bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An International Analysis of the Quality of Open Government Data Portals
Authors: Sáez Martín Alejandro , Rosario Arturo Haro De , Pérez María Del Carmen Caba
Published: June 2015

National governments are increasingly aware of the importance of carrying out Open Government Data (OGD) initiatives for the provision of public sector information and for use and reuse without restriction or charge by society. Therefore, the aim of this article is to examine and compare the quality of the OGD portals created by national governments, in terms of three analytical aspects: function, semantics, and content, and to identify the impact of diverse factors on the quality of these portals. The results obtained show there is considerable heterogeneity among OGD portals, reflecting the lack of harmonization and the need for quality standards. In this regard, the quality of the OGD portals examined is only at an intermediate level and is affected by the level of Internet penetration and the economic capacity of each country.
Strategic embeddedness and the microfoundations of collective action: A comparative institutional analysis of the rule of law and informal institutions in cooperation games
Authors: Razo Armando
Published: June 2015

Typical accounts of the ability of social networks to enable collective action focus on either whole group or individual advantages. Adding an intermediate perspective, this paper advances a core notion of strategic embeddedness that applies to social interactions involving a subset of society. Strategic embeddedness is modeled with a game-theoretic approach that places an otherwise isolated game into a broader social structure. To facilitate a comparative institutional analysis of formal and informal mechanisms, this paper advances a complementary notion of the cooperative value of a network to evaluate the maximum payoffs possible under various network structures that define the social context of two-person cooperation games. A formal analysis indicates that decentralized network structures can maximize this cooperative value: under some conditions, these are both optimal and efficient structures that can effectively substitute for anonymous public enforcement mechanisms. In conditions where private enforcement is relatively ineffective vis-à-vis a public rule of law enforcement mechanism, then hierarchical network structures are shown to be optimal but inefficient. In general, more connectedness or a higher network density does not readily translate into more cooperation because when most players are connected to the rest of society, the added value of social networks diminishes in the absence of extraneous rules to discriminate among players with common social connections.
Remaining useful life prediction of rolling element bearings based on health state assessment
Authors: Liu Zhiliang , Zuo Ming J , Qin Yong
Published: June 2015

Instead of looking for an overall regression model for remaining useful life (RUL) prediction, this paper proposes a RUL prediction framework based on multiple health state assessment that divides the entire bearing life into several health states where a local regression model can be built individually. A hybrid approach consisting of both unsupervised learning and supervised learning is proposed to automatically estimate the real-time health state of a bearing in cases with no prior knowledge available. Support vector machine is the main technology adopted to implement health state assessment and RUL prediction. Experimental results on accelerated degradation tests of rolling element bearings demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework.
Evaluation of the rattle noise of a vehicle seat using the coherence analysis technique
Authors: Jeong Un-Chang , Kim Yong-Dae , Kim Jin-Su , Seo Jong-Ho , Oh Jae-Eung
Published: June 2015

The complicated transfer path relationship between the vibrations of a seat and the noise at the locations of the driver’s ears was estimated from the residual spectrum. For accurate quantitative estimation of the rattle noise at the locations of the driver’s ears, in particular the partial coherence function of the pure inputs to the output was modelled by considering the correlation between the inputs and the input–output. Whenever a coherence analysis was performed with the noise sources in close proximity selected as the inputs and the noise at the locations of the driver’s ears modelled as the output, the partially coherent output spectrum as a quantitative contribution of the inputs to the output was determined. In this study, we applied a coherence analysis technique to identify the sources of the rattle noise of a seat by visualizing the noise sources with an acoustic camera while excitation of the seat was carried out using a hydraulic exciter. We were able to generate the rattle noise from the headrest stay, the recliner and the front part of the slide while excitation of the seat was obtained using a hydraulic exciter with white noise. We observed that the noise was generated by utilizing a hydraulic six-axis exciter positioned at the driver’s seat of a middle-sized manual transmission vehicle. We determined that the noise measured at the locations of the driver’s ears had a frequency of 58 Hz using acoustic visualization and a coherence technique. It was selected in particular as the target frequency since the 58 Hz resonant frequency caused by the twisting mode of the seat back was identical with the frequency of the rattle noise. Finally, it was verified through a modal test that the rattle noise at 58 Hz was generated by the vibration characteristics of the seat, which depended on gaps between the headrest stay and the guide.
Inverse-model-based cuffless blood pressure estimation using a single photoplethysmography sensor
Authors: Suzuki Arata
Published: June 2015

This paper proposes an inverse-model-based cuffless method for estimating blood pressure using a single photoplethysmography sensor. The proposed method, which is based on the relationship between blood pressure and the features of pulse waves, employs an inverse estimation and uses the blood pressure as the explanatory variable. Using this method, the blood pressure can be estimated with high accuracy even in situations where the pulse wave features are scattered, as the method uses the dynamic signal-to-noise ratio of the Taguchi method. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, we employed it to measure the systolic blood pressure. It could be confirmed that the estimation accuracy of the proposed method is higher than that of similar methods.
Swirling and cavitating flow suppression in a cryogenic liquid turbine expander through geometric optimization
Authors: Song Peng , Sun Jinju , Wang Ke
Published: June 2015

