct physiological role in regulating energy balance. Although KSR proteins have been studied for two decades, additional analysis is required to elucidate both the regulation of these molecular scaffolds and their potent effect on the spatial and temporal control of ERK activation in health and disease.
Protein clustering for cell polarity: Par-3 as a paradigm
Authors: Harris Tony J. C.
Published: August 2017

The scaffold protein Par-3 (Drosophila Bazooka) is a central organizer of cell polarity across animals. This review focuses on how the clustering of Par-3 contributes to cell polarity. It begins with the Par-3 homo-oligomerization mechanism and its regulation by Par-1 phosphorylation. The role of polarized cytoskeletal networks in distributing Par-3 clusters to one end of the cell is then discussed, as is the subsequent maintenance of polarized Par-3 clusters through hindered mobility and inhibition from the opposite pole. Finally, specific roles of Par-3 clusters are reviewed, including the bundling of microtubules, the cortical docking of centrosomes, the growth and positioning of cadherin–catenin clusters, and the inhibition of the Par-6–aPKC kinase cassette. Examples are drawn from Drosophila, Caenorhabditis elegans, mammalian cell culture, and biochemical studies.
Best practice data life cycle approaches for the life sciences
Authors: Griffin Philippa C. , Khadake Jyoti , LeMay Kate S. , Lewis Suzanna E. , Orchard Sandra , Pask Andrew , Pope Bernard , Roessner Ute , Russell Keith , Seemann Torsten , Treloar Andrew , Tyagi Sonika , Christiansen Jeffrey H. , Dayalan Saravanan , Gladman Simon , Hangartner Sandra B. , Hayden Helen L. , Ho William W.H. , Keeble-Gagnère Gabriel , Korhonen Pasi K. , Neish Peter , Prestes Priscilla R. , Richardson Mark F. , Watson-Haigh Nathan S. , Wyres Kelly L. , Young Neil D. , Schneider Maria Victoria
Published: August 2017

Throughout history, the life sciences have been revolutionised by technological advances; in our era this is manifested by advances in instrumentation for data generation, and consequently researchers now routinely handle large amounts of heterogeneous data in digital formats. The simultaneous transitions towards biology as a data science and towards a ‘life cycle’ view of research data pose new challenges. Researchers face a bewildering landscape of data management requirements, recommendations and regulations, without necessarily being able to access data management training or possessing a clear understanding of practical approaches that can assist in data management in their particular research domain.

Here we provide an overview of best practice data life cycle approaches for researchers in the life sciences/bioinformatics space with a particular focus on ‘omics’ datasets and computer-based data processing and analysis. We discuss the different stages of the data life cycle and provide practical suggestions for useful tools and resources to improve data management practices.
Differential response of the liver to bile acid treatment in a mouse model of Niemann-Pick disease type C
Authors: Nicoli Elena-Raluca , Smith David , Morris Lauren , Platt Frances M.
Published: August 2017

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) disease is a neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations in the NPC1 or NPC2 genes. Liver disease is also a common feature of NPC that can present as cholestatic jaundice in the neonatal period. Liver enzymes can remain elevated above the normal range in some patients as they age.

We recently reported suppression of the P450 detoxification system in a mouse model of NPC disease and in post-mortem liver from NPC patients. As bile acids regulate the P450 system, we tested bile acid treatment using ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA; 3α, 7β-dihydroxy-5β-cholanic acid), a hydrophilic bile acid, which is used to treat several cholestatic disorders. In this study, we compared UDCA treatment with the bile acid cholic acid (CA), and found unexpected hepatotoxicity in response to CA in Npc1 mice, but not to UDCA, suggesting that only UDCA should be used as an adjunctive therapy in NPC patients.
REACTION OF SPRING WHEAT IREN ON ABIOTIC CONDITIONS WITH CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GRAIN
Authors: Фатыхов Ильдус , Fatykhov Ildus , Корепанова Елена , Korepanova Elena , Борисов Борис , Borisov Boris
Published: August 2017

The problem of the chemical composition of fruits and seeds of field crops, depending on abiotic conditions, requires further investigation and is an urgent task. The aim of the research was to study the reaction of spring wheat Iren to abiotic conditions by the chemical composition of the grain. The research tasks are to determine the chemical composition of grain by 70 elements; to reveal differences in the content of chemical elements in grains, grown in various abiotic conditions. The object of research is the grains of spring wheat of Iren variety. Samples of Iren spring wheat grains of 2014 and 2015 years harvest were taken to determine the content of 70 chemical elements Agricultural consumers’ co-operative named after Michurin of Vavozhskiy district of the Udmurt Republic. The content of 70 chemical elements in grain was determined in the Analytical Certified Testing Center (ACTC) of All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Mineral Raw Materials named after N.M. Fedorovskiy (VIMS). The analysis method is mass-spectral with inductively coupled plasma (MS) + atomic emission with inductively coupled plasma (AE) according to the NSAM technique №512-MS. The reaction of Irene spring wheat to abiotic conditions was expressed by a different content of 45 chemical elements in the grains. The concentration of 25 chemical elements in the grain over the years of research did not differ. Grain, grown in the abiotic conditions of 2014, contained more lithium, boron, sodium, aluminum, calcium, vanadium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, germanium, arsenic, selenium, rubidium, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, palladium, tin, lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, iridium, mercury, lead, thorium. In the abiotic conditions of 2015, the grains had a higher content of magnesium - by 255.3, silicon by 6.1, phosphorus by 738.8, sulfur by 153.2, potassium by 871.9, titanium by 6 , 23, manganese - by 19.4, iron - by 9.6 μg / g, relative to similar indicators in the grain crop of 2014.
Experimental Activity on Formation of Functional Literacy of Younger Schoolchildren at the Lessons on Educational Robotechnics
Authors: Наумов А. , Naumov A. , Масланов Е. , Maslanov E. , Смирнов Д. , Smirnov D.
Published: August 2017

The article discusses the problem of the formation of functional literacy of younger schoolchildren by the example of technical creativity in associations of additional education for children. The activity of the Center for Additional Education for Children of Technical Orientation, existing in the mode of the experimental site of the Institute of Education Development Strategy of the Russian Academy of Education, is described. The interpretation of the results of monitoring is presented, with the help of which the expectations of younger schoolchildren and their parents were tracked in connection with the participation of children in the program of additional education in robotechnics on the Arduino platform and its basic modules.
Analysis of Graphical Errors in the Written Works of Primary School Pupils
Authors: Скребец Т. , Skrebec T.
Published: August 2017

The article presents the results of the study of the written works of primary school pupils, characterizes groups of specific errors committed by pupils of the second and fourth grades during the process of copying, writing dictation and presentation. According to the results of the study, conclusions are drawn that, in comparison with other groups of errors, graphical ones are the most common, and their number increases depending on the complexity of the type of work. This proves the need for purposeful joint work of specialists – participants in the educational process – in order to improve the culture of the graphic writing of junior schoolchildren.
Software Diversity for Improved Network Security: Optimal Distribution of Software-Based Shared Vulnerabilities
Authors: Temizkan Orcun , Park Sungjune , Saydam Cem
Published: August 2017

Firms, and other agencies, tend to adopt widely used software to gain economic benefits of scale, which can lead to a software monoculture. This can, in turn, involve the risk of correlated computer systems failure as all systems on the network are exposed to the same software-based vulnerabilities. Software diversity has been introduced as a strategy for disrupting such a monoculture and ultimately decreasing the risk of correlated failure. Nevertheless, common vulnerabilities can be shared by different software products. We thus expand software diversity research here and consider shared vulnerabilities between different software alternatives. We develop a combinatorial optimization model of software diversity on a network in an effort to identify the optimal software distribution that best improves network security. We also develop a simulation model of virus propagation based on the susceptible-infected-susceptible model. This model allows calculation of the epidemic threshold, a measure of network resilience to virus propagation. We then test the effectiveness of the proposed software diversity strategies against the spreading of viruses through a series of experiments.