bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of conditioning regimen toxicities among autologous stem cell transplantation eligible multiple myeloma patients: High-dose melphalan versus high-dose melphalan and bortezomib
Authors: Aypar Eda , İzzettin Fikret Vehbi , Akı Şahika Zeynep , Sancar Mesut , Yeğin Zeynep Arzu , Türköz-Sucak Gülsan
Published: March 2017

Background

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) remains the standard of care for younger patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Currently, high-dose melphalan (HDM) is recommended as conditioning regimen before AHSCT. Preclinical data suggest that combining bortezomib and melphalan has synergistic effect against multiple myeloma cells. Bortezomib and HDM (Bor-HDM) combination as conditioning regimen has been investigated by many other investigators.

Objective

In this retrospective study, we aimed to compare transplant-related toxicities and hematologic recovery of HDM and Bor-HDM conditioning regimens.

Method

We retrospectively evaluated hematologic recovery and toxicity profile in patients with MM who received AHSCT with either HDM ( n = 114) or Bor-HDM ( n = 53) conditioning regimen.

Results

Nonhematologic toxicities were comparable between HDM and Bor-HDM conditioning regimen, except mucositis and diarrhea being more frequent in the Bor-HDM group. Neutrophil and platelet engraftment time and duration of hospital stay were significantly shorter for HDM regimen.

Conclusions

In this retrospective analysis, we observed engraftment kinetics and duration of hospitalization were significantly worse in Bor-HDM conditioning regimen with manageable toxicities. Randomized studies are needed to further compare Bor- HDM regimen to HDM in terms of response rates, toxicities, and transplant-related mortality.
Bisphenol A Induces Oxidative Stress in Bone Marrow Cells, Lymphocytes, and Reproductive Organs of Holtzman Rats
Authors: Tiwari Dinesh , Vanage Geeta
Published: March 2017

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an estrogenic chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Our earlier studies have demonstrated that BPA is a potent reproductive and genotoxic agent and affects the normal physiological functions. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether exposure to BPA induces oxidative stress. The male Holtzman rats were orally gavaged with BPA (0.01 mg and 5.0 mg/kg/bw) over the period of 6 days. Animals were euthanized by cervical dislocation at the end of the treatments; bone marrow cells and blood lymphocytes were aspirated; testis and epididymis were collected, immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen, and stored at −80°C. These samples were utilized for the determination of lipid peroxidation and various antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and nonenzymatic reduced glutathione. The results demonstrated that BPA caused an increase in lipid peroxidation and a decrease in activity of various enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants in bone marrow cells, blood lymphocytes, and testicular and epididymal tissues. The findings of the current study suggest that BPA exposure induced oxidative stress, which could be one of the possible mechanisms causing reproductive and genetic toxicity.
Overweight and obese status in children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior
Authors: Criado Kristen K , Sharp William G , McCracken Courtney E , De Vinck-Baroody Oana , Dong Liansai , Aman Michael G , McDougle Christopher J , McCracken James T , Eugene Arnold L , Weitzman Carol , Leventhal John M , Vitiello Benedetto , Scahill Lawrence
Published: March 2017

Overweight and obesity are common in pediatric populations. Children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior may be at higher risk. This study examined whether children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior are more likely to be overweight or obese than matched controls. Baseline data from medication-free children with autism spectrum disorder who participated in trials conducted by the Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology Autism Network (N = 276) were compared to 544 control children from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database matched on age, sex, race, parent education, and era of data collection. The mean age of the children with autism spectrum disorder was 7.9 ± 2.6 years; 84.4% were males. In the autism spectrum disorder group, the prevalence was 42.4% for overweight and 21.4% for obesity compared to 26.1% for overweight and 12.0% for obesity among controls (p < 0.001 for each contrast). Within the autism spectrum disorder sample, obesity was associated with minority status and lower daily living skills. These findings suggest that children with autism spectrum disorder and disruptive behavior are at increased risk for obesity and underscore the need for weight management interventions in this population.
Personal experiences of the Criminal Justice System by individuals with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Helverschou Sissel Berge , Steindal Kari , Nøttestad Jim Aage , Howlin Patricia
Published: March 2017

The processes of arrest, investigation, trial and imprisonment are often extremely difficult for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. In this study, nine offenders with autism spectrum disorders were interviewed about the circumstance surrounding the criminal acts, their views of the arrest, the police interrogation, the trial and the defence and their experiences of being in prison and/or life following the offence. The nine individuals described a range of different and often negative experiences with the Criminal Justice System. However, the majority of those given a custodial sentence coped well in prison, probably due to the high levels of structure and firm frameworks in that environment. Explanation factors associated with the offences indicated that autism spectrum disorder characteristics such as misunderstandings, obsessions and idiosyncratic beliefs and/or behaviours were frequently involved, but stress was the most common explanation provided by the participants. The findings suggest limited understanding of autism spectrum disorders within the Criminal Justice System which needs to be significantly improved in order to secure their legal protection.
The problem of moral luck, anthropologically speaking
Authors: Kuan Teresa
Published: March 2017

While cultural responses to misfortune have long been an area of anthropological inquiry, this article examines the first person experience of misfortune and regret. I specifically explore why people take personal blame for consequences for which they were not entirely responsible, building on Bernard Williams’s discussion of ‘moral luck’ and ‘agent-regret’. I argue that the liberation of responsible human agency from ‘false causes’ – a promise made by the myth of moral progress – does not apply in all circumstances, as the processing of grief in the wake of misfortune reveals how modern subjects do not ‘know any better’ either. While Evans-Pritchard’s account of the Azande describes how they respond to misfortune by selecting the socially relevant cause in which to intervene, even while knowing the plurality of causes at play, I consider cases where people select the ethically relevant cause, turning the arrow of blame toward themselves. Why this happens in the first place relates to whether there was something personally at stake. I draw on Marshall Sahlins’s notion of the ‘mutuality of being’ to show how the blurring of identities and acts within relations involving an other for whom one bears a special responsibility goes a long way to explain an actor’s devotion to self-blame and punishment. The ‘mutuality of being’ is hardly a given, and it is the problem of moral luck and personal regret that can illuminate how social life oscillates between mutuality and disconnection. While agent-regret is conducive to moral learning, the agony of self-blame may also be understood as the actor’s way of participating in the web that constitutes his or her history. While discussions of regret have happened on the margins of philosophy, the same may be said of its place in anthropology. This suggests that we still have not taken moral experience seriously enough, as a matter of great theoretical significance.
Research Into Woodland Owners’ Use of Sustainable Forest Management to Inform Campaign Marketing Mix
Authors: Dennings Kelley , Tabanico Jennifer
Published: March 2017

Thirty-five percent of forestland in the United States is owned by individuals. The purpose of this research was to identify woodland owners’ barriers to harvesting trees using the advice of a forester. Harvesting trees with the advice of a forester ensures a sustainable harvest that meets the needs of the woodland owner as the forester makes recommendations depending on what the woodland owner wants to gain from their land. The research further informed the marketing mix by identifying woodland owners’ perceptions about trusted communication channels, providing a framework for segmenting the audience, and pointing to viable outreach strategies for rural interventions. Results of mail (New England) and telephone (Mississippi) surveys indicated that selling trees for income was the lowest rated land use activity reported by woodland owners. Additionally, across both regions, the surveys indicated that the primary barrier to using a forester involved some form of distrust. When comparing trusted sources of information across the two regions, forestry experts were rated similarly, but family and other woodland owners were perceived as more trustworthy in New England compared to Mississippi. Both groups preferred to receive information in written form, a preference that was almost twice as high as receiving an e-mail. This research provides the foundation for a marketing mix, improves the conservation community’s body of knowledge regarding woodland owner’s barriers to sustainable forest management actions, and provides broad recommendations for practitioners to use going forward.
Insomnia and Relationship With Immunosuppressant Therapy After Lung Transplantation
Authors: Rohde Kalynn A. , Schlei Zachary W. , Katers Krista M. , Weber Ashley K. , Brokhof Marissa M. , Hawes Donald S. , Radford Kelly L. , Francois Mary L. , Menninga Nathan J. , Cornwell Richard , Benca Ruth , Hayney Mary S. , Dopp John M.
Published: March 2017

Background:

Lung transplant recipients are at high risk of developing sleep disorders such as insomnia, but the prevalence and features are currently poorly characterized within this population. Since these disorders are associated with increased morbidity and mortality, it is important to identify them to optimize the care of lung transplant recipients. We sought to evaluate the prevalence of insomnia within our university-based lung transplant clinic and determine whether a relationship exists between insomnia and exposure to immunosuppressant medications following transplantation.

Methods:

Participants were recruited through the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Lung Transplant Clinic (N = 125). Participants (n = 92) completed the adult sleep history questionnaire, which included the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) to assess for insomnia (defined as ISI score >10). Cumulative tacrolimus exposure was determined in 73 patients by performing an area under the curve calculation to assess for a potential relationship between tacrolimus exposure and insomnia.

Results:

The prevalence of insomnia was 40% within this population. Although no difference in time since transplant was found, cumulative mean ± standard error of the mean tacrolimus exposure was significantly higher in patients with insomnia versus those without insomnia (17 190 ± 1673 ng·d/mL vs 12 130 ± 1630 ng·d/mL, respectively; P = .04). Estimated tacrolimus exposure was not greater with increasing frequency of insomnia complaints (analysis of variance P = .54).

Conclusion:

In our population, insomnia is common after lung transplantation, with prevalence greater than the general population. Higher cumulative exposure to tacrolimus may contribute to insomnia in this group. Future research should investigate the relationship between immunosuppressant therapy and development of sleep disorders.
Vesicoureteral Reflux in Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Molenaar Nina M. , Minnee Robert C. , Bemelman Frederike J. , Idu Mirza M.
Published: March 2017

Background:

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is frequently found after transplantation, but its impact on graft function, urine tract infection, and graft loss remains uncertain. Therefore our objective was to evaluate the effects of VUR on the outcome of renal transplantation.

Material and Methods:

We included 1008 adult renal transplant recipients of whom a 1-week posttransplant voiding cystourethrogram was available. Study end points included occurrence of bacteriuria, renal function, and graft survival.

Results:

In total, 106 (10.5%) of 1008 graft recipients had a diagnosis of VUR on voiding cystography. The incidence of bacteriuria was comparable in the reflux and nonreflux group (17% vs 17.4%, P = .91). There was no significant difference in renal function at 3 months and 1 year in patients with and without VUR. One- and 5-year graft survival in patients with VUR was 85.8% and 82.1% compared to 87.3% and 83.0% in patients without VUR ( P = .68 and P = .80).

Conclusion:

Posttransplant VUR has no correlations with early bacteriuria, renal function, and graft survival.
Transplant Professionals’ Perceptions of Long-Term Care Residents’ Candidacy for Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Urbanski Megan , Browne Teri , Ghanta Mythili , Constantinescu Serban , Gillespie Avrum , Hammer Heather , Traino Heather
Published: March 2017

Context:

Given the aging end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population, kidney transplant (KTx) centers may experience an increase in referrals of patients living in long-term care (LTC) settings (eg, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, group homes, and boarding homes).

Objective:

To identify best practices among KTx professionals when considering individuals in LTC settings for transplantation.

Design and Setting:

A cross-sectional survey administered online to US transplant professionals via e-mail LISTSERVs and other professional networks.

Participants:

One hundred twenty-six KTx professionals working in the United States.

Main Outcome Measures:

The survey was composed of demographic questions and 6 hypothetical scenarios. These scenarios asked participants to assess transplant candidacy of patients with ESRD living in LTC settings based on the information provided in the scenario. Each scenario presented a different variable that necessitated LTC placement, including lack of social support, moderate intellectual disability, stable neurological condition, mild dementia, a psychiatric condition controlled on medications, and limited mobility.

Results:

The only scenario that elicited an overwhelmingly negative response was mild dementia with 73.9% of participants unwilling to consider such patients for KTx. By contrast, the proportion of KTx professionals reluctant to proceed with KTx in the remaining scenarios ranged between 40.0% and 50.6%.

Conclusions:

This survey of a large number of KTx professionals suggests that there is presently no best practice consensus regarding offering KTx to patients living in LTC settings. Further research should include a broader range of KTx professionals and should also include a study of outcomes with KTx in this particular patient population.
Lobbying Justice(s)? Exploring the Nature of Amici Influence in State Supreme Court Decision Making
Authors: Kane Jenna Becker
Published: March 2017

Most studies of amicus influence in both federal and state courts assume that the information provided in these briefs is the mechanism through which amici influence court outcomes. However, the question of how individual state supreme court judges respond to this third-party information and whether or not judicial responses are conditioned by differing methods of judicial retention is rarely theorized. Using social-psychological theories of confirmation bias and motivated reasoning, this article investigates how ideological predispositions and electoral institutions structure the responsiveness of state high-court judges to amicus brief information. Utilizing an original dataset of more than 14,000 votes of state high-court judges across three distinct areas of law, this article tests competing theories of amicus influence to determine how state high-court judges utilize amicus information to render judicial decisions. Results are generally supportive of the informational theory of amicus influence in complex areas of law. However, a conditioning relationship of retention method suggests that competitive elections may alter the mechanism of amicus brief influence such that judicial responsiveness to third-party briefs is more closely tied to the reelection and campaign fundraising considerations of individual judges in politically contentious areas of law.
What’s So Cultural about Hookup Culture?
Authors: Wade Lisa
Published: March 2017

Lisa Wade on the norms and practices that make up college students’ experience of hookup culture and its attendant pressures.
Scorn Wars: Rural White People and Us
Authors: Eliasoph Nina
Published: March 2017

Nina Eliasoph considers three new volumes and what they say about academics’ disdain for and dismissal of the problems of less educated, lower-income Americans.
Climate Misinformation Campaigns and Public Sociology
Authors: Brulle Robert J. , Roberts J. Timmons
Published: March 2017

Scholars share their experiences in bringing sociological analysis to the Senate floor in "Web of Denial" speeches rebutting climate change skeptics and revealing how echo chambers and network effects stifle the spread of scientific knowledge.
An energy-balanced multi-sensor scheduling scheme for collaborative target tracking in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Fu Pengcheng , Tang Hongying , Cheng Yongbo , Li Baoqing , Qian Hanwang , Yuan Xiaobing
Published: March 2017

Improving tracking quality and extending network lifespan are two main objects for target tracking, which are usually contradictory due to limited energy of sensor nodes in wireless sensor networks. This article incorporates this contradiction into a problem of multi-objective optimization in tracking networks where multiple sensor nodes are scheduled for collaborative target tracking by adopting the unscented Kalman filter algorithm. We propose an effective scheme to extend the lifespan of wireless sensor networks while guaranteeing preset tracking quality. More specifically, with regard to practical circumstances, we perform analysis on the target detection probability, as well as residual energy of sensor nodes, when selecting a suitable set of candidate sensor nodes. Then, we put forward a novel energy-balanced sensor nodes scheduling algorithm, Greedy Balance Replace Heuristic Algorithm, to select a near-optimal task sensor set from the candidate sensor node set to balance tracking quality and network lifetime. In addition, we also design an efficient multi-sensor node collaborative method to track a single target and to timely report its state to the remote end. From simulation results, it is demonstrated that the proposed node scheduling scheme can not only maintain the preset tracking accuracy but also extend network lifespan with a low computation complexity.
Mechanism of situation element acquisition based on deep auto-encoder network in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Zhu Jiang , Ming Yue , Song Yonghui , Wang Sen
Published: March 2017

In order to reduce the time complexity of situation element acquisition and to cope with the low detection accuracy of small class samples caused by imbalanced class distribution of attack samples in wireless sensor networks, a situation element extraction mechanism based on deep auto-encoder network is proposed. In this mechanism, the deep auto-encoder network is introduced as basic classifier to identify data type. In hierarchical training of the auto-encoder, a training method based on cross-entropy loss function and back-propagation algorithm is proposed to overcome the problem of weights updating too slow by the traditional variance cost function, and the momentum factors are added to improve the convergence performance. Meanwhile, in the stage of fine-tuning and classification of the deep network, an active online sampling algorithm is proposed to select the sample online for updating the network weights, so as to eliminate redundancy of the total samples, balance the amounts of all sample types, and improve the classification accuracy of small sample. Through the simulation and analysis of the instance data, the scheme has a good accuracy of situation factors extraction.
Experimental Evaluation of the Optimal Suture Pattern With a Flexible Endoscopic Suturing System
Authors: Halvax Peter , Diana Michele , Nagao Yoshihiro , Marescaux Jacques , Swanström Lee
Published: March 2017

Background. The ability to perform reliable, secure endoluminal closure of the gastrointestinal tract wall, is a prerequisite to support the progress of the emerging field of endoluminal surgery. Along with advanced clipping systems, flexible endoscopic suturing devices are commercially available. Current systems can replicate traditional surgical suturing patterns in the endoluminal environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the optimal endoluminal suturing technique using a flexible endoscopic suturing device. Materials and Methods. Procedures were performed on bench-top simulators containing 20 explanted porcine stomachs. A standardized 3-cm full-thickness incision was created on the anterior wall of each stomach using monopolar cautery. The gastrotomy was closed endoscopically using an over-the-scope suturing device (OverStitch, Apollo Endosurgery; Austin, TX). Three different techniques were used: single stitches, figure-of-8 pattern, and running suture. Material consumption and operation time were recorded and bursting pressure measurement of the closure was performed. Results. No statistically significant differences were identified in suturing time. Suturing time (minutes) was slightly shorter with the figure-of-8 technique (41.14 ± 4.6) versus interrupted (45.75 ± 1.1) versus continuous (51.44 ± 10.0), but the difference was not statistically significant. The number of sutures required was greater in the interrupted group. No significant difference was found in the burst pressure (mm Hg): figure-of-8 (45.85 ± 26.2) versus interrupted (30.5 ± 22.89) versus continuous (32.0 ± 26.5). In the figure-of-8 group, 85.5% of cases were leakproof above 30 mm Hg, while in the other groups only 50% of cases were so. Conclusion. A figure-of-8 suturing pattern seems to be the preferable suturing technique with the endoscopic suturing device.
Do Nonclinical Community-Based Youth-Serving Professionals Talk With Young Men About Sexual and Reproductive Health and Intend to Refer Them for Care?
Authors: Marcell Arik V. , Gibbs Susannah E. , Howard Shalynn R. , Pilgrim Nanlesta A. , Jennings Jacky M. , Sanders Renata , Page Kathleen R. , Loosier Penny S. , Dittus Patricia J.
Published: March 2017

Young men (ages 15–24) may benefit from community-based connections to care since many have sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs and low care use. This study describes nonclinical community-based youth-serving professionals’ (YSPs) SRH knowledge, confidence, past behaviors, and future intentions to talk with young men about SRH and refer them to care, and examines factors associated with care referral intentions. YSPs ( n = 158) from 22 settings in one mid-Atlantic city answered questions about the study’s goal, their demographics and work environment from August 2014 to December 2015. Poisson regression assessed factors associated with YSPs’ care referral intentions. On average, YSPs answered 58% of knowledge questions correctly, knew 5 of 8 SRH care dimensions of where to refer young men, and perceived being somewhat/very confident talking with young men about SRH (63%) and referring them to care (77%). During the past month, the majority (63%) talked with young men about SRH but only one-third made care referrals; the majority (66%) were somewhat/very likely to refer them to care in the next 3 months. Adjusted models indicated YSPs were more likely to refer young men if they had a very supportive work environment to talk about SRH (adjusted RR = 1.51, 95% CI [1.15, 1.98]), greater confidence in SRH care referral (1.28 [1.00, 1.62]), and greater SRH care referrals in the past month (1.16 [1.02, 1.33]). Nonclinical community-based YSPs have poor-to-moderate knowledge about young men’s SRH care, and less than one-third reported referrals in the past month. Findings have implications for educating YSPs about young men’s SRH care.
Berlin prehospital or usual delivery of acute stroke care – Study protocol
Authors: Ebinger Martin , Harmel Peter , Nolte Christian H , Grittner Ulrike , Siegerink Bob , Audebert Heinrich J
Published: March 2017

Rationale

Prehospital stroke care in specialized ambulances increases thrombolysis rates, reduces alarm-to-treatment times, and improves the prehospital triage. Preliminary analyses suggest cost-effectiveness. However, scientific proof of better functional outcome compared to usual care is still lacking.

Aim

To prove better functional outcomes after deployment of the Stroke Emergency Mobile compared to regular ambulances.

Sample size estimates

A sample size of 686 patients will be required in each arm (Stroke Emergency Mobile group vs. regular care) to detect a difference regarding the primary outcome with 80% power at a two-sided significance level of 0.05.

Methods and design

This is a pragmatic, prospective study with blinded outcome assessment. Primary outcome will be functional status as defined by modified Rankin Scale score three months after the incident event. We will include cerebral ischemia patients within a predefined catchment area in Berlin, Germany. The study population consists of patients who might be candidates for acute recanalizing treatments, with onset-to-alarm time ≤4 h, symptoms not resolved at time of ambulance arrival, and able to walk without assistance prior to the qualifying incident. About 45% of Stroke Emergency Mobile dispatches are expected to be handled by regular ambulances, since Stroke Emergency Mobile will be already in operation creating the control group.

Primary outcome

Functional outcome after three months measured by the modified Rankin Scale over the entire range.

Discussion

The results will inform decision makers on the effectiveness of Stroke Emergency Mobile.
The potential health and economic impact of improving stroke care standards for Australia
Authors: Kim Joosup , Andrew Nadine E , Thrift Amanda G , Bernhardt Julie , Lindley Richard I , Cadilhac Dominique A
Published: March 2017

Background

Evidence of the burden of suboptimal stroke care should expedite quality improvement. We aimed to estimate the health and economic impact of improving acute stroke management to best practice standards using Australia as a case study.

Methods

Hospital performance in Australia was estimated using data from the National Stroke Audit of Acute Services 2013. The percentage of patients provided evidence-based therapies in all hospitals was compared to that achieved in the aggregate of top performing benchmark hospitals (that included between them, a minimum contribution of 15% of all cases audited). The number of additional patients who would receive therapies if this performance gap was rectified was applied to a standardized economic simulation model that comprised stroke rates and resource-use estimates from the North East Melbourne Stroke Incidence Study applied to the 2013 Australian population.

Results

In 2013, 41,398 patients were estimated to have been hospitalized with stroke. If acute care was improved to that of Australian benchmarks, there would be an additional 15,317 patients accessing stroke units; 1960 receiving thrombolysis; and 4007 being treated with antihypertensive medication, 3082 with antiplatelet medication, 2179 with anticoagulant medication, and 3514 with lipid-lowering therapy. Approximately 9329 disability-adjusted life years could be avoided. This additional care provided would be cost effective at AUD 3304 per disability adjusted life year avoided.

Conclusion

The benefits of reducing evidence–practice gaps in Australia are considerable. Further investment in initiatives to optimize hospital care is justified.
A study on a single-unit repairable system with working and repair time omission under an alternative renewal process
Authors: Zhang Quan , Cui Lirong , Yi He
Published: March 2017

In this article, we study a single-unit repairable model with working and repair time omission under an alternative renewal process. As the working time is shorter than threshold [Formula: see text], we regard some working states as failure states while observing the system operation. Likewise, some failure states are regarded as working states during the observation, because the repair time is shorter than threshold [Formula: see text]. Traditionally, the system’s performance for an omission system is determined by maximizing its point availability and limiting availability. Nowadays, it is widely recognized that this performance measure does not always provide relevant information for practical purposes. The interval availability is often seen as a more appropriate performance measure. So it is an important work to introduce and derive the point and interval availabilities under model assumptions. Finally, some numerical examples are presented to illustrate the results obtained in this article.
Particulate matter air pollution from the city of Quito, Ecuador, activates inflammatory signaling pathways in vitro
Authors: Cevallos Victoria M , Díaz Valeria , Sirois Cherilyn M
Published: March 2017

Automobile traffic, industrial processes and natural phenomena cause notable air pollution, including gaseous and particulate contaminants, in urban centers. Exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution affects human health, and has been linked to respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. The mechanisms underlying inflammation in these diverse diseases, and to what extent health effects are different for PM obtained from different sources or locations, are still unclear. This study investigated the in vitro toxicity of ambient course (PM10) and fine (PM2.5) particulate matter collected at seven sites in the urban and periurban zones of Quito, Ecuador. Material from all sites was capable of activating TLR2 and TLR4 signaling pathways, with differences in the activation related to particle size. Additionally, airborne particulate matter from Quito is an effective activator of the NLRP3 inflammasome.
Combinations of L-NG-monomethyl-arginine and oseltamivir against pandemic influenza A virus infections in mice
Authors: Smee Donald F , Dagley Ashley , Tarbet EB
Published: March 2017

L-NG-monomethyl-arginine (L-NMMA) is an experimental compound that suppresses nitric oxide production in animals. The compound was combined with oseltamivir to treat lethal influenza A/California/04/2009 (H1N1) pandemic virus infections in mice. Treatments were given twice a day for five days starting 4 h (oseltamivir, by oral gavage) or three days (L-NMMA, by intraperitoneal route; corresponding to the time previously reported for nitric oxide induction in the animals) after infection. Low doses of oseltamivir were used in order to demonstrate synergy or antagonism. Oseltamivir monotherapy protected 70% of mice from death at 1 mg/kg/day. L-NMMA (40 and 80 mg/kg/day) was ineffective alone in preventing mortality. Compared to oseltamivir treatment alone, L-NMMA combined with oseltamivir was synergistically effective (as evaluated by three-dimensional MacSynergy analysis), resulting in survival increases from 20 to 70% when 40 or 80 mg/kg/day of L-NMMA was combined with 0.3 mg/kg/day of oseltamivir, and from 70 to 100% survival increases when these doses were combined with 1 mg/kg/day of oseltamivir. These data demonstrate that a nitric oxide inhibitor such as L-NMMA has the potential to be beneficial when combined with oseltamivir in treating influenza virus infections.
Fibromyalgia in Behçet’s disease: a narrative review
Authors: Jobanputra Claire , Richey Roberta H , Nair Jagdish , Moots Robert J , Goebel Andreas
Published: March 2017

Introduction:

Fibromyalgia is characterised by chronic widespread pain and tenderness. It has often been reported to occur concomitantly with chronic rheumatological conditions. Behçet’s disease is a chronic relapsing, multisystem, autoinflammatory disease. There is only limited understanding of a potential relationship between fibromyalgia and Behçet’s disease.

Aim:

Given the potential detrimental influence of pain on the outcome of chronic disease, the aim of this narrative review is to gain an understanding of the incidence and presentation of fibromyalgia in Behçet’s disease.

Methods:

Electronic databases Scopus, Medline, PubMed and UpToDate were searched.

Results:

A total of 269 studies were identified, and limitations and exclusion/inclusion criteria were applied to ensure accurate and comparable selection of studies; four studies were selected. All cases were assessed for the presence of fibromyalgia according to the 1990 or 2010 diagnostic criteria of the American College of Rheumatology, with Behçet’s disease diagnosed according to the International Study Group (ISG) for Behçet’s disease criteria. A higher prevalence of fibromyalgia (5.7–37.1%) was reported in Behçet’s disease compared to that of the general population (2.9–4.7%).

Discussion:

While an increased prevalence of fibromyalgia was found in patients with Behçet’s disease, this needs to be considered within the context of limited available evidence. The potential impact of these conditions on the disease activity of each other is not clear and may require a prospective study.

Conclusion:

Fibromyalgia appears to be more prevalent in those with Behçet’s disease than would be expected in the overall population. Significance: This review provides some evidence that fibromyalgia is more prevalent in those with Behçet’s disease. To ensure appropriate patient treatment choices, it is important that both conditions are diagnosed where they co-exist.
How preference measurement between products impacts the estimated weight of their attributes?
Authors: Jongmans Eline , Jolibert Alain
Published: March 2017

Many elicitation modes for collecting preference judgments are available in marketing to estimate the weight of a product attribute in the formation of preferences for a product. The use of different elicitation modes may lead to preference reversals and systematic differences in attribute weights. The three objectives of this article are (1) to clarify the elicitation mode classification using four criteria – incentive versus stated modes, direct versus indirect, monetary versus non-monetary, and joint versus separate; (2) to highlight the systematic biases related to each elicitation mode; and (3) to present theories to explain the underweighting or overweighting of product attributes across elicitation modes. The results from prior research show that, overall, incentive elicitation modes (indirect) lead to closer attribute weights compared to the market ones than the stated (direct) modes. While no clear consensus appears in the literature regarding monetary versus non-monetary or joint versus separate modes, this article offers predictions and an explanatory framework of the potential attribute’s overweight or underweight, depending on the chosen preference elicitation modes.
Current Practices in the Timing of Stage 2 Palliation
Authors: Meza James M. , Jaquiss Robert D. B. , Anderson Brett R. , Moga Michael-Alice , Kirklin James K. , Sarris George , Williams William G. , McCrindle Brian W.
Published: March 2017

Background:

Mortality through single-ventricle palliation remains high and the effect of the timing of stage 2 palliation (S2P) is not well understood. We investigated current practice patterns in the timing of S2P across two professional societies and compared them to actual practice patterns from two databases of patients who underwent S2P.

Methods:

A ten-question survey was distributed to the members of the Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Society (CHSS) and the European Congenital Heart Surgeons’ Association (ECHSA). Results were summarized using descriptive statistics. Surgeon-reported preferences were compared to clinical data from the CHSS Critical Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction (LVOTO) Registry and the Pediatric Heart Network Single Ventricle Reconstruction (SVR) database.

Results:

Overall, 38% (88 of 232) of surgeons from 74 institutions responded, of which 70% (62 of 88) were CHSS members and 30% (26 of 88) were ECHSA members. Surgeons reported performing S2P at a median of five months after stage 1 (interquartile range [IQR]: 4.5-6), with no difference between CHSS and ECHSA surgeons. Surgeons reported performing nonelective S2P at a median of 4.5 months after stage 1 (IQR: 3.5-5.5), again with no difference by society. No difference existed between the surgeon-reported preferences and patient data in the Critical LVOTO and SVR databases for the timing of elective (5 vs 5.1 vs 5.3 months, P = .19) or nonelective S2P (4.5 vs 4.6 vs 4.2 months, P = .06).

Conclusion:

There was a remarkable lack of variation in surgeon preferences regarding the timing of S2P. This may represent a natural standardization of practice across congenital heart surgery, which is notable, given the current lack of guidelines regarding the timing of S2P.
Hemolysis During Open-Heart Surgery With Vacuum-Assisted Venous Drainage at Different Negative Pressures in Pediatric Patients Weighing Less Than 10 kilograms
Authors: Kwak Jae Gun , Lee Jinkwon , Park Minkyoung , Seo Yu-Jin , Lee Chang-Ha
Published: March 2017

Background:

This study examined the degree of hemolysis during vacuum-assisted venous drainage at different negative pressures to identify an adequate negative pressure that provides effective venous drainage without significant hemolysis in open-heart surgery in children weighing less than 10 kg.

Methods:

Patients weighing less than 10 kg who underwent surgery for ventricular septal defect or atrial septal defect from 2011 to 2014 were enrolled. We used one of four negative pressures (20, 30, 40, or 60 mm Hg) for each patient. We measured haptoglobin, plasma hemoglobin, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase levels in the patients’ blood three times perioperatively and determined the potential correlation between the change in each parameter with the level of negative pressure.

Results:

Forty-six patients were enrolled in this study (mean age: 7.1 ± 7.0 months, mean body weight: 6.1 ± 1.8 kg). There were no significant differences according to the degree of negative pressure with respect to patient age, body weight, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, aorta cross-clamping time, blood flow during CPB, or lowest body temperature. All parameters that we measured reflected progression of hemolysis during CPB; however, the degree of change in the parameters did not correlate with negative pressure.

Conclusion:

In pediatric patients weighing less than 10 kg, the change in the degree of hemolysis did not differ with the amount of negative pressure. We may apply negative pressures up to 60 mm Hg without increasing the risk of hemolysis, with almost same the level of hemolysis using negative pressures of 20, 30, and 40 mm Hg for effective venous drainage and an ideal operative field during open-heart surgery.
Preliminary Experience With the Use of an Extracellular Matrix to Augment the Native Pulmonary Valve During Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Dharmapuram Anil , Ramadoss Nagarajan , Verma Sudeep , Gouthami Vejendla , Rao Ivatury
Published: March 2017

Background:

During repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), when a transannular patch is needed in case of a small annulus and dysplastic pulmonary valve, we chose to reconstruct the right ventricular outflow tract by augmenting the divided anterior leaflet with an extracellular matrix (ECM) patch to produce a competent valve. In this study, we present our preliminary experience and early outcomes.

Methods:

From March 2013 to December 2015, of the 206 patients who underwent primary repair of TOF, 52 required a transannular incision. The median age was 18 months and the median weight was 8.2 kg. The native hinge mechanism of the valve was preserved by dividing only the anterior leaflet at the time of the transannular incision and augmenting it with an ECM patch that was sutured to the endocardium and to the divided leaflet.

Results:

Two patients died due to reasons not related to the use of the patch. Intraoperative evaluation showed a competent pulmonary valve without significant outflow gradient. During early follow-up (median 20 months), all patients were doing well without any decongestive therapy. Valve regurgitation was assessed as severe in 2, moderate in 26, and mild in 22 patients. In the majority of patients, the valve appeared thin and pliable in spite of mild to moderate regurgitation.

Conclusions:

Early experience with the use of ECM in repair of TOF shows satisfactory outcomes. It does not show obvious growth of the material. Long-term follow-up will be required in order to assess whether the valve function is durable without acquisition of significant regurgitation.
Preoperative Use of CT Angiography in Infants With Coarctation of the Aorta
Authors: Rose-Felker Kirsten , Robinson Joshua D. , Backer Carl L. , Rigsby Cynthia K. , Eltayeb Osama M. , Mongé Michael C. , Rychlik Karen , Sammet Christina L. , Gossett Jeffrey G.
Published: March 2017

Background:

Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and echocardiography (echo) are used preoperatively in coarctation of the aorta to define arch hypoplasia and great vessel branching. We sought to determine differences in quantitative measurements, as well as surgical utility, between modalities.

Methods:

Infants (less than six months) with both CTA and echo prior to coarctation repair from 2004 to 2013 were included. Measurements were compared and correlated with surgical approach. Three surgeons reviewed de-identified images to predict approach and characterize utility. Computed tomographic angiography radiation dose was calculated.

Results:

Thirty-three patients were included. No differences existed in arch measurements between echo and CTA ( z-score: −2.59 vs −2.43; P = .47). No differences between modalities were seen for thoracotomy ( z-score: −2.48 [echo] vs −2.31 [CTA]; P = .48) or sternotomy ( z-score: −3.13 [echo] vs −3.08 [CTA]; P = .84). Computed tomographic angiography delineated great vessel branching pattern in two patients with equivocal echo findings ( P = .60). Surgeons rated CTA as far more useful than echo in understanding arch hypoplasia and great vessel branching in cases where CTA was done to resolve anatomical questions that remain after echo evaluation. Two of three surgeons were more likely to choose the surgical approach taken based on CTA (surgeon A, P = .02; surgeon B, P = .01). Radiation dose averaged 2.5 (1.6) mSv and trended down from 2.9 mSv (1.8 mSv; n = 20) to 1.6 mSv (0.5 mSv; n = 7) ( P = .06) with new technology.

Conclusion:

Although CTA and echo measurements of the aorta do not differ, CTA better delineates branching and surgeons strongly prefer it for three-dimensional arch anatomy. We recommend CTA for patients with anomalous arch branching patterns, diffuse or complex hypoplasia, or unusual arch morphology not fully elucidated by echo.
Left Ventricular Retraining and Double Switch in Patients With Congenitally Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries
Authors: Ibrahimiye Ali N. , Mainwaring Richard D. , Patrick William L. , Downey Laura , Yarlagadda Vamsi , Hanley Frank L.
Published: March 2017

Purpose:

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (CC-TGA) is a complex form of congenital heart defect with numerous anatomic subgroups. The majority of patients with CC-TGA are excellent candidates for a double-switch procedure. However, in the absence of an unrestrictive ventricular septal defect or subpulmonary stenosis, the left ventricle (LV) may undergo involution and require retraining prior to double switch. The purpose of this study was to review our experience with patients having CC-TGA who required LV retraining prior to a double-switch procedure.

Methods:

This was a retrospective review of 24 patients with CC-TGA who were enrolled in an LV retraining program in preparation for a double-switch procedure. The median age at the time of enrollment for retraining was 11 months (range 1 month-24 years). The average left ventricle to right ventricle pressure ratio was 0.39 ± 0.07 prior to intervention. All 24 patients underwent placement of an initial pulmonary artery band (PAB) for LV retraining.

Results:

Eighteen (75%) of the 24 patients underwent a double-switch procedure with no operative mortality. Of these 18 patients, 9 had a single PAB and 9 required a second band for retraining. Six patients have not undergone a double-switch procedure to date. Five patients are good candidates for a double switch and are 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 months, and 35 months since their last PAB. One patient died from a noncardiac cause 26 months after PAB retightening. The 18 patients who underwent a double switch were followed for an average of 5 ± 1 years (range 0.1-10.3 years). There has been no late mortality, and only 2 patients required further reinterventions.

Conclusion:

The data demonstrate that LV retraining has been highly effective in this select group of patients with CC-TGA. The data also demonstrate that the results of the double-switch procedure have been excellent at midterm follow-up. These results suggest that LV retraining and double switch offer a reliable strategy option for patients with CC-TGA.
Sociology, Theory, and the Feminist Sociological Canon
Authors: Davis Shannon N.
Published: March 2017

In this article, I revisit the concept of “doing gender” to query whether the framework as directly articulated by West and Zimmerman is meant to be a description of social life (a social theory) or a testable and potentially falsifiable explanation of the empirical world (a sociological theory). I document how much of the research that uses “doing gender” is a misapplication of the concept as a social, rather than sociological, theory. I conclude by making the case for the role of “doing gender” in, rather than as, sociological theory.
Dewey’s Yardstick
Authors: Giamellaro Michael
Published: March 2017

Although experience and context are omnibus terms, the relationship between them provides some guidance on how each can be used to inform an understanding of the other. This article presents contextualization, or the degree to which content and context are connected through experience, as a measurable outcome of learning, education, or situated cognition. Contextualization is proposed here as a construct that (a) indicates curricular intention, cognitive process, and learning outcomes; (b) is a measurable variable that can be correlated to measures of learning; (c) is broadly applicable and thus represents a comparison variable across diverse scenarios; and (d) represents an important link between existing theory and practice. A contextualization spectrum framework is proposed to align curricular intentions for student experience to the resulting disposition of knowledge, as connected through contextualization.