A single-stage cryogenic liquid turbine expander is developed as a replacement of Joule–Thompson valve in the internal compression air separation unit for energy-saving purpose. Flow analysis and optimization is conducted for the turbine expander. With the original geometry, static pressure drops gradually from the nozzle to impeller together with a 2.7 K temperature drop, which exhibits simultaneously a smooth throttling characteristic and cryogenic refrigeration effect. However, similar to the conventional hydraulic turbine, a vortex-rope is apparently formed around the draft tube centerline. It leads to considerable mechanical energy dissipation and, subsequently, a local pressure drop and temperature rise, which have made the turbine expander vulnerable to cavitation. The draft tube vortex swirling flow has been found to be sensitive to exit geometric shape of rotating impeller. To suppress the swirling flow and cavitation, design optimization of impeller geometric shape is further conducted with an efficient global optimization method developed by the authors, where in particular, an innovative optimization objective function and a simultaneous tuning of both impeller meridian profile and blade shape are incorporated. The former is a linear combination of the draft tube loss factor and normalized impeller exit static pressure. It depicts the draft tube swirling flow behavior and also captures somehow the cavitation flow physics. The latter permits a very flexible variation of the impeller geometry. Such a highly nonlinear problem is solved by the global optimization algorithm, in which the Kriging surrogate model is used but updated through adaptive sampling. It is demonstrated that with the optimized geometry, the vortex-rope like characteristics has diminished apparently and both scale and intensity of swirling region are reduced significantly. As a result, the low static pressure region has shrunk and the local temperature rise is reduced and, subsequently, the cavitation is effectively suppressed.
Multi-objective optimization of a bidirectional impulse turbine
Authors: Badhurshah Rameez , Samad Abdus
Published: June 2015

Real-life engineering problems have multiple objectives, which mostly are conflicting in nature, and these problems can be solved through multi-objective optimization (MOO) procedure. In the present problem, a high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics model coupled with multiple-surrogate assisted genetic algorithm based MOO has been solved for performance enhancement of a wave energy extracting axial impulse turbine. Response surface approximation, Kriging, neural network and a weighted-average surrogate (WAS) were used to generate population for the MOO procedure and Pareto optimal fronts (PoF) of the objectives were produced. The design variables were number of rotor blade and guide vanes and the objectives were minimization of pressure drop and maximization of shaft power of the turbine. It was found that a cross-validation error analysis is inevitable to find the degree of fitness of a surrogate. The WAS-produced PoF shows better performance as compared to that of the other surrogates. The surrogates based on minimum cross-validation errors produce slightly lesser performance than the WAS. The efficiency, which is a function of both the objectives, was relatively increased by ∼11% through the current investigation.
The ‘Columbian Exchange’ and landscapes of the Middle Rio Grande Valley, USA, AD 1300–1900
Authors: Jones Emily Lena
Published: June 2015

When Spanish colonists entered New Mexico in 1598, they encountered landscapes shaped by centuries of intensive human use: the fields, water features, and towns of prehistoric New Mexico were all products of human activity, and both zooarchaeological and paleoethnobotanical data suggest significant human impacts on floral and faunal features outside of human settlement. And yet, these human-influenced prehistoric Southwestern landscapes were distinct from those that developed through the ‘Columbian exchange’ and contact between indigenous communities and the Spanish. The Spanish colonists brought with them a suite of new taxa – both floral and faunal – as well as new land management practices that transformed New Mexican environments, eventually leading to the iconic Southwestern landscapes of today. In this paper, I use zooarchaeological data to explore New Mexican landscapes from the late prehistoric period through the early 20th century, assessing the degree of influence of Spanish fauna across this period of time.
The de-contextualisation of land use planning through financialisation: Urban redevelopment in Milan
Authors: Savini Federico , Aalbers Manuel B
Published: June 2015

This paper scrutinises the effects that the financialisation of land has on the land use planning process. Although finance is increasingly penetrating not only real estate but also land planning and development, there are few in-depth case studies describing and analysing this process. Contemporary urban development is characterised by the clustering of investments, the relocation of projects into peripheral areas and an instrumental approach to planning. These trends are expressions of a change in the development process, characterised by the increased detachment between land use planning processes at the local level and financial investor logics located at other scales. We call this the de-contextualisation of land capital. An in-depth analysis of the internal economic mechanics of an urban project in the Milan area is provided to illustrate these trends. We conclude by reflecting on the challenges that the conditions of financialised land capital pose to local and national governments.
Clinical and Economic Burden of Visual Impairment in an Aging Society of South Korea
Authors: Park Hae-Young , Ryu Hyunnam , Kang Hye-Young , Lee Hankil , Kwon Jin-Won
Published: June 2015

Whereas the incidence of visual impairment and blindness (VI&B) is decreasing, the total number of VI&B is increasing due to the growth of elderly population. To compare the clinical and economic outcomes of patients with and without VI&B (ie, cases and controls) in Korea, a case–control study was performed using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service–National Patients Sample data. Cases had higher prevalence for all of the Charlson Comorbidity Index components, depression, fracture, and injury as well as eye diseases compared to age- and sex-matched controls. In regression after adjustment of concomitant diseases, cases had 2.7 times (95% confidence interval = 2.3-3.2) higher medical expenditure than controls. The results of this study confirm that patients with VI&B have significantly higher direct medical expenditures and concomitant diseases than those without VI&B and highlight the need for a public health strategy to reduce potentially avoidable costs attributed to VI&B.
Incorporation of Estimated Community Viral Load Before HIV Diagnosis for Enhancing Epidemiologic Investigations
Authors: Wong Ngai Sze , Wong Ka Hing , Wong Philip K. H. , Lee Shui Shan
Published: June 2015

Currently, no studies have specifically incorporated population-level viral load measures for analyzing temporal trends of HIV infection in the Asia Pacific. With the use of longitudinal data from 950 HIV-infected heterosexual male and 1331 men who have sex with men managed at a major HIV clinic in Hong Kong between 1985 and 2012, viral load changes at population levels were compared. We back-calculated seroconversion year of each diagnosed patient and estimated the population-level viral load under the framework recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Full community viral load, a newly designed measure incorporating diagnosed and undiagnosed HIV-infected patients, was 3 to 8 times higher than community viral load derived from diagnosed patients only. The growth curve of full community viral load was 5 years ahead of other viral load measures, the shape of which lent support to the phenomenon of local transmission of men who have sex with men but not among heterosexual male in the predominantly Chinese HIV community in Hong Kong.
Latest guidelines for the management of the anxiety disorders – a report from The International Anxiety Disorders Society Conference, Melbourne 2014
Authors: Hood Sean D
Published: June 2015

Objective:

The International Anxiety Disorders Society Conference, held in Melbourne in November 2014, enabled key researchers from Australia and internationally to interact with mental health practitioners with an interest in clinical anxiety disorders. The proceedings of previous conferences in 2006 and 2011 formed the basis of two well-received textbooks on anxiety disorders; this time we have taken up the invitation to publish the proceedings as articles in this issue of Australasian Psychiatry. At the end of the first day of the conference a lecture and linked international expert panel explored the topic of guidelines for the management of the anxiety disorders in conjunction with an engaged audience for 90 minutes – key elements of this discussion are presented here.

Conclusions:

Guidelines for anxiety disorder management should be applied with caution in clinical practice settings.
Psychosocial Factors That Influence Health Care Use and Self-Management for African American and Latino Men With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Hawkins Jaclynn , Watkins Daphne C. , Kieffer Edith , Spencer Michael , Espitia Nicolous , Anderson Michael
Published: June 2015

The purpose of this study was to explore the psychosocial factors that influence diabetes self-management and health care utilization among men of color with type 2 diabetes. Data were collected from focus groups with African American men ( n = 9) and Latino men ( n = 13) who were part of a diabetes intervention. Sessions were analyzed using thematic content analysis techniques. Five themes were discussed in focus groups, including (a) social support as a motivator, (b) patient–provider relationships as facilitators of healthy behaviors, (c) immigration status and access to resources, (d) waiting until symptoms became severe before seeking medical attention, and (e) structural barriers. Public health interventions may need to tailor interventions to address the specific needs of men of color.
The B-Side of Oblivion
Authors: Kernicky Matthew J.
Published: June 2015

The narrator in Michael Thomas’s Man Gone Down is routinely objectified as a Black male, intimidating to men and sexually exotic to women. Class and culture tensions stem from the narrator’s urban poor upbringing in Brooklyn and his wife’s suburban New England childhood. The narrator’s mother, heavily influenced by the racial movements of the 1960s, admonishes her son to become a leader of his people. Her encouragement, although well intended, yields similar results to his objectification: unrealistic standards that seem impossible to meet. He is conditioned not to question the disparity between his capabilities and what he perceives others want from him. The result: His body and activity are policed by others to achieve externally imposed goals that are rarely desirable or familiar. Furthermore, he rarely questions the ethical implications of meeting these compulsory obligations. This is the primary issue I raise in this article.
New ANSI/BIFMA Standard for Testing of Educational Seating
Authors: Bellingar Teresa A. , Benden Mark E.
Published: June 2015

The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association published a new educational seating standard in 2012. (See the sidebar for BIFMA details.) Discussions during the development of this standard included the anthropometrics of children. These discussions showed that the large anthropometric databases available for children are outdated and do not represent the current student population. The standard was finalized following receipt of input from ergonomists on how children’s sizes have changed, but it does not cover the ergonomic design of seating for children. A current large-scale anthropometric data set for children would have been beneficial in developing loads in the standard as well as in recommending sizes for educational furniture.
Tactile Cuing to Augment Multisensory Human-Machine Interaction
Authors: Hancock Peter A. , Lawson Ben , Cholewiak Roger , Elliott Linda R. , van Erp Jan B. F. , Mortimer Bruce J. P. , Rupert Angus , Redden Elizabeth S.
Published: June 2015

Tactile displays promise to improve the information-processing capacity of operators, especially when used in conjunction with visual and auditory displays. In this article, we describe current applications and future directions in tactile cuing.
The Time Has Come for Redundant Coding in Print Publications
Authors: Murphy Elizabeth (Betty) D.
Published: June 2015

Color is often used by itself to convey meaning in print publications. In the world of computer–human interaction, however, it has long been understood that color should be used with another code, such as shape or pattern fills, to make the content accessible to everyone, including those with deficits in color vision. Likewise, redundant coding is needed in print publications to convey meaning to all readers, including those whose normal color perception has faded with age. It’s time to make our published charts and graphs universally accessible.
Observer-based controller for floor vibration control with optimization algorithms
Authors: Nyawako Donald S , Reynolds Paul
Published: June 2015

This study presents the results of vibration suppression of a walkway bridge structure with a single actuator and sensor pair by using a proportional-integral (PI) controller and observer-based pole-placement controllers. From the results of experimental modal analysis, reduced-order models of the walkway are identified. These are used for the design of a PI controller as well as for state estimation procedures that are necessary for the development of reduced-order observer controllers. The respective orders of the latter are dependent on the number of plant modes used for their designs. They are formulated from plant and observer feedback gains that are obtained from the specification of desired floor closed-loop eigenvalues and observer eigenvalues. There are numerous solutions possible with the observer-based controller design procedures whereas the PI controller defaults to a particular solution. There is also the flexibility for isolation and control of target vibration modes with the observer-based controllers for higher controller orders from a purely single-input single-output controller scheme as demonstrated in the analytical and experimental studies presented. Further, in this work, a design space of potential feedback gains is specified, where only a single plant mode has been used for the observer-based controller design process, and a multi-objective genetic algorithm optimization scheme is used to search for an optimal solution within some pre-defined constraint conditions. The best solution here is regarded as one that offers the greatest vibration mitigation performance amongst the solutions identified.
Size-dependent vibrations of a micro beam conveying fluid and resting on an elastic foundation
Authors: Kural Saim , Özkaya Erdoğan
Published: June 2015

In this study, fluid conveying continuous media was considered as micro beam. Unlike the classical beam theory, the effects of shear stress on micro-structure's dynamic behavior not negligible. Therefore, modified couple stress theory (MCST) were used to see the effects of being micro-sized. By using Hamilton's principle, the nonlinear equations of motion for the fluid conveying micro beam were obtained. Micro beam was considered as resting on an elastic foundation. The obtained equations of motion were became independence from material and geometric structure by nondimensionalization. Approximate solutions of the system were achieved with using the multiple time scales method (a perturbation method). The effects of micro-structure, spring constant, the occupancy rate of micro beam, the fluid velocity on natural frequency and solutions were researched. MCST compared with classical beam theory and showed that beam models that based on classical beam theory are not capable of describing the size effects. Comparisons of classical beam theory and MCST were showed in graphics and these graphics also proved that obtained mathematical model suitable for describe the behavior of normal sized beams.
Management of an Adult Patient With Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: LaBrocca Sharon M. , Angosta Alona D.
Published: June 2015

The health care environment in the United States heralds changing population demographics, presenting challenges for modern health care systems. The most remarkable impetus for prodigious medical luminary attention is the expanding growth of aging adults in the population. Individuals born with congenital heart disease (CHD) are a subset of this demographic evolution reflecting current health care trends. Where historically limited prognoses underscored the expansion and quality of life for individuals born with CHD, current technological advancements now pave the road to lengthy existence for these individuals, creating an aging population of patients with CHD needing access to health care. The advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) is called on to fill gaps in health care access issues and should be prepared to serve this population.
Porting bioinformatics applications from grid to cloud: A macromolecular surface analysis application case study
Authors: Merelli Ivan , Cozzi Paolo , Ronchieri Elisabetta , Cesini Daniele , D’Agostino Daniele
Published: June 2015

In this paper we describe our experience in exploiting different cloud-based environments for an actual use case taken from the bioinformatics domain – the molecular surfaces analysis - that identifies similarities and possible complementarities in the protein surfaces. The analysis of macromolecular surfaces is important since protein surface conformations drive many biological reactions. We developed a workflow that performs the macromolecular surfaces analysis and provides interesting results from a scientific point of view. An important issue is represented by the fact that it is highly compute-intensive, therefore it cannot be run on a single CPU system for meaningful use cases and a parallel infrastructure is required to obtain reasonable execution time. For a decade grid infrastructures have represented suitable solutions to achieve cost effective computational power for Bioinformatics applications. However, these solutions do not offer an adequate customisation of the computational environment (e.g. installing databases and configuring virtual network) due to the rigid organisation of the storage and computational sites. Running applications on customised machines obtained by user-defined images simplifies the computing model, decreases the failure rates and therefore reduces waiting times for production analysis with respect to the canonical grid computations. For these reasons a cloud-based approach is more suitable than a pure grid paradigm. We experimented using two cloud-based approaches, based on the Worker Node On Demand Service and on OpenStack, to run the molecular surfaces analysis use case and we compared the results in terms of performance, efficiency and efforts to build the computing model with respect to grid computing.
Anxiety Among Patients Undergoing Nail Surgery and Skin Punch Biopsy
Authors: Göktay Fatih , Altan Zeynep Müzeyyen , Talas Anıl , Akpınar Esma , Özdemir Ekin Özge , Aytekin Sema
Published: June 2015

Background:

Patient anxiety about nail surgery relates mainly to pain associated with needle puncture, anesthetic flow during the procedure, and postoperative care, as well as possible past traumatic experience.

Objective:

The aims of this study were to compare anxiety levels among patients undergoing nail surgery and skin punch biopsy and to assess the effects of demographic characteristics on anxiety.

Methods:

Forty-eight consecutive patients who were referred to a dermatological surgery unit for nail surgery intervention (group 1) and 50 age- and sex-matched patients referred to the same unit for skin punch biopsy (group 2) were enrolled in the study. Patients’ anxiety levels were measured using Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.

Results:

There was no significant difference in median anxiety level between group 1 (42.00; interquartile range, 6.50) and group 2 (41.00; interquartile range, 8.25) ( P = .517). The demographic factors of patient sex, educational status, and prior surgery showed no significant effects on anxiety levels.

Conclusion:

Nail surgery does not seem to cause significantly greater anxiety than skin punch biopsy.
Learning to listen? Exploring discourses and images of masculine leadership through corporate videos
Authors: Mccabe Darren , Knights David
Published: June 2015

Through analysing corporate videos, this article examines two chief executive officer leadership narratives in a UK Building Society that reflected and reproduced certain discourses of masculinity; the first expressed this through military images and metaphors while the second emphasised sport. This article makes three arguments for why certain expressions of masculinity may disengage those whose support managers are endeavouring to enlist. The first is that not all employees are attracted to images of war, conquest or competition. The second is that masculine sporting and warring discourses may repel staff when they are wielded against them. The final argument is that disenchantment is likely to result from enactments of masculinity that treat critical voices as a threat and where leaders simply seek to win the argument, silence opposition and refuse to ‘listen’ to alternative points of view. This analysis of leadership discourses is distinctive because it explores the visible (watching) and the verbal (listening). In this way, it exposes ‘hidden, gendered practices’ that are all too often neglected.
When more is not better: The effect of the number of learning interventions on the acquisition of process-oriented thinking
Authors: Wollersheim Jutta , Leyer Michael , Spörrle Matthias
Published: June 2015

Given that process-oriented organizations appear to be more successful than function-oriented organizations, organizations increasingly search for effective ways to implement process orientation internally as they grow from having a functional to a process-oriented structure. In this study, we examine whether increasing the number of learning interventions simultaneously used increases the acquisition of process-oriented thinking. The data ( N = 304) indicate that increasing the number of learning interventions contributes to learning process-oriented thinking to a certain extent: using one learning intervention increased the acquisition of process-oriented thinking more than using no learning intervention, and two learning interventions contributed more to learning process-oriented thinking than using a single learning intervention. However, by increasing the number of learning interventions to three, this increase in the acquisition of process-oriented thinking could not be further enhanced. More fine-grained analyses revealed that using multiple learning interventions was beneficial for relatively unstructured but cognitively demanding process-related tasks, whereas using multiple learning interventions did not increase learning acquisition for relatively structured but cognitively less-demanding process-related tasks. Our findings provide insights into how process-oriented knowledge should be fostered.
Fingolimod effects on left ventricular function in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Racca Vittorio , Di Rienzo Marco , Cavarretta Rosella , Toccafondi Anastasia , Vaini Emanuele , Ferratini Maurizio , Rovaris Marco
Published: June 2015

Background:

Cardiovascular side effects such as bradycardia and atrioventricular block were observed during the early clinical trials of fingolimod in multiple sclerosis, and one cardiovascular- linked death has been reported in the post-marketing period.

Objective:

To investigate the medium-term effects of fingolimod on heart function in order to obtain further insights into its cardiac safety profile.

Methods:

The study involved 53 patients starting treatment with fingolimod 0.5 mg daily and 25 patients treated with natalizumab 300 mg monthly. Cardiac function was assessed by means of echocardiography at baseline (T0), and after one (T1), six (T6), and (in the case of the fingolimod group) 12 months (T12).

Results:

Mean left ventricular ejection fraction significantly decreased and end-systolic volume increased from T0 to T1 ( p=0.005) and T6 ( p=0.0001) in the fingolimod but not the natalizumab group, although a slight increase was observed at T12. A similar decrease in ejection fraction was also observed after six months in nine patients switched from natalizumab to fingolimod.

Conclusion:

Fingolimod significantly reduces left ventricular systolic function in MS patients. This effect has no clinical consequences in subjects without previous cardiac disorders, but suggests that more caution is required in patients with current or previous heart failure.
Intrathecal CD8 T-cells of multiple sclerosis patients recognize lytic Epstein-Barr virus proteins
Authors: van Nierop Gijsbert P , Mautner Josef , Mitterreiter Johanna G , Hintzen Rogier Q , Verjans Georges MGM
Published: June 2015

Background:

The association between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS) may involve intrathecal EBV-specific T-cell responses targeting the virus or indirectly, autoantigens.

Objective:

Compare the prevalence and fine-specificity of EBV-specific T-cells in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with MS ( n = 12), clinically-isolated syndrome (CIS) ( n = 17) and other neurological diseases (OND) ( n = 13).

Methods:

Intrathecal EBV-specific T-cell reactivity was assayed using CSF-derived T-cell lines (CSF-TCL) and autologous EBV-transformed B-cells (autoBLCL) as antigen-presenting cells (APC). EBV proteins recognized by autoBLCL-specific CD8 T-cells were identified using human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I)-negative monkey cells as artificial APC, co-transfected with 59 different EBV genes and the corresponding patient’s HLA-I alleles that were involved in autoBLCL T-cell reactivity. Reactivity towards the MS-associated autoantigen αB-crystallin (CRYAB) was determined analogously.

Results:

CSF-TCL from CIS and MS patients had significantly higher frequencies of autoBLCL-reactive CD4 T-cells, compared to the OND patients. CIS patients also had significantly higher autoBLCL-reactive CD8 T cells, which correlated with reactive CD4 T-cell frequencies. AutoBLCL-specific CD8 T-cell responses of four CSF-TCL analyzed in detail were oligoclonal and directed to lytic EBV proteins, but not CRYAB endogenously expressed by autoBLCL.

Conclusions:

Enhanced intrathecal autoBLCL-specific T-cell reactivity, selectively directed towards lytic EBV proteins in two CSF-TCL, suggested a localized T-cell response to EBV in patients with MS. Our data warrant further characterization of the magnitude and breadth of intrathecal EBV-specific T-cell responses in larger patient cohorts.
Psychiatric co-morbidity in multiple sclerosis: The risk of depression and anxiety before and after MS diagnosis
Authors: Hoang Huong , Laursen Bjarne , Stenager Elsebeth N. , Stenager Egon
Published: June 2015

Background:

Studies of depression and anxiety in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have reported higher rates in MS patients than the general population.

Objective:

To estimate the risk of depression and anxiety and the use of tricyclic antidepressant and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) prescriptions, in the pre-diagnostic and the post-diagnostic period of MS compared to the background population.

Methods:

A cohort of 5084 MS patients was included and matched with a control population of 24,771 persons linked to nationwide registers. Logistic regression analyses were performed estimating odds ratios (OR).

Results:

In the pre-diagnostic period, the OR for having a diagnosis of depression and anxiety is 1.4 (95% confidence interval (CI) =1.05–1.88), and the OR of redemption prescriptions of TCAs is 1.90 (CI=1.54–2.34) and OR is 1.34 (CI= 1.20–1.51) for SSRI. In the post-diagnostic period the OR is 1.23 (CI= 0.92–1.64) for depression and anxiety diagnosis. The OR is 6.70 (CI=5.81–7.72) for TCA and OR is 2.46 (CI= 2.25–2.69) for SSRI.

Conclusion:

During both the pre- diagnostic and post-diagnostic period, MS patient have increased risk of depression and anxiety diagnoses and redemption of antidepressant and anxiolytic prescriptions, compared to the background population.
Models for violence by Turkish police officers toward romantic partners and police partners
Authors: Karagoz Turgay , Can S Hakan , Hendy Helen M
Published: June 2015

Social learning theory suggests that displays of violence in close relationships would be increased for individuals exposed to family models of violence, especially from parents. Because police officers may regard their departments as a second ‘family,’ violence shown by the ‘father figure’ police supervisor may be a significant model for violence, as recent research has found for American police officers. The police supervisor might also be expected to be a powerful model for violence because Turkish police officers serve in a male-dominated workplace in a largely male-dominated society. This study examined how violence reported by Turkish police officers in their close relationships (toward romantic partners, toward police partners) was explained by parental models from the ‘home family’ (father-to-mother, mother-to-father, father-to-participant, mother-to-participant) and from the ‘police family’ (supervisor-to-participant). Study participants included 233 Turkish police officers (96% male; 66% under 30 years of age; 6.9 mean years of service) who completed anonymous questionnaires to report violence in each relationship using the six-item subscale of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale. Multiple regression analyses revealed that the set of ‘home family’ and ‘police family’ parental models explained 42% of variance in romantic partner violence and 74% of variance in police partner aggression. Violence from the police supervisor was the most consistent and significant model, perhaps because the police supervisor was a new and powerful ‘father figure’ for the relatively young officers of the present study. Violence received from the mother was also associated with increased risk of police partner violence, perhaps because mothers were the officers’ primary caretakers during childhood, making their style of conflict resolution the most prevalent parental model. Employee assistance programs to encourage ‘Peace in the Family’ for Turkish police officers may require participation by police supervisors, who must model non-violent conflict resolution in their departments.
Legislative actions
Authors: Leechaianan Yingyos , Chayapan Pongpat , Khruakham Seksan
Published: June 2015

Injuries and deaths resulting from driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) have become a major problem in Thailand. Specifically, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that Thailand’s road-traffic death rate (per 100,000) was ranked third of 182 countries in 2013. To date, no research has examined whether the 2007 Road Traffic Act (RTA) has had a significant impact on DUI accidents since it was enacted. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the 2007 RTA on DUI accident rates in Thailand. Using monthly DUI accident figures from 2005 to 2010 obtained from the Police Information and Technology Centre, the results from an interrupted time series design are used to indicate whether the new RTA is more effective than the previous Act in preventing drug- and alcohol-related accidents in Thailand. The results supported the effectiveness of the 2007 RTA, but only in Region 10 (Bangkok), Region 1 (Nonthaburi) and Region 3 (Nakhon Ratchasima). However, it is important to highlight that even though the 2007 RTA was statistically significant in only three regions, the number of DUI accidents decreased in all 10 regions. Suggestions for future research are also provided.
Explaining vote switching to niche parties in the 2009 European Parliament elections
Authors: Hong Geeyoung
Published: June 2015

Assuming that the electoral success of niche parties in EP elections is largely due to the vote switching in EP elections, this study seeks to explore the motivations leading mainstream party supporters to switch to niche parties in EP elections ( niche switching voters). From the results of analyses, some important findings could be drawn. First, for niche switching voters, the ‘protest voting’ motivation is very important motive. In particular, they are strongly driven by their profound distrust in mainstream politics in switching to niche parties. Second, unlike the existing literature, European considerations matter in their voting behavior. Third, vote choice based on the niche issues also has important effect on their voting behavior. This demonstrates clearly that, niche switching voters are different from other switching voters.
On political responsibility in post-revolutionary times: Kant and Constant's debate on lying
Authors: Rousselière Geneviève
Published: June 2015

In “On a Supposed Right to Lie from Philanthropy,” Kant holds the seemingly untenable position that lying is always prohibited, even if the lie is addressed to a murderer in an attempt to save the life of an innocent man. This article argues that Kant's position on lying should be placed back in its original context, namely a response to Benjamin Constant about the responsibility of individual agents toward political principles in post-revolutionary times. I show that Constant's theory of political responsibility, which sanctions the lie, is not based on expediency, but on principled realism, whereas Kant endorses a position that I describe as ‘political juridicism.’ This analysis enables us to uncover two plausible Republican theories of political responsibility in post-revolutionary times behind an apparently strictly ethical debate.
Anti-HER3 Monoclonal Antibody Inhibits Acquired Trastuzumab-Resistant Gynecologic Cancers
Authors: Li Xinying , Duan Yanting , Qiao Chunxia , Zhou Tingting , Yu Ming , Geng Jing , Feng Jiannan , Shen Beifen , Lv Ming , Li Yan
Published: June 2015

Background:

Antibody resistance, both de novo and acquired, is usually related to high risk of recurrence and lower survival rate in gynecologic cancers. Prevention or reversal of the resistance often yields beneficial clinical results. It was reported that anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 monoclonal antibody was effective against trastuzumab-resistant breast cancer cells. Here in our laboratory, an acquired trastuzumab-resistant ovarian cancer cell line, SKOV3-T, was established previously. Further, human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 was observed to be upregulated in this cell line by microarray detection, suggesting that the antagonist against human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 might be effective to inhibit the resistant cells.

Methods:

We developed an anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 monoclonal antibody, LMAb3, and its affinity to bind human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 was calculated by the Biacore method. Preliminarily, LMAb3’s antitumor activity was evaluated in vitro using cell growth/proliferation and clone formation assays in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Furthermore, LMAb3 was also evaluated for its inhibitory effect on the carcinogenicity of the SKOV3-T cells, which were induced to overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 3, both in vitro and in vivo. The possible underlying signal transduction mechanisms were also identified by Western blot in the MCF-7 and SKOV3-T cells.

Results:

LMAb3 was able to inhibit the cell growth/proliferation, clone, and tumor formation both in vitro (in the MCF-7 and SKOV3-T cells) and in vivo. The underlying mechanism of LMAb3 possibly involves inactivation of the HER family proteins (human epidermal growth factor receptor 1, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, and especially human epidermal growth factor receptor 3) as well as the downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase and protein kinase B pathways.

Conclusion:

Our work suggests that satisfactory curative effects might be achieved with LMAb3 to treat the trastuzumab-resistant, human epidermal growth factor receptor 3-positive cases of gynecologic cancers.
Radix Astragali and Tanshinone Help Carboplatin Inhibit B16 Tumor Cell Growth
Authors: Wu Jinyi , Xu Haiming , Zhang Lei , Zhang Xiuying
Published: June 2015

Background:

Excessive UV radiation causes increased melanoma incidence. Postoperation chemotherapy will destroy lymphocytes and compromise immune response. Immunodepression is also detected in patients with cancers. Previous studies suggested that polysaccharide–protein complexes manifested immunomodulatory and antitumor activities. Radix Astragali (RA) extract is a product of polysaccharide–protein complexes, which has been used in the treatment of a variety of diseases because of its low toxicity to the host. Tanshinone (TA) is a derivative of phenanthrenequinone isolated from Danshen, which is suggested to inhibit tumor growth by inducing apoptosis in tumor cells. Carboplatin (CA) is a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug in melanoma treatment. Therefore, we hypothesized that the combination of RA and TA will help CA better inhibit the B16 cell growth.

Purpose:

The study will test that the efficacy of growth inhibition of tumor cell produced by CA + RA + TA is better than CA + RA or CA + TA.

Methods:

The B16 tumor cells were injected to Swiss-Hauschka (ICR) mice subcutaneously. Twenty-four hours later, mice received CA intraperitoneally, CA + RA (RA were administered gastrically at the dosage of 10 g/kg body weight), CA + TA (TA were administered gastrically at the dosage of 0.5 g/kg body weight), or no treatment (model group). Tumor weight, volume, latency, incidence, the percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ in spleen, and natural killer (NK), and cytotoxic lymphocyte (CTL) activities were measured and compared among different groups.

Results:

Compared with mice treated with CA + RA, CA + TA, or CA alone, the mice treated with CA + RA + TA showed (1) significantly smaller tumor weight and tumor volume; (2) significantly longer tumor latency; (3) significantly lower tumor incidence; and (4) significantly increased percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ in spleen and increased activities of NK and CTL.

Conclusion:

Combination of RA and TA can help CA produce more effective inhibition on B16 cell growth.
Underrecognized Peripheral Arterial Disease in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus in Thailand
Authors: Rerkasem Kittipan , Kosachunhanun Natapong , Sony Kiran , Inpankaew Nimit , Mani Raj
Published: June 2015

A range of prevalence of peripheral artery disease in diabetic patients has been estimated using the measurement of ankle brachial pressure index and clinical features in Asian countries. These data may be underestimates and hence underrecognized, raising questions about the numbers of patients with neuroischemic feet who are also at risk of diabetic foot ulcers. Underrecognition of these lesions may well increase the high levels of chronic wound burden resulting from peripheral artery disease as well as neuroischemic foot lesions. Improved education and training of clinical staff (nurses and family physicians) is required to combat these serious issues.
The Burden of Low Back Pain Among Fishermen
Authors: Dienye Paul O. , Birabi Bridget N. , Diete-Spiff Kaine O. , Dienye Nteimam P.
Published: June 2015

Although fishing is of great economic importance, it has been described as a very dangerous and strenuous occupation worldwide. The current study was designed to determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and explore the coping strategies of fishermen in the Oyorokoto fishing settlement in Nigeria. Three hundred and eighty-four fishermen with an age range of 18 to 64 years and a mean age of 34.12 years ( SD = 6.52) were recruited. LBP was identified in 262 (68.23%) of the participants. LBP was significantly associated with age, educational status, and body mass index (BMI; χ2 = 102.23, p < .001) but not with marital status ( p = .211). Severe LBP was identified among participants who were in the age group 35 to 44 years (33.93%), married (79.46%), primary education (45.54%), and abnormal BMI (73.32%). Participants ≥55 years (6.25%), widowers (1.79%), tertiary education (3.57%), and normal BMI (27.68%) had the least LBP. LBP was least prevalent in those who had practiced fishing for a duration of ≥21 years (25.57%) as compared with other groups (χ2 = 10.49, p = .03). The number of fishing trips per week was not significantly associated with the severity of LBP. Significant difference was identified between those who used nonmotorized boats as compared with motorized types (χ2 = 12.75, p = .002). The coping strategy with the highest score was religion 7.23 ( SD = 1.12). The coping strategy with the lowest score was substance abuse 3.01 ( SD = 0.57). In conclusion, LBP is an important health problem among fishermen. Religion is the most common coping strategy used by the fishermen